On Thursday, a massive tragedy unfolded at one of the United States largest army bases. At Ford Hood, Texas, Major Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire on his fellow troops, killing 12 and injuring more than 30. Hasan was finally stopped by a civilian police officer, who shot him four times. Hasan is currently in a coma, alive but unable to speak to authorities.
Although he was born in Virginia, Hasan is of Palestinian decent and a Muslim. Interestingly, he was also an army psychiatrist. His job was to counsel soldiers who had returned from Iraq and Afghanistan who were dealing with PTSD. Reportedly, he was expected to ship off to Afghanistan himself, and was very concerned about fighting other Muslims.
Hasan has claimed that he was discriminated against because of his ethnicity and religion. Others say that, instead, he made a "lightning rod" of himself with his "anti-American" rhetoric and his opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Some on the right have been quick to label him a terrorist, and yes, he is a Muslim and what he did is horrific. But he does not appear to be part of a network of other international terrorist, instead he is more of a "lone wolf. " Also, some on the left have been quick to make the point that, after dealing with the trauma suffered by other soldiers, Hasan was affected by some kind of "pre-tramatic stress disorder," and this is a consequence of an unjust war. It is unfortunate that such a tragedy can offer no recess from partisan bickering.
What is also unfortunate is the distrust of Arab-American soldiers that will inevitably result from this incident. President Obama has tried to make this point, saying, "They reflect the diversity that makes this America. But what they share is patriotism like no other." In the immediate aftermath of this tragedy there are few easy answers. More disconcertingly, there are even fewer easy questions.
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