Shhh! We must not utter the word "terrorist!"
By Amy L. Geiger-Hemmer
Nov. 11, 2009 8:09 a.m.
While listening to conservative talk show host Mark Belling on WISN 1130, Belling mentioned an interesting article by Dorothy Rabinowitz, who writes for the Wall Street Journal. Belling read the column over the air, and I felt it was important to share with my readers. Rabinowitz's column, "Dr. Phil and the Fort Hood Killer - His terrorist motive is obvious to everyone but the press and the Army brass" , Wall Street Journal, November 10, 2009, brings to light the "ostrich culture" we currently find prevalent in regards to the Fort Hood killings.
Rabinowitz makes the case that the media and Army are burying their heads in the sand, unwilling to admit that the Fort Hood massacre, carried out by a Muslim - Major Nidal Malik Hasan - was motivated by Hasan's religious beliefs. And that the attack was one of terrorism. The media, Army, and the President of the United States, all want us to ignore the facts and evidence - including Hasan's own words and actions - that point to such an obvious conclusion. If the truth be told, this incident should be called the first terrorist attack on United States soil since 9/11. But in the post-Bush, present-Obama world, we must NOT mention terror or terrorism. We must not acknowledge that there still is a war on terror going on. We must not address the fact that many Muslims practice a violent religion, intent on killing "non-believers." No, we have to soften everything - wouldn't want to offend anyone, now, would we? The Obama Administration has taken "terror" and "terrorist" (as well as "victory") out of their vocabulary. Now we have an "Overseas Contingency Operation." In overly-zealous (and stupid) efforts to be politically-correct, look what happens. People die. People died at Fort Hood because many who noticed Hasan's anti-American behavior and actions chose not to speak out. They did not want to be accused of discrimination against a Muslim. And now thirteen people are dead. Thirty people are wounded. When will this nonsense be addressed? When will this stop? Are the fears of hurting the feelings of some more important than protecting the lives of our American soldiers? or the American people?
Here are just a few excerpts from Rabinowitz:
"Commentators, reporters, psychologists and, indeed, army spokesmen continue to warn portentously, "We don't yet know the motive for the shootings."
What a puzzle this piece of vacuity must be to audiences hearing it, some, no doubt, with outrage. To those not terrorized by fear of offending Muslim sensitivities, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's motive was instantly clear: It was an act of terrorism by a man with a record of expressing virulent, anti-American, pro-jihadist sentiments. All were conspicuous signs of danger his Army superiors chose to ignore.
What is hard to ignore, now, is the growing derangement on all matters involving terrorism and Muslim sensitivities. Its chief symptoms: a palpitating fear of discomfiting facts and a willingness to discard those facts and embrace the richest possible variety of ludicrous theories as to the motives behind an act of Islamic terrorism."
We are headed back to the pre-9/11 days, when terrorism was treated as a criminal act. By the way, Obama and the Attorney General, Eric Holder, have indeed taken to portraying the Fort Hood incident a "criminal act." Judging from the Obama White House's reactions to this horrific event, nothing will be done to put the focus back where it belongs - on terrorists. The National Security of America will continue to suffer and weaken under Obama's watch with this kind of attitude.
And the way the media, Obama, and the Army are portraying the Fort Hood shootings, most people would be led to believe that Hasan's actions at Fort Hood were an aberration - that this was an isolated incident. Turns out that is not the case. Hasan's just one of several jihadist soldiers who have been discovered in the United States military. From Investor's Business Daily, 11/6/09 -"Jihad's Fifth Column" comes the following:
• Navy Signalman Hassan Abujihaad last year was convicted of tipping off al-Qaida to battle group movements in the Persian Gulf, including disclosing classified documents detailing the group's vulnerability to terror attack.
• Army reservist Jeffrey Battle in 2003 pleaded guilty to conspiring to wage war against the U.S., confessing he enlisted "to receive military training to use against America."
• Army reservist Semi Osman in 2002 was arrested for providing material support to al-Qaida and pleaded guilty to weapons charges after agreeing to testify against other terror suspects.
• Marine Abdul Raheem al-Arshad Ali trained at a suspected al-Qaida camp and was charged with selling a semi-automatic handgun to Osman.
• Army Sgt. Ali Mohamed trained Green Berets at Fort Bragg's elite special warfare school before stealing military secrets for al-Qaida and helping plan bombings at three U.S. embassies in 1998.
• Army Spec. Ryan Anderson in 2004 was convicted of leaking military intelligence to al-Qaida terrorists, including sensitive information about the vulnerabilities of armored Humvees.
• Army sniper John Muhammad was put on death row after fatally shooting 10 in the nation's capital a year after 9/11.
While good and decent Muslim soldiers have served admirably, the list of those who have put their allegiance to Islam above country is long, and this is by no means an exhaustive accounting.
At least Senator Joe Liberman (I-Conn) isn't afraid to say out loud what most of us already know:
"This was an attack on American troops," Lieberman said, "there are very, very strong warning signs here that Dr. Hasan had become an Islamist extremist and therefore that this was a terrorist act."
By Amy L. Geiger-Hemmer
Nov. 11, 2009 8:09 a.m.
While listening to conservative talk show host Mark Belling on WISN 1130, Belling mentioned an interesting article by Dorothy Rabinowitz, who writes for the Wall Street Journal. Belling read the column over the air, and I felt it was important to share with my readers. Rabinowitz's column, "Dr. Phil and the Fort Hood Killer - His terrorist motive is obvious to everyone but the press and the Army brass" , Wall Street Journal, November 10, 2009, brings to light the "ostrich culture" we currently find prevalent in regards to the Fort Hood killings.
Rabinowitz makes the case that the media and Army are burying their heads in the sand, unwilling to admit that the Fort Hood massacre, carried out by a Muslim - Major Nidal Malik Hasan - was motivated by Hasan's religious beliefs. And that the attack was one of terrorism. The media, Army, and the President of the United States, all want us to ignore the facts and evidence - including Hasan's own words and actions - that point to such an obvious conclusion. If the truth be told, this incident should be called the first terrorist attack on United States soil since 9/11. But in the post-Bush, present-Obama world, we must NOT mention terror or terrorism. We must not acknowledge that there still is a war on terror going on. We must not address the fact that many Muslims practice a violent religion, intent on killing "non-believers." No, we have to soften everything - wouldn't want to offend anyone, now, would we? The Obama Administration has taken "terror" and "terrorist" (as well as "victory") out of their vocabulary. Now we have an "Overseas Contingency Operation." In overly-zealous (and stupid) efforts to be politically-correct, look what happens. People die. People died at Fort Hood because many who noticed Hasan's anti-American behavior and actions chose not to speak out. They did not want to be accused of discrimination against a Muslim. And now thirteen people are dead. Thirty people are wounded. When will this nonsense be addressed? When will this stop? Are the fears of hurting the feelings of some more important than protecting the lives of our American soldiers? or the American people?
Here are just a few excerpts from Rabinowitz:
"Commentators, reporters, psychologists and, indeed, army spokesmen continue to warn portentously, "We don't yet know the motive for the shootings."
What a puzzle this piece of vacuity must be to audiences hearing it, some, no doubt, with outrage. To those not terrorized by fear of offending Muslim sensitivities, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's motive was instantly clear: It was an act of terrorism by a man with a record of expressing virulent, anti-American, pro-jihadist sentiments. All were conspicuous signs of danger his Army superiors chose to ignore.
What is hard to ignore, now, is the growing derangement on all matters involving terrorism and Muslim sensitivities. Its chief symptoms: a palpitating fear of discomfiting facts and a willingness to discard those facts and embrace the richest possible variety of ludicrous theories as to the motives behind an act of Islamic terrorism."
We are headed back to the pre-9/11 days, when terrorism was treated as a criminal act. By the way, Obama and the Attorney General, Eric Holder, have indeed taken to portraying the Fort Hood incident a "criminal act." Judging from the Obama White House's reactions to this horrific event, nothing will be done to put the focus back where it belongs - on terrorists. The National Security of America will continue to suffer and weaken under Obama's watch with this kind of attitude.
And the way the media, Obama, and the Army are portraying the Fort Hood shootings, most people would be led to believe that Hasan's actions at Fort Hood were an aberration - that this was an isolated incident. Turns out that is not the case. Hasan's just one of several jihadist soldiers who have been discovered in the United States military. From Investor's Business Daily, 11/6/09 -"Jihad's Fifth Column" comes the following:
• Navy Signalman Hassan Abujihaad last year was convicted of tipping off al-Qaida to battle group movements in the Persian Gulf, including disclosing classified documents detailing the group's vulnerability to terror attack.
• Army reservist Jeffrey Battle in 2003 pleaded guilty to conspiring to wage war against the U.S., confessing he enlisted "to receive military training to use against America."
• Army reservist Semi Osman in 2002 was arrested for providing material support to al-Qaida and pleaded guilty to weapons charges after agreeing to testify against other terror suspects.
• Marine Abdul Raheem al-Arshad Ali trained at a suspected al-Qaida camp and was charged with selling a semi-automatic handgun to Osman.
• Army Sgt. Ali Mohamed trained Green Berets at Fort Bragg's elite special warfare school before stealing military secrets for al-Qaida and helping plan bombings at three U.S. embassies in 1998.
• Army Spec. Ryan Anderson in 2004 was convicted of leaking military intelligence to al-Qaida terrorists, including sensitive information about the vulnerabilities of armored Humvees.
• Army sniper John Muhammad was put on death row after fatally shooting 10 in the nation's capital a year after 9/11.
While good and decent Muslim soldiers have served admirably, the list of those who have put their allegiance to Islam above country is long, and this is by no means an exhaustive accounting.
At least Senator Joe Liberman (I-Conn) isn't afraid to say out loud what most of us already know:
"This was an attack on American troops," Lieberman said, "there are very, very strong warning signs here that Dr. Hasan had become an Islamist extremist and therefore that this was a terrorist act."
