Soldiers nursing the mental and emotional scars of war have overwhelmed the central Texas base, the Army's largest. Cases of post-traumatic stress disorder quadrupled from 2005 to 2007, and PTSD affects even those — like Hasan — who haven't gone off to war ...
Oh for the love of ...
PTSD - Shell Shock - Battle Fatigue is real. Getting shot at and missed and getting shot and hit and seeing people you care for torn to shreds and dying by inches will have it's effect on people. People in the civilian world can experience a lot of shit as well that affects them the same way.
You .. can't .. catch .. it .. from .. other people. And you sure as shit can't get it when your job involves sitting in a hospital far, far, from death, destruction and carnage.
Don't excuse the bastard. Don't give Major Nidal Malik Hasan's terrorism any excuse. He did with cold malice and evil intent murder 13 and wound 30 soldiers. His fellow service members. His comrades-in-arms.
Major Hasan's terrorism is treason, under Article II, Section 3 of our Constitution.
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
As soon as Major Hasan is up and about he needs to be up for a court martial. Shortly after that, if there is any justice, somebody is going to look up the rules and regulations for a firing squad.
And how do we keep it from happening again? I don't see arming everyone in garrison as realistic. Too many soldiers, too many rifles, too much ammunition equals a huge administrative headache. A huge portion of everyone's work day would be devoted to checking out, checking in, and madatory 'do you have your rifle and all the bullets we issued' checks.
Issue all officers and NCOs sidearms. And that would solve this issue pretty neatly, I think.
