The Fort Hood Shooting

I realize I've been bringing up a lot topics and not fully explaining why I feel they are all examples of the divide between those that serve and those that do not. So, in the next few posts, I'll try to expound on my original thoughts.

For example - the Fort Hood shooting. To me there are so many different aspects of this that prove that there is a drastic disconnect going on here. But I will focus on just two.

1) Political Correctness - this man, Hassan, the shooter, clearly gave off signs of wanting to do harm to people based on his extreme religious beliefs. More details are emerging about how he prayed at the mosque where two 9/11 hijackers were at that time and where a radical imam was preaching. He also arguing on several occasions with other soldiers about American foreign policy. Remember, this is a Major in the UNITED STATES ARMY!!!! Why was this man allowed to continue to serve?

The simple answer is our civilian society's obsession with political correctness has now invaded the military. Think about this - the very force that is now supposed to be combatting radical Islam is now afraid of identifying radicals in their own ranks. This is insane. And I believe this development is a direct result of our society not understanding what it takes to fight a war. This is the consequence of a country where so few citizens ever do serve.

2) The President's remarks - This lack of understanding was on display when our own President gave his initial remarks regarding the shooting. Before he talked about the shooting, the President felt the need to thank his political allies at the previously scheduled event that was going to focus on Native American issues. This took several minutes and included a "shout-out" to a man he identified as a "Congressional Medal of Honor winner." It was only then that he moved to a somber tone and addressed the loss of life at Fort Hood.

This performance by the President was very difficult to watch as a former Marine. First and foremost - no one WINS the Medal of Honor. It is not some prize or trophy to be given at the end of a competition. Instead they EARN the medal. Most of them are awarded it posthumously but those that survive are oftern grievously wounded. I can guarantee you they themselves would never describe their medal as having been "won."

Second - the man the President gave a "shout out" to was NOT, in fact, someone who had been awarded the Medal of Honor. He had actually earned a Medal of Freedom.

These two facts, along with the insensitive way the remarks were introduced, bely a President who has no idea what it means to serve in the military. This is, once again, a consequence of the shift in attitudes of our society in general. We simply do not, as a nation, recognize that National Defense is the responsibility of everyone not just the people we hire for the military. If we did, there would probably be a greater understanding of what it takes to wage a war. And our leaders would have a much better grasp of the martial mindset one needs to win a war.

Also, the President urged us not "to jump to conclusions" regarding the nature of the shooting. It is as if our entire government is afraid to call this act exactly what it was - a terrorist attack. Our government is acting as if we are not actually at war with radical Islam. It is as if, by denying it, they think the terrorists will just stop trying to kill us.

Again, this institutional attitude is a result of a group of people who have no idea what it takes to win a war. If you look at our history, you will see how previous generations fought their wars and how they were either successful or not based on these approaches.

In World War II we actually tried to kill the enemy. We had no mercy. We won.

In today's world, if we employed the same tactics, the press would probably call for the President's impeachment.

There is something to be learned by examining this change. If we don't recognize the dangers of our current approach, I fear greater catastrophies are in our near future.

Perhaps I am being alarmist. I hope I am wrong. But it just seems self-evident that if only 1% of our population is actually focused on fighting a war, our chances for success are drastically limited.

A final thought - my reaction to the Fort Hood shooting and it's subsequent coverage is forcing me to ask questions of my own - Has the notion of National Service become so foreign that I might be labelled controversial by merely advocating greater involvement by the American people in their own common defense?

(one last note - I mentioned our current President and his lack of military understanding. This same issue can be found in the previous two administrations. This is not a partisan charge. I think it is an institutional failure on the part of our civilian leadership no matter who is in charge.)