Gwynne Dyer: U.S. media overlook obvious explanation for Maj. Nidal's mass murder

Earlier this year, the Pentagon committed $50 million to a study investigating why the suicide rate in the military is rising. It used to be below the suicide rate in comparable civilian groups, but now it’s four times higher.

Thirteen American soldiers were killed by a gunman at Fort Hood in Texas last Thursday, but 75 others have died by their own hand at the same army base since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Why?

To most people, the answer is obvious. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been frustrating, exhausting, and seemingly endless, and some people just can’t take it any more. But the Pentagon is spending $50 million to search for other possible causes, because it doesn’t like that answer.

The U.S. military budget tops half a trillion dollars, so the military can splash out on diversionary studies that draw attention away from the main problems, which are combat fatigue and loss of faith in the mission. And we are seeing exactly the same pattern in the response to the killings in Fort Hood, although in this case the military are also getting the services of the U.S. media for free.

Let’s see, now. A devout Muslim officer serving in the U.S. Army, born in the United States but of Palestinian ancestry, is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in the near future. He opens fire on his fellow soldiers, shouting “Allahu akbar.” (“God is great” in Arabic.) What can his motive have been? Hard to guess, isn’t it? Was he unhappy about his promotion prospects? Hmm.

There is something comic in the contortions that the U.S. media engage in to avoid the obvious fact that if the United States invades Muslim countries, some Muslim Americans are bound to think that America has declared war on Islam. It has not, but from Pakistan to Somalia the U.S. is killing Muslims in the name of a “war on terror".

Some of them are enemies of the U.S. government, and some of them are innocent civilians. Some of them are even “friendly-fire casualties” among soldiers collaborating with the United States, like the Afghan soldiers killed recently in a U.S. air-strike. But every single day since 2003, U.S. soldiers have killed Muslims, and every day those deaths have been reported in the media.

So is it possible that the shooter in Fort Hood, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who was waiting to ship out to Afghanistan, did not want to take a personal part in that enterprise? Might he belong to that large majority of Muslims (though probably a minority among American Muslims) who, unable to discover any rational basis for U.S. strategy since 9/11, have drifted towards the conclusion that the United States is indeed waging a war on Islam?

Perish the thought! Rather than entertain such a subversive idea, official spokespersons and media pundits in the United States have been trying to come up with some other motive for Maj. Hasan’s actions.

Maybe he was a coward who couldn’t face the prospect of combat in Afghanistan. Maybe he was a nutcase whose actions had no meaning at all. Or maybe he was unhappy at the alleged abuse he had suffered because he was Muslim/Arab/Palestinian.

After a few days while the commentariat hesitated before competing narratives, the media are settling on the explanation that it was ethnic/racial/religious abuse that drove Nidal crazy.

Bad people doing un-American things were ultimately responsible for the tragedy, and there’s an end to it.

The one explanation that is excluded is that America’s wars in Muslim lands overseas are radicalizing Muslims at home. Never mind that the homegrown Muslim terrorists who attacked the London transport system in 2005, and the various Muslim plotters who have been caught in other Western countries before their plans came to fruition, have almost all blamed the Western invasions of Muslim countries for radicalizing them.

Never mind, above all, that what really radicalized them was the fact that those invasions made no sense in terms of Western security.

No Afghan has ever attacked the United States, although Arabs living in Afghanistan were involved in the planning of 9/11.

There were no terrorists in Iraq, no weapons of mass destruction, and no contacts between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda.

So why did the U.S. invade those countries?

The real reasons are panic and ignorance, reinforced by militaristic reflexes and laced with liberal amounts of racism. But people find it hard to believe that big, powerful governments like those of the United States, Britain and the other Western powers involved in these foolish adventures could really be so stupid, so the conspiracy theories proliferate.

It is a testimony to the moderation and loyalty of Muslim communities in the West that so few of their members have succumbed to these conspiracy theories. It is evidence of the profound denial that still reigns in the majority community in the United States that the most obvious explanation for Maj. Nidal’s actions didn’t even make the media’s short list.

I cannot know for sure what moved Maj. Nidal to do the terrible things he did: each individual is a mystery even to himself. But I do see the U.S. media careening all over the road to avoid the huge and obvious fact that obscures half the horizon. Time to grow up.

Gwynne Dyer’s latest book, Climate Wars, was published recently in Canada by Random House and Vintage.

Comments

22 Comments

M.G. Stevens

Nov 8, 2009 at 2:46pm

Mr. Dyer seems to hit it dead on. Too bad the elephant next-door was rendered deaf to truth a long time ago and will likely never hear this or any other non-self-serving analysis of their path to self-destruction. The Romans would have a thing or two to teach here, and while the British and French empires trod similar paths, it seems there is no one yet able to encapsulate and pass on the lesson - assuming one was learned at all.

Sad, really.

One is left to find comfort in the understanding that it's all impermanent (even the bad stuff) and if we remember not to cling to outcomes and accept all phenomenon equally, we can remain personally at peace in the face of great suffering. Have compassion for the suffering experienced by others and try not to create suffering, in others - or within yourself.

Adam C. Sieracki

Nov 8, 2009 at 4:46pm

Muslims of the Salafi persuasion don't seem to mind it when their co-religionists murder each other in Sudan, Iraq, or elsewhere. Not a peep, either, over the vicious persecution of religious minorities, like the Druze and Baha'i, or Suni vs. Shi'a violence.

The tolerance displayed by Canada, the U.S. and Britain of Islamist radicals has gone on far too long. It's gotten to the point that our security services and police don't even bother enforcing existing antisedition laws against radical Muslims, for fear of offending their religious sensibilities. Whether it's the 'right' (catering to Saudi petro interests), or the 'left' (obsessed with multicultural accomodation), everybody's ignoring the REAL elephant in the room. The Saudi-funded, Salafi/Wahhabi branch of Suni Islam has essentially taken over the 'Ummah' and has become a dangerous fifth column in the West.

Cracking down on this very real threat won't take any new laws. Rather, the police and security forces (CSIS and the RCMP, DPS) should simply enforce antisedition laws that have been on the books for decades. Deporting radical Imams (e.g., Aly Hindy, Mohammed Elmasry, Syed Sohawarty), shutting down jihadist-front organizations (CAIR, Muslim Students Associations), closing Salafi mosques and arresting people for issuing seditious statements (i.e., the sermons at many mosques, online postings) would put a serious dent in the 'Green Menace'.

MT

Nov 8, 2009 at 4:46pm

wow amazing nonsense - here's a dose of reality that politically correct drones do not want you know so they publish obsfucations like that above:

"What we have learned about Hasan is that he got a lousy performance review. He has been disciplined for pressuring others into becoming Muslim. He admired home grown jihadis, including the Arkansas recruiter killer. He handed out Korans before his rampage. His neighbor told FNC that he had “Allah” written on his front door in Arabic. He shouted “Allahu Akbar”, the traditional pre-massacre jihadi shout out. He identified himself as Palestinian. It seems plausible that he expected to die, given that he was surrounded by military and civilian personnel who know how to shoot."

http://www.faithfreedom.org/islam/massacre-political-correctness

Knight

Nov 8, 2009 at 5:24pm

“...if the United States invades Muslim countries, some Muslim Americans are bound to think that America has declared war on Islam.”

So true, if the United States invades a Catholic country some Catholics are justified in believing America has declared war on Catholicism.

“Some of them are enemies of the U.S. government, and some of them are innocent civilians...every single day since 2003, U.S. soldiers have killed Muslims, and every day those deaths have been reported in the media. “

True again. There is no difference between deliberately killing women and children in a Pakistani market place by suicide bombing and accidentally killing women and children in a guerrilla war.

“No Afghan has ever attacked the United States, although Arabs living in Afghanistan were involved in the planning of 9/11. “

True again. The Taliban, who carried out public executions in soccer stadiums, destroyed ancient Buddhist Statues and imposed strict Sharia law, didn't support Al Qaeda and the Mushadeen. They are nice people who want to be our friends.

“So why did the U,S. invade those countries?
The real reasons are panic and ignorance, reinforced by militaristic reflexes and laced with liberal amounts of racism. But people find it hard to believe that big, powerful governments like those of the United States, Britain and the other Western powers involved in these foolish adventures could really be so stupid, so the conspiracy theories proliferate.”

The real Truth. George Bush killed 3000 of his own people to invade a country of goat herders. Osama works for the CIA. The evil Jews are using dumb Americans. I am stupid and racist if I think otherwise.
“I cannot know for sure what moved Maj. Nidal to do the terrible things he did: each individual is a mystery even to himself. But I do see the U.S. media careening all over the road to avoid the huge and obvious fact that obscures half the horizon. Time to grow up.”

So true again. I'm glad a pregnant women was shot, it's her fault she deserved this. The real victim is a US army psychologist with the only thing in common with the people of Afghanistan and Iraq is his religion. If we hadn't invaded Afghanistan, Iraq or drawn some cartoons, Maj Nidal wouldn't have shot the people he swore to protect. I am ready for the re-education camp now.

Whole Truth

Nov 8, 2009 at 10:17pm

Good column, but if you're going to tell the whole truth, tell it.

"The real reasons are panic and ignorance, reinforced by militaristic reflexes and laced with liberal amounts of racism."

Sure. But the reflex was in response to something. We know what it was: 9/11, and before that the bombings of the US Embassies.

At this point, it is easy to say that full-scale military invasions were probably not the smartest ways to respond to the provocations of Al-Qaida; that, indeed, that we followed their playbook to the letter, bankrupting ourselves to chase the phantom Osama down his various hideyholes.

However, *something* had to be done. You don't win a war by pretending there isn't one.

Ultimately, the West will prevail because our lifestyle is more advanced and our freedoms stronger, in spite of our decadence and spiritual malaise. China deprogrammed itself of communism (in all but name) in just a couple of years. We could never have dreamed of beating that regime in a straight up military fight, but guess what, they flipped their own selves. This signals, maybe, that the right way to turn your enemy is to exchange goods, and then ideas, rather than drop bombs on their women and children.

disappointedCDN

Nov 9, 2009 at 1:06am

here's a question Mr Dyer. Have you any experience personally dealing with war? do you have loved ones who are or have been in the Military? Are you American? Or are you just writing this for the purpose of scholarly debate? I am married to a Veteran of the US Military, and if there is one thing that I learn day in and day out is that although both of us would agree that this war is senseless, The war, the situations it causes and the way in which it effects the people it involves is incredibly complicated.
I am insulted by your article. The way you talk about the event is incredibly condescending, you seem offended by the general 'American Stupidity' saying that the gunman's reason for the shootings is obvious and why can't the they just figure out that this war is having ridiculously negative affects already? (which just by the sounds of it, you were probably watching CNN, FOX or NBC which all tend lean towards sensationalism) Well, thank you for your 'useful' observation Captain obvious. Now how 'bout you take a trip to the states and actually get to know the people and the political climate that you are attempting to editorialize. You do this subject absolutely no justice. You oversimplify which you seem forced to do because you lack a knowledgeable perspective on the issue. Also, I think you need to do some research on the issue of suicide in the military. I feel that you assume too much in thinking that those suicides are strictly due to the nature of this war. My husband faced thoughts of suicide for many reasons when he returned and part of it was because he found the rantings of educated fools and IGNORANT f***bags who make repulsive comments like "I'm glad a pregnant women was shot, it's her fault she deserved this." a bit hard to swallow. almost every single sentiment expressed on this page misses the heart of the issue, and yet is put forth with such confidence, and self-importance. well i'm glad for you that you were able to figure out the oh-so-obvious reason of this shooting, maybe next time you can attempt to come up with a solution, taking into account the realities of the political climate down south. And as much media attention as the ignorant right-wings get down there, always remember there are plenty of reasonable, intelligent Americans who have a loathing and disdain for the States that is much greater than yours and has a broader perspective of this very broad and complex issue, and would be offended by your generalization.

Roger Dodger

Nov 9, 2009 at 7:13am

The above comment by 'disappointedCDN' makes little sense. Sympathy does go out to you and yours though.

Spittle laced rants and sarcasm (ie. "I'm glad a pregnant woman was shot") are not welcome to the discussions. These examples of commentaries/ blogs/ opinions pollute the proceedings. Recognize this and it's one step closer to a better world.

Maplefudge

Nov 9, 2009 at 10:07am

Live by the sword...

Come on Sheeple

Nov 9, 2009 at 11:46am

Really? Gwynn you can't take the fact that scientists have detected nano-thermite explosives in the WTC dust from the "collapse"...

Look a little harder at this shooting. Something's missing. What happened to all the reports of other gunmen? Gov. Rick Perry mentioned 3 shooters, and now all this focus on a muslim.....this stinks. It's just too bad most of you can't see the forest for the trees.