Gunman shouted 'Allah Akbar' before opening fire, witness says. Will the rampage affect Obama's decision?

A witness has told investigators that the Army major who allegedly opened fire on his fellow soldiers at Ft.  Hood Army Base Thursday shouted  "Allahu Akbar" -- Arabic for "God is Great" and the rallying cry of suicide bombers around the world -- before unleashing his bloody assault that left 13 dead and 30 others wounded.

In a briefing with reporters this morning at the base, Col. John Rossi said, "We do have a witness who reported that."

And this morning on NBC's "Today" show, Lester Holt aired tape of the father of a soldier who said that his daughter told him the same thing.

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No one knows for sure yet. Lots of investigations are underway. This morning, after obtaining a search warrant, federal authorities seized the suspect's computer. Maybe it will turn out that anger is just anger, that motive is less important than fury.

But there are other reasons to suspect that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a military psychiatrist who treated combat veterans and who was described as a devout Muslim, was motivated by political animus against the United States.

Reports say he had received unsatisfactory reviews while he was at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, in part because he reportedly got into arguments with soldiers about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"He said maybe Muslims should stand up and fight against the aggressor," retired Col. Terry Lee told Fox News. "At first we thought he meant help the armed forces, but apparently that wasn't the case. Other times he would make comments [that] we shouldn't be in the war in the first place."

And then there are the Web postings, which authorities are now investigating. As the Los Angeles Times reported this morning, in a post on the website scribd.com that appears to be from May, a writer named "NidalHasan" likened a suicide bomber to a soldier who jumps on a grenade to save the lives of his fellow officers in that both were sacrificing their lives "for a more noble cause."

That cause, the post read, "is to help save Muslims by killing enemy soldiers. If one suicide bomber can kill 100 enemy soldiers because they were caught off guard that would be considered a strategic victory. Their intention is not to die because of some despair. The same can be said for the Kamikazees in Japan."

The massacre will no doubt weigh on President Obama as he decides whether to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. This afternoon he visits soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital, a trip planned before the shooting.

-- Johanna Neuman

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Comments

[perspective]

The US military is a killing machine. Its in the killing business.

This mans line of work was dealing with the excrement of the killing machine. Trying to make excrement smell like potpourri. When a person listens to soldiers with PTSD day in and day out its bound to have an effect on his psyche. Add to this that Major Hasan didnt fit in because of his anti war views and you have an extremely isolated and conflicted individual. He had no business being in the military if he is anti war. Plus there are nonviolent ways of dealing with not wanting to deploy, which may include jail time. But he chose the violent way. ..

So this man is just one of those killing machines that went out of control. Like I said: he's a killing machine trained by a killing machine. A tragedy within a tragedy.

[steve rodriguez]

It was the biggest act of terrorism on US soil since 911!
I sure hope it influences Obama's decision!

[Julie]

It won't. BHO could care less about anything but his own agenda. He proved that today with the bribes and punishments meted out to pass his bill.

[Charles]

If it turns out that this man has indeed turned on his country lets not forget it is only one man and not a religion that did this.
As a Christian and spiritual personality I can't help but hope this does not turn us on one another because of a difference of beliefs in the one God.
As a society we will hopefull have the chance to handle the man but only a much greater power than us can judge his soul for eternity.

[steve rodriguez]

Political Correctness = moral cowardice! Hasan is a terrorist!!!!

[steve rodriguez]

He was in the US Army, he sided with the enemy! He killed - 13!!!!