Leaders of Fort Hood Inquiry Avoid Hasan Questions
Congressional Desk
January 31, 2010
McKeon, Committee Republicans Press for Answers on "Why Accused Gunman Moved Through the Military´s Ranks"
Washington, D.C. — Republican members on the House Armed Services Committee pressed Togo West and Vern Clark, the authors of an internal Department of Defense review into the massacre at Fort Hood last fall, to understand why "the accused gunman moved through the military's ranks despite repeated concerns over his performance and behavior" and whether his supervisors had any evidence about his radicalization.
According to an Associated Press story, "Togo West and Vern Clark said Defense Department attorneys told them that they could not delve into a restricted portion of the review about Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan's official personnel records.
Congressman Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), voicing his frustration that the American public are not allowed to know the details surrounding Hasan, stated: "I read the [restricted] portion of the report and it was a finding of facts prior to the tragedy…It ought to be available to the American public."
The Associated Press story continued, "Hasan's supervisors sanitized his performance appraisals in the years prior to the shootings…[and documents] reveal concerns about him at almost every stage of his Army education. Officers in charge of Hasan loaded praise into the alleged gunman's record despite knowing he was chronically late for work, saw few patients, disappeared when he was on call and confronted those around him with his Islamic views."
Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-Calif.), the senior Republican on the committee, underscored this fact in his opening statement: "With regard to the Fort Hood shootings, your report is clear that Major Hasan´s supervisors were aware of his shortcomings as an officer and medical professional and failed to act appropriately. The report is strangely silent on whether or not Major Hasan gave any clear evidence of his radicalization or whether there were any substantive clues about that radicalization that his supervisors should have acted upon. I hope that your testimony will address these issues."
Washington, D.C. — Republican members on the House Armed Services Committee pressed Togo West and Vern Clark, the authors of an internal Department of Defense review into the massacre at Fort Hood last fall, to understand why "the accused gunman moved through the military's ranks despite repeated concerns over his performance and behavior" and whether his supervisors had any evidence about his radicalization.
According to an Associated Press story, "Togo West and Vern Clark said Defense Department attorneys told them that they could not delve into a restricted portion of the review about Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan's official personnel records.
Congressman Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), voicing his frustration that the American public are not allowed to know the details surrounding Hasan, stated: "I read the [restricted] portion of the report and it was a finding of facts prior to the tragedy…It ought to be available to the American public."
The Associated Press story continued, "Hasan's supervisors sanitized his performance appraisals in the years prior to the shootings…[and documents] reveal concerns about him at almost every stage of his Army education. Officers in charge of Hasan loaded praise into the alleged gunman's record despite knowing he was chronically late for work, saw few patients, disappeared when he was on call and confronted those around him with his Islamic views."
Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-Calif.), the senior Republican on the committee, underscored this fact in his opening statement: "With regard to the Fort Hood shootings, your report is clear that Major Hasan´s supervisors were aware of his shortcomings as an officer and medical professional and failed to act appropriately. The report is strangely silent on whether or not Major Hasan gave any clear evidence of his radicalization or whether there were any substantive clues about that radicalization that his supervisors should have acted upon. I hope that your testimony will address these issues."
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