Ft. Hood and beyond

Re “Army in dark on Hasan’s e-mails,” Nov. 11, and “Suspected gunman’s ties to mosque investigated,” Nov. 9

It is indeed troubling that despite the post-9/11 efforts to create interagency task forces to improve intelligence-sharing, communication lapses continue -- including those that may have led to the tragic massacre at Ft. Hood, Texas.

What possibly could be more important than doing everything possible to ensure the integrity of those who wear the uniforms of our armed services, and to whom we entrust our country’s security?

One suggestion is for Congress, primarily those seated on the left side of the aisle, to stop meddling in the operations of the intelligence community and let them do their jobs.

John Davidson

San Juan Capistrano

I have seen no public attention paid to what I consider almost as big a concern as the Ft. Hood murders.

That is, the military’s promotion from captain to major of Nidal Malik Hasan, a military-schooled doctor who was repeatedly rated subpar in performance, expressed Muslim extremist beliefs and who has, from all angles, been a military and medical failure.

One wonders how widespread and rampant the promotion of incompetence is in the military, which we trust to protect our country and conduct our wars.

Alan V. Weinberg

Woodland Hills

::

U.S. intelligence officials?

Now that’s a shining example of an oxymoron!

Jean Mahlberg

Laguna Woods

::

In a country that interned thousands of innocent Japanese Americans during World War II, and now has been bombing Muslim countries steadily for the last nine years, can someone explain to me why Muslims are even allowed in the military, let alone rise to a position of power such as major?

Is everyone asleep at the Department of Homeland Security? Anybody there ever heard of the word “infiltrator”?

By the way, this was allowed to happen during the years when the Bush-Cheney cabal was in power. As paranoid and hateful as that administration was, how could this horrible oversight have happened?

William Winkler

Sunland

::

All the Monday-morning quarterbacks are wondering why the “alleged” perpetrator of the Ft. Hood massacre was not discharged as soon as his religious views were known.

Let’s consider that scenario.

Intelligence officials monitor the actions and e-mails of, and complaints against, Hasan. They discover his connection to an imam who supports the Islamist jihad and discharge the man.

I can just hear the media fuss. Have we no respect for diversity? For personal beliefs? Freedom of association? How could the loyalty of a soldier who attained the rank of major be questioned? This is just another example of right-wing extremists using homeland security as an excuse to lay down draconian limits on our precious freedoms. Shame, shame, America!

I imagine those who received the complaints thought of that very thing. They did not act, and people died.

Sylvia Alloway

Granada Hills