While it is true that Maj Hassan joined the service in 1997 (pre Bush), it has also been reported and verified that he openly expressed strong opposition to the war on numerous occasions. In fact, Maj Hasan may have asked to be discharged. So while recruitment wasn’t an issue in the case of Maj. Hasan, the stop loss policy (the need to maintain numbers) may have been.

The New York Times reported the following:

“He (Maj. Hassan) was commissioned in 1997 and went to medical school at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., a selective and tuition-free program.

After graduating in 2003, he did his internship and residency in psychiatry at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and then completed a two-year fellowship in preventive and disaster psychiatry, earning a master’s degree in public health.

During his time at Walter Reed and the Uniformed Services University, Major Hasan became increasingly vocal in his opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over the past five years, he also began openly opposing the wars on religious grounds.

He tried to get out of the Army, relatives said, and apparently believed it to be impossible, though experts say he was probably given inadequate advice.”

As was Major Hasan given inadequate advice about the military’s stop-loss policy. As a MD, was Major Hasan exempt from that policy. Did he believe that like millions of others enlisted persons that he had not choice but to stay in the service. Thankfully, it was announced this past March that the stop-loss policy will end by 2011. But I’m sure that the impact of the extensive use of this policy will be felt for a very long time.

Do not get me wrong, I am in NO way excusing Maj Hasan’s heionus acts. But like any good opposing attorney, I have presented an alternate theory of the crime. In my humble opinion, it is ridiculous to blame the military’s diversity policy as Ms Malkin would like us to do.

Quite simply there needs to be a thorough investigation in order to determine why so many questionable persons were recruited, or as in this case, retained in military service.

I believe that the need to build/maintain the ranks, especially in light of the competition from private security contractors like Blackwater aka XE, will be found to be a factor.

N.