The terrorist attack, ahem, "act of workplace violence" on November 5, 2009 at Fort Hood killed 13 people (plus an unborn child) and injured 33, including gunman Nidal Hasan, who was at the time a psychiatrist in the U.S. Army. As the Department of Defense has classified the shooting as an act of workplace violence rather than a terrorist attack (despite the fact that Hasan shouted "Allahu Akhbar" during the shooting and had reportedly previously expressed anti-military sentiment), those who are wounded are unable to claim extra benefits from the DoD, and they are not eligible for Purple Hearts or other medals relating to the attack. Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) believes the act was terrorism, and released a video today explaining why this is so, and how he has proposed a bill that would reclassify the attack as an act of terror.
It is abundantly clear this was an act of radical Islamic terrorism. And the only explanation for the administration's persistant denial of that is politics.
I agree with Sen. Cruz (and Sen. Lieberman, among others) that the shooting at Fort Hood was likely an act of terrorism that goes far beyond a "workplace violence" incident. Those wounded in the attack, and families of the deceased, should be treated with utmost respect. Classifying the attack for what it is would be a great start.
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