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Warrior-Mentor
11-15-2009, 11:16
Obama urges Congress to put off Fort Hood probe

By PHILIP ELLIOTT (AP) – 1 day ago

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama urged Congress to hold off on any investigation of the Fort Hood rampage until federal law enforcement and military authorities have completed their probes into the shootings at the Texas Army post, which left 13 people dead.

On an eight-day Asia trip, Obama turned his attention home and pleaded for lawmakers to "resist the temptation to turn this tragic event into the political theater." He said those who died on the nation's largest Army post deserve justice, not political stagecraft.

"The stakes are far too high," Obama said in a video and Internet address released by the White House while the president he was flying from Tokyo to Singapore, where Pacific Rim countries were meeting.

Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, was charged on Thursday with the shooting spree at Fort Hood last week. Army investigators have said Hasan is the only suspect and could face additional charges.

Obama already had ordered a review of all intelligence related to Hasan and whether the information was properly shared and acted upon within government agencies. Several members of Congress, particularly Michigan Rep. Peter Hoekstra, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, have also called for a full examination of what agencies knew about Hasan's contacts with a radical Muslim cleric in Yemen and others of concern to the U.S.

Hoekstra confirmed this week that government officials knew of about 10 to 20 e-mails between Hasan and the radical imam, beginning in December 2008.

A joint terrorism task force overseen by the FBI learned late last year of Hasan's repeated contact with the cleric, who encouraged Muslims to kill U.S. troops in Iraq. The FBI said the task force did not refer early information about Hasan to superiors because it concluded he wasn't linked to terrorism.

Lawmakers, however, already have announced they want their own investigations and were frustrated with what they view as a less-than-forthcoming administration.

Rep. Howard McKeon, R-Calif., said he wanted to go ahead with an investigation from the House Armed Services Committee, where he is the top Republican. He said he wanted an investigation that wouldn't compromise law enforcement or military investigations that were continuing on separate tracks.

In the Senate, Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, said his Homeland Security Committee was opening an investigation.

Obama said he was not opposed to hearings — eventually. But he strongly pressed lawmakers to hold off until the probes now under way are completed.

"There is an ongoing investigation into this terrible tragedy," Obama said. "That investigation will look at the motives of the alleged gunman, including his views and contacts."

"We must compile every piece of information that was known about the gunman, and we must learn what was done with that information. Once we have those facts, we must act upon them."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iwYEFasV3WqznkJoN2-BwTxAN4fgD9BV8RHG1

rubberneck
11-15-2009, 12:00
I guess when Republican's want to hold hearings into the shootings at Fort Hood it is nothing more that political theater but when his predecessor was hounded at every turn by calls for public hearings it was sound public policy. It is entirely possible that Congress is capable of discharging their oversight duties while a criminal investigation is under way.

TOMAHAWK9521
11-15-2009, 12:04
This guy is pushing my limit to maintain professional courtesy when it comes to discussing his occupying the Office of the President of the United States. I guess I'll have to go along with what mom said about if you have nothing good to say, don't say anything. So with that.............................................. ..................

Ret10Echo
11-15-2009, 15:07
I will leave the legal aspects of this to those trained...(RL and other counsels?)

I give 2-bits what is wanted by anyone....but all of a sudden I am going to trust congress to get to the bottom of something? (Think about that)

Let the military courts deal with the military issue. If the congresscritters are looking for an event "du-jour" let them focus on the real issue of terrorism and not this one event. They can chuck people under the bus later next year without providing some legal loophole for this guy to slither through. Let him take a long walk with a short rope. Then let's find out where those "minding the store" screwed up.

YOMV

Richard
11-15-2009, 15:34
The POTUS asks Congress to back off on the inevitable grand-standing and finger-pointing associated with one of their 'investigative hearings' until after the DOD and DOJ complete their investigation...and people are upset? :confused:

I would take this as a sign the POTUS has a lot of faith in the SECDEF and the judicial system to do a thorough and honest investigation and to offer honest recommendations as to the next step, and I would be a bit relieved to see Congress do something with my tax dollars other than orchestrate another prime-time media blitz which will do little but raise the Earth's temperature by a degree or so and - maybe - gain them enough tough-talking, chest-thumping media time for their valued ( :rolleyes: ) constituents to want to re-elect them yet again.

Richard's jaded $.02 :munchin

Sigaba
11-15-2009, 15:54
The POTUS asks Congress to back off on the inevitable grand-standing and finger-pointing associated with one of their 'investigative hearings' until after the DOD and DOJ complete their investigation...and people are upset? :confused:

I would take this as a sign the POTUS has a lot of faith in the SECDEF and the judicial system to do a thorough and honest investigation and to offer honest recommendations as to the next step, and I would be a bit relieved to see Congress do something with my tax dollars other than orchestrate another prime-time media blitz which will do little but raise the Earth's temperature by a degree or so and - maybe - gain them enough tough-talking, chest-thumping media time for their valued ( :rolleyes: ) constituents to want to re-elect them yet again. Agreed.

I would add that as the Democrats would be setting the agenda and timetable of any congressional investigation, the president is actually showing a degree of non-partisanship.

LongWire
11-15-2009, 16:45
Agreed.

I would add that as the Democrats would be setting the agenda and timetable of any congressional investigation, the president is actually showing a degree of non-partisanship.


A very slight degree...........A simple phone call would have made this happen without the Video Conference released. Reminds me of potty training for the kids........lots of positive reenforcement through clapping and saying how proud you are, this works for dogs too...............