Early reports (always suspect) are that the shooter at the Ft. Hood massacre was motivated at least in part by some sort of Islam fervor.   See this post also.   But, his cousin was quoted as saying the shooter was very upset by the horrors of war.  Maj. Hassan counseled many soldiers at Walter Reed Army Hospital.   Through those soldiers, he apparently saw some of the horrors of the Iraq war.  I am sure the counselings had to play some role in the massacre.  As a few vets said in the Nov. 8 edition of the Express-News, something like this was sure to happen sooner or later.  

Still not told in this war is the toll it takes on soldiers, more so than past wars, such as WW II.  Suicides are way up in the Army now, at levels not seen since the end of the Viet Nam war.  The Army was much bigger then.  So, this is a large concern. 

 As I tried to explain to a friend, I do not doubt that "good" Moslems will condemn this massacre.  As Maj Hassan’s Imam said, these are not the actions of a good Moslem, at all.  I know.  I served with a couple of truly amazing Moslems in Iraq.  If they were Christian, I would describe them as very, very Christian.  They displayed over the year I knew them a remarkable humility and kindness in the face of great risk and danger. 

Shortly after I left Iraq, my translator was tortured and killed for no greater crime than she worked for the USA. Everytime we went outside the wire, we depended on some Moslem translator and he depended on us,   Yes, Moslems kill.  But, many Moslems risk their lives for us and for their own country.