CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY OCTOBER 13, 2026
DEFENSE SECRETARY PETER HEGSETH HAS ORDERD THAT NIDAL HASAN, THE FORT HOOD, TEXAS FORMER ARMY MAJOR WHO MURDERED 13 FELLOW SERVICE MEMBERS AND WOUNDED MANY OTHERS IN 2009, BE EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD IN DECEMBER. HEGSETH WANTS IT TO BE LIVE STREAMED SO EVERYONE CAN WATCH. HE SAYS AMONG OTHER THINGS IT WILL SERVE AS A DETERRANT FOR ANYONE CONTEMPLATING A SIMILAR ACT.
NO IT WON’T. HASAN WILL BE SEEN BY HIS FELLOW JIHADISTS AS A MARTYR, THE HIGHEST ACHIEVEMENT FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN ISLAMISM. MORE LIKELY A PUBLIC EXECUTION WILL SERVE AS A RECRUITING TOOL FOR FUTURE JIHADISTS.
HASAN SHOULD BE EXECUTED IN PRIVATE WITH ONLY THE RELATIVES OF THOSE HE KILLED PRESENT AND CERTAIN OFFICIALS. HIS BODY SHOULD BE CREMATED AND HIS ASHES SCATTERED IN A SECRET PLACE, OR FLUSHED DOWN A TOILET SO NONE OF HIS FELLOW BELIEVERS CAN USE IT AS A PLACE OF WORSHIP.
THAT’S WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN, BUT WILL IT? PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID HE’S OK WITH THE PUBLIC EXECUTION. HE SHOULD CHANGE HIS MIND BECAUSE SUCH AN ACT WON’T CHANGE THE MINDS OF THE JIHADISTS. IT WILL JUST ENCOURAGE THEM I’M CAL THOMAS.
