Mea Culpa

The Pentagon has placed blame for the Fort Hood shootings on eight Army officers for not relieving Major Nidal Malik Hasan from his post sooner. “The Pentagon gave itself a harsh assessment in the aftermath of the Fort Hood shootings, and could pursue disciplinary action against several officers who ‘failed to comply’ with policies in place to get rid of officers who were unfit. In an 86-page report released Friday, Defense Department investigators determined that the procedures in place meant to head off violent behavior are ‘outdated’ and ‘incomplete.’ The review commissioned by Defense Secretary Robert Gates called the failures ‘significant’ and ‘in need of immediate attention.’ Published reports suggest as many as eight Army officers could face sanction for not cutting short the military career of accused shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, even as he was showing signs of erratic behavior and professional problems in the years leading up to the shooting.”