U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan had been attempting to reach the al Qaeda terrorist network.

From ABC News:

U.S. intelligence agencies were aware months ago that Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan was attempting to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda, two American officials briefed on classified material in the case told ABC News.

According to the officials, the Army was informed of Hasan’s contact, but it is unclear what, if anything, the Army did in response.

I’m guessing the Army did nothing with the information. If Congress can question Major League Baseball about it’s players using performance enhancing drugs, they can certainly question the U.S. Army on whythey allowed a Muslim man who wanted out of the Army, who had been trying to contact al Qaeda, was allowed to stay in the military.

His co-workers reported Hasan to their commanding officers in 2008 for comments he made concerning his religion and his duty as an officer in the U.S. Army. Reportedly he told co-workers that he was a Muslim first and an Army officer second. The Army’s response?

They promoted Hasan to major in May 2009.

The kicker in all this is that if instead of trying to contact al Qaeda, Hasan had instead gone on Craig’s List and attempted to seek out another man for gay sex, he would have been quickly discharged.

Our service members deserve better than this.