The Massacre at Fort Hood: A Warning

Relatively speaking, the Fort Hood massacre resonates like a far-away echo of the somber hours of September 11, 2001. The myth of the invulnerability of the United States and its most prestigious institutions, in effect, has just experienced a new warning shot.

The immense Fort Hood base is to the American Army what the WTC towers in New York were to its economy – a symbol of power and the center of action, with international ramifications. That a disaster of such magnitude could have taken place in such a secure place makes one think a bit of the collapse of the WTC, when confidence throughout the entire system was shaken.

The second intriguing dimension of the drama relates to the personage of the presumed killer, and especially to his origins. In the image of the “pilots” that perpetrated the 2001 attacks, trained in the United States, the idea that the “worm” is inside the fruit will more or less reappear. Just like this impression as well, the American integrator – through the melting pot of the Army – is in serious crisis.

Above all, Thursday’s killings – the causes of which are yet to be determined – come at the worst moment. Both public opinion and Barack Obama appear to have vertigo in face of the consequences of American engagement in Afghanistan. The president has no alternative strategy, but hesitates to send additional “boys” to come back in coffins. Facing a war that is impossible for arms to win, the key to departure seems unobtainable.

In this light, the Fort Hood massacre could be a trigger. Opinion, media and political circles could turn their backs more brutally than expected under pressure. Elected only one year ago, Obama has never had the right to err in Afghanistan … But even less so since this tragedy of 11/5.