Video: Rush Limbaugh blames Fort Hood shootings on President Obama

November 9, 5:36 PMPolitical Buzz ExaminerRyan Witt

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Rush Limbaugh again takes aim at President Obama. AP Photo Ron Edmonds

Many predicted that following the shootings at Fort Hood a debate would emerge regarding his name and the possible influence of radical Islam.  Indeed the conservative media has began questioning whether Nidal Malik Hasan was inspired by Al Queda.  Going further some have even questioned whether the military should have special screenings for Muslim soldiers.  Others have resisted such calls saying it is too early to make any determinations and that the military already struggles to attract Arab speakers as it is.

The influence of Islam on Hasan was a predictable debate but no one could have anticipated where Rush Limbaugh would go with the story today.  On his radio show Limbaugh stated that President Obama could be blamed for the shootings.  Limbaugh reasoning is that Hasan was upset over that the President did not immediately withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq.  When the President did not withdraw this in turn led Hasan to commit to the shootings under Limbaugh's argument.

The logic of such an argument is curious.  Presumably the only way President Obama could avoid blame under Limbaugh's reasoning would be to withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq.  Limbaugh and other conservatives are actually proponents of staying in Iraq as long as necessary and committing more troops to Afghanistan.  In addition while then-candidate Obama did promise to order a timely (though not immediate) withdrawal from Iraq he never promised to withdraw from Afghanistan.  So if Hasan truly was upset about supposedly being lied to by President Obama over Afghanistan he held a mistaken anger.