Since the massacre at the Fort Hood U.S army base where 13 people were shot to death and 30 more injured, the Muslim soldiers serving the U.S armed forces across the United States and overseas have been living in a constant fear of a fearsome backlash from fellow soldiers and comrades. On 5th November, 2009, a U.S Army Major, Nidal Malik Hasan, who was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas and was a psychiatrist at the base’s medical facility went on a killing spree and killed 13 people. This unprovoked and sudden attack from U.S service men and that too from a Muslim background is the one reason that, the commanders and Muslim soldiers alike are concerned about the growing religious rift among amongst U.S armed forces.

According to Gen. George W. Casey Jr,

”Our diversity, not only in our Army but in our country, is a strength. And as horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that’s worse.”

The horrible incident at Fort Hood has been ruled out as a terrorist plot and authorities and investigators have stated that, Major Hasan heavily influenced by a concoction of political, religious and psychological factors.

Since the attack the army base, the Muslim groups, organizations and other high level Muslim clerics have all denounced the acts of Major Hasan and have stated that, the Major wasn’t part of any of the Muslim organizations. According to Ingrid Mattson (President, Islamic Society of North America),

“I don’t understand why the Muslim-American community has to take responsibility for him. The Army has had at least as much time and opportunity to form and shape this person as the Muslim community.”

However, there is still widespread hesitance among U.S Muslim soldiers when they are deployed ti Iraq or Afghanistan as in the case of Abdi Akgun, who was serving in the Marine Expeditionary Unit of the U.S Marines. Mr. Akgun was conflicted from within and was torn between his religion and hid duty for the country, as he was sent to Iraq and expected to combat fellow the insurgency. According to Abdi Akgun,

“It’s kind of like the Civil War, where brothers fought each other across the Mason-Dixon line. I don’t want to stain my faith, I don’t want to stain my fellow Muslims, and I also don’t want to stain my country’s flag.”

Via New York Times.