Military expert warns of 'more bombastic and stronger' terror attacks from US veterans

09 January

The two recent acts of terrorism by U.S. military veterans may just be the beginning, according to one expert who studies extremism among American troops.

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Army Captain Bishop Garrison – a Bronze Star recipient who served two tours in Iraq — warned that there could be more attacks like the ones recently carried out in New Orleans, Louisiana and Las Vegas, Nevada if military leaders don't seriously address extremism among service members. He told the paper that his prior warnings about the prevalence of both extreme views and mental health problems among veterans went largely unheeded by the Pentagon.

“As far as I know, there was never any implementation of our policies,” Garrison said. “We finished our recommendations, we had been attacked, our recommendations were not adopted.”

"Both incidents demonstrate the sleeping danger that we have failed to deal with as a country," Garrison continued, referencing the truck attack on Bourbon Street and the Cybertruck bombing outside the Trump International Hotel on the Las Vegas strip. "I am worried that we will see more of this type of action taking place, that it will become more bombastic and stronger, and that more people will be injured or killed."

President Joe Biden's administration tapped Garrison to study extremism among enlisted men and women in order to find ways to effectively counter it. But as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take power, Garrison said the problem will now rest with Defense Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth, should his nomination survive his upcoming confirmation hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"The committee should ask some very direct questions about Hegseth’s previous statements," Garrison told the Guardian. "This is not about political rhetoric, it’s about keeping people safe and ensuring that military units are able to carry out their mission of protecting the country."

Hegseth has previously said he would target so-called "woke" policies at the Defense Department, using that word to describe diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the Pentagon. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who is a member of the Armed Services Committee, has promised to grill the Fox News personality specifically about whether he thinks American troops should be allowed to affiliate with white supremacist groups and other domestic extremists.

Click here to read the Guardian's article in full.

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