A group of 72 retired US generals, admirals and other senior military officers is urging the Trump administration to cancel plans to broadcast the execution of Nidal Hasan live, warning that the decision could damage the military's reputation and endanger American personnel.
Hasan, a US Army psychiatrist of Palestinian descent, killed 13 unarmed American soldiers and wounded 32 others in a shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, in November 2009. He was sentenced to death by firing squad, an execution method that has not been used in the United States since the 1960s. The Pentagon announced that it would broadcast Hasan's execution live, and President Donald Trump expressed his full support for the decision. The execution is scheduled for December 3.
The announcement has sparked controversy across the United States. In an open letter, the 72 retired military leaders called on the administration to reverse course, describing the planned broadcast as an abuse of authority.
“We appeal to the president, our representatives in Congress, and all citizens to act to prevent this clear and barbaric abuse of their authority," the officers wrote. They warned that broadcasting the execution would exploit a human being and undermine the dignity of both the military carrying it out and the nation permitting it. The former officers also cautioned that the broadcast could serve American adversaries by fueling anti-American hatred and putting US soldiers and civilians at greater risk in the future.
They further argued that the public spectacle could turn Hasan into a “martyr" in the eyes of his supporters, potentially allowing him to exploit the execution to bolster his legacy despite the killing of fellow soldiers.
The administration has not yet responded to the letter. As of Thursday morning, the planned live broadcast remained in place.