The Obama administration made its case for a possible military strike against Syria, and Nidal Hasan was sentenced to death for the Fort Hood Massacre.
On the international stage, the British House of Commons rejected a proposal from British Prime Minister David Cameron that would have given America’s ally the ability to join it in a military campaign against Syria.
Here’s a recap, or wrap, of the week that was from The Washington Times.
• Tea party: Obamacare is now ‘BoehnerCare’
Tea party activists are planning to rally outside of House Speaker John A. Boehner’s Ohio office on Tuesday, telling the Republican speaker that if he doesn’t use this year’s spending fight to defund the health care law, it will hence be known to them as “BoehnerCare.”
“If he funds it, he will own it,” said Janet Porter, president of Faith2Action, one of the groups participating in the rally.
• DONNELLY: Manning and Hasan — and the political correctness devastating the U.S. military
The story of 25-year-old Army Pvt. Bradley Manning, now convicted of espionage, demoted and sentenced to 35 years at Fort Leavenworth prison, has taken a bizarre turn. In the same week, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a bearded jihadist wearing an Army uniform, sat in a Texas courtroom hearing evidence of his mass murder. Both cases raise similar questions: Did political sensitivities increase dangers that could have been avoided?
• Nidal Hasan gets death sentence for Fort Hood attack
FORT HOOD, Texas — A military jury on Wednesday sentenced Maj. NidalHasan to death for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, handing the Army psychiatrist the ultimate punishment after a trial in which he seemed to be courting martyrdom by making almost no effort to defend himself.
• Obama issues new executive orders against guns
President Obama ordered two more executive actions Thursday to restrict guns, banning the re-importation of military surplus firearms to private entities and proposing a regulation that would close a loophole in background checks.
On the day B. Todd Jones is being sworn in as the new director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the White House said the ATF is proposing to conduct background checks on firearms registered to a trust or corporation. The administration said felons and others prohibited from having firearms currently are able to avoid background checks by choosing this route.
• San Diego Mayor Bob Filner packs up, among sea of sexual harassment scandals
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner’s final day has dawned, and he’s expected to pack up and leave his office Friday amid a sea of sexual harassment charges from 18 women, at last count.
He’s only served nine months of his four-year term, The Associated Press reported.
• Bashar Assad’s son, 11, taunts U.S. on Facebook: report
A Facebook posting purportedly from Syrian President Bashar Assad’s son, age 11, takes pot-shots at America, taunting the White House to strike and denigrating the U.S. military.
“I just want them to attack sooo much, because I want them to make this huge attack of beginning something that they don’t know the end of it,” the boy, Hafez al-Assad, is alleged to have posted, Fox News reported.
• John Kerry praises French, snubs British
In laying out the case for military strikes on Syria, Secretary of John Kerry on Friday had praise for the French, who he called “our oldest ally,” but snubbed any mention of the British, who have long believed they enjoyed a “special relationship” with the U.S.
Mr. Kerry was trying to rally world support for retaliatory strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and pointing to other nations that have concluded troops loyal to the Assad government used chemical weapons last week.
• Christian church billboard touts pro-gay message: ‘Jesus had two dads’
A sign outside St. John’s Anglican Church in Canada seems to suggest homosexuality is okay because Jesus had two fathers.
The billboard message: “Jesus had two dads and he turned out just fine,” as seen in a photo posted on Reddit.
Christian principle teaches that Jesus is the son of God, but was cared for during his 33 years on earth, in part, by his birth mother’s husband, Joseph.
• U.K. PM Cameron loses Syria war vote
The British House of Commons rejected a proposal from British Prime Minister David Cameron that would have paved the way for British military action against Syria — effectively ending the nation’s chances of getting involved in a US-led strike against President Bashar Assad’s regime.
• WWII veteran Delbert Benton died trying to defend self from thugs: police
The 88-year-old World War II veteran who was beaten to death with a flashlight as he crossed a parking lot in Washington state may have died because he tried to defend himself, police said.
Two teenage suspects have been arrested in the attack on Delbert Belton. They are Demetrius Glenn and Kenan Adams Kinard, both 16. Several others accused of “rendering criminal assistance” to Kenan while he hid from police were arrested, also.
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