Two U.S. Soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan in retaliation for the inadvertent burning by NATO Troops of Korans being used to pass messages by prison detainees. An Afghan Soldier reportedly opened-fire killing the two U.S. soldiers. Protests, being encouraged by the Taliban, are spreading across the country in reaction to the story about the Koran being burned.
U.S. response to Koran burning could fan flames, analysts warn
FOX News
As protests rage across Afghanistan for the third day in response to the burning of Korans at a U.S. military base, some are questioning whether the parade of apologies from the U.S. government may do more harm than good.
The latest installment came Thursday, when the U.S. ambassador delivered an apology letter from President Obama to Afghan President Hamid Karzai. That follows apologies from Afghanistan commander Gen. John Allen, the White House, NATO’s International Security Assistance Force and other Pentagon officials.
Meanwhile, nearly a dozen people have died, including two U.S. troops. And some analysts are criticizing the U.S. response. “It just feeds the sense of grievance,” Nina Shea, a senior fellow with the Hudson Institute, said of the “constant round of apologies.” . . . .
The backlash began after Korans were burned with garbage at a military base in Afghanistan. Officials said they were removed from the detention center library because the detainees were using them to pass messages to one another. Afghans ultimately stepped in to rescue the books. One official said it was a “breakdown in judgment, not a breakdown in our respect for Islam.” Obama’s letter on Thursday reportedly apologized for the “error” and assured Karzai that the U.S. government would take “appropriate steps” to make sure such an incident doesn’t happen again, “to include holding accountable those responsible.” Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, an Army Reserve officer who served in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2004, concurred that the burning was “patently stupid” — not just because it’s religiously insensitive but because the messages inside the Korans by detainees could have been used for intelligence purposes.
“These are all threads. These things are threads that can be used to build that tapestry of an intelligence picture,” Shaffer said.
But Shaffer said for the U.S. government to repeatedly apologize for the incident is only helping the Taliban. “They will use that to again flame their own fire,” he said. “The more they apologize, the more it’s going to inflame them.”
Wild Thing’s comment……
IMO our troops had a good reason to burn the stupid Korans’ If the prisoners were using them like it says to pass information to each other then from the beginning the priosoners were on their own NOT respecting their vile koran.
Obama for sure has added more problems with his letter of apology. He is a worthless POS for doing this against our troops.
We are burning a candle *especially so* for our 2 lost in Afghanistan…we will always remember…God be with them.
Once again the man who makes many of his decisions based upon, “Christian Principles”,comes out on the side of his true belief.
In making this statement, he once again trashes the military. This is such a recurring pattern that by now it comes as no surprise.