Analyst's note: Absolutely must read and carefully consider. Has anyone in Washington, or out on the campaign -- or anywhere else in the USA -- noticed that not only the Taliban, but also 20 members of the Afghan parliament are exhorting Afghans to wage jihad against Uncle Sam and our allies?"
An informed, decent, logical Republican party would put this in the Republican platform regarding foreign policy toward the irredentist Muslim world: "There is nothing, nada, zip, to win in Afghanistan and we should leave ASAP, destroying or neutralizing whatever is necessary to degrade global terror networks on our way out of the region."
If this isn't the perfect story to explain the complete incompetence of this administration, all of their appointments and the entire upper 'O' Zone, I don't know what is! The original story was crystal clear, these Qurans were being used as combat notebooks - in a prison by the demonically possessed. By their own standard, they are guilty of desecrating those texts.
We learn the following from a recent newsletter from Dr. Tawfik Hamid entitled "Using the Quran to Control Afghan Anger:"
"Troops on the U.S.'s largest base in Afghanistan have unintentionally burned Qurans and other religious materials, triggering angry protests and fears of even larger demonstrations as news of the burning spreads.
The books were mistakenly thrown out with the trash at Bagram Air Field north of Kabul and were on a burn pile Monday night before Afghan laborers intervened around 11:00 p.m., according to NATO and Afghan officials.
By the morning, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside of Bagram Bagram Air Field and on the suburbs of Kabul. Some shot into the air, some threw rocks at the Bagram gate, and many others yelled, "Die, die foreigners."
Gen. John Allen, the commander of all foreign forces in Afghanistan, released a statement, then a video statement, then gave an interview to NATO television. In his and in all NATO officials' communication today, each emphasized that the burning was unintentional.
"Those materials were inadvertently given to troops for disposition and that disposition was to burn the materials. It was not a decision that was made because they were religious materials," Allen told NATO TV. "It was not a decision that was made with respect to the faith of Islam. It was a mistake, it was an error. The moment we found out about it we immediately stopped and we intervened."
Gen. John Allen launched an investigation and promised to take steps to make sure that the same incident would not be repeated.
The Quranic text can actually be used in such situations to control the Afghan anger and prevent its spread. In fact, the religiosity of people in these parts of the world makes the use of religious text more effective in controlling people's anger than using formal apologetic approaches.
For example the Quran stated clearly that the Lord forgive unintentional mistakes and only consider an action as a sin if it was intentional- Quran Al-Ahzab 33:5 But there is no blame on you if ye make a mistake therein: (what counts is) the intention of your hearts: and Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
The point to be used with Afghans in this situation is that how could they know that the intensions of those who burnt the Quran was to insult it. They must bring evidence that the intention of the NATO personnel was to insult the Quran-as the Quran itself describes those who accuse others without having evidence as "dishonest" people {Quran Al-Naml 27:64 Or, Say, "Bring forth your evidence (proof), if ye are telling the truth!"}. The third Islamic Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan (who is considered to be one of the greatest Is disciples of prophet Mohamed) burnt the Quran and his actions were not considered as a sin -by either him or by the disciples of the prophet -since the act of burning was not associated with intention to insult it. Similarly, the Afghans must not react with anger against the burning of the Quran as they do not have a proof that it was associated with an intention to insult it.
In addition, even if the action of the two personnel who burnt the Quran was intentional, it is forbidden in the Quran to react against others. For example the Quran forbids any angry reaction against the NATO soldiers who actually did not commit the burning and are likely to be against it. The Quran stated clearly in four different positions that not one should be punished for the mistake of another person {Quran: Al-Isra 17:15; Al-An'am 6:164; Fatir 35:18; Az-Zumar 39:7 Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another's burdens.
Finally, there is no single verse in the Quran that considers its burning as 'Haram' or forbidden (Afghan Muslim need to be challenged to bring this verse from the Quran!). On the contrary there is a clear verse that asks Muslims to control and restrain their anger {Quran: Al-Imran 3:134 Those (the true believers) who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) humans;- for the Lord loves those who do good;-}
To conclude, because of the nature of the Afghan culture and the importance of religion in their life, the use of Islamic jargon and Quran text can aid in controlling the anger of the population in response to the burning of the Quran.
Note: some reports mentioned that these books (Quran, plus others) were being used to convey violent messages and communicate between Taliban prisoners."
Just how incompetent does one have to be to qualify for elected office or for the Officer Candidate School today? Why aren't Allen and Obama addressing these points rather continually apologizing for essentially, nothing. And why isn't the world community "outraged" at the animalistic behavior of these demonically possessed heathen (excuse me; "noble" Afghans)! Apparently the American Soldiers -- your son or daughter, or other loved ones -- compared to the Afghan, dirt-bag soldier killed are just recompense for the sloppy, insensitive, disrespectful handling of pre-desecrated "holy” books. As per status quo, these latest two murdered troops are just cannon fodder for “the greater good”! Perhaps "talks" with the Taliban really are at a critical point - or should be! Semper Fidelis!
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"United States President Barack Obama has issued a letter of apology to the Afghan people for the Koran-burning incident at Bagram, Afghanistan, following which three days of intense protests have engulfed parts of the country. “I wish to express my deep regret for the reported incident. I extend to you and the Afghan people my sincere apologies,” Mr. Obama said in a letter handed to Afghan President Hamid Karzai by U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker on Thursday afternoon.
His apology comes close on the heels of similar statements issued by U.S. Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta and International Security Assistance Force chief John Allen, who reacted to the incident near Bagram airbase in which copies of the Koran were said to have been “inadvertently” incinerated following suspicions that “Taliban prisoners were using the books to pass messages to each other”.
In his letter Mr. Obama described the episode as an inadvertent “error”, adding, “We will take the appropriate steps to avoid any recurrence, including holding accountable those responsible.”
The protests that followed after the burning of the religious material became public saw at least nine persons killed and reports said some of the marches saw Mr. Obama “mocked in effigy” by Afghan protesters.
By Thursday the protests had intensified across Afghanistan, spreading to six or more provinces. The New York Times reported that Members of Parliament had begun to call upon Afghans to “take up arms against the American military and Western officials”, and one MP, Abdul Sattar Khawasi from Parwan Province, was quoted as saying, “Americans are invaders, and jihad against Americans is an obligation.”
The episode is likely to bring back memories of an event closer to home in 2010, when the Obama administration extended significant efforts to block a Florida pastor, Terry Jones, from burning the Koran. At the time Mr. Obama had warned that if he went ahead with the controversial action it would be a “recruitment bonanza for al-Qaeda”.
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Taliban to Afghans: Kill foreigners over Quran burnings
Obama Apologizes for Koran Burning as Afghans, Troops Are Killed in Riots
Obama apologizes for burning of Korans
Remarks at Panel Regarding the OIC, Defamation of Islam, & The Istanbul Process
