This incident follows the usual pattern that we have come to expect from Muslims and the Western dhimmis who truckle to their every whim: A real or imagined insult to Islam occurs. Muslims take to the streets in violent outrage. Western officials then grovel and apologize in an attempt to appease violent members of the Religion of Peace.
But what I notice in this incident is the reference by Gen. Allen, the apologetic American commander, to the “Islamic Republic of Afghanistan”. This is the first time I’ve seen this designation.
Yes, I know we wrote sharia into their constitution, and that the constitution of Iraq is much the same. But when did the “Islamic Republic of Afghanistan” become the official title of the country?
Did I miss this landmark event?
Many thanks to Vlad Tepes for uploading this brief Reuters video:
The Telegraph has the story:
Afghanistan Erupts Over Koran ‘Burning’
Furious protesters firing petrol bombs and slingshots have besieged the largest US-run military base in Afghanistan after reports that Nato troops had set fire to copies of the Koran.
The enraged crowd shouted “Death to Americans” and “Death to infidels” at guards at Bagram airbase, north of Kabul. The guards responded by firing rubber bullets on the crowd, said an AFP photographer, who was hit in the neck.
US helicopters fired flares to try to break up as many as 2,000 demonstrators who massed outside several gates to the base.
Hundreds of other people protested in the Afghan capital as security forces dispatched reinforcements in a bid to stop the demonstrations from spiralling out of control in the fiercely conservative Islamic country.
The US commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen, apologised and ordered an investigation into a report that troops “improperly disposed of a large number of Islamic religious materials which included Korans”.
“I offer my sincere apologies for any offence this may have caused, to the president of Afghanistan, the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and most importantly, to the noble people of Afghanistan,” he said.
Gen Allen’s remarkably candid statement, apparently aimed at damage limitation after similar incidents led to violence and attacks on foreigners, was played repeatedly on Afghan television.
Allegations that Nato troops at Bagram had set fire to copies of the Muslim holy book were first reported by Afghans working at the base, a senior government official said.
Ahmad Zaki Zahed, chief of the provincial council, said US military officials took him to a burn pit on the base where 60 to 70 books, including Korans, were recovered. The books were used by detainees once incarcerated at the base, he said.
“Some were all burned. Some were half-burned,” Zahed said, adding that he did not know exactly how many Korans had been burned.
A local police official said more than 2,000 people were demonstrating outside the sprawling US-run Bagram base at one stage.
The AFP photographer saw at least seven other protesters hit by rubber bullets, some of them bleeding.
Sediq Sediqqi, an interior ministry spokesman, said that by early afternoon the demonstration was under control and there was no further violence.
[…]
Gen Allen’s statement reflected concern over the impact of the latest incident in the country, where US troops have been fighting against a Taliban insurgency for more than 10 years and supporting President Hamid Karzai’s government.
“I have ordered an investigation into a report I received during the night that ISAF personnel at Bagram Airbase improperly disposed of a large number of Islamic religious materials which included Korans,” he said.
“When we learned of these actions, we immediately intervened and stopped them. The materials recovered will be properly handled by appropriate religious authorities.
“We are thoroughly investigating the incident and we are taking steps to ensure this does not ever happen again. I assure you — I promise you — this was NOT intentional in any way.”
Gen Allen thanked “the local Afghan people who helped us identify the error, and who worked with us to immediately take corrective action”.
A version of the same news story appeared in Stars and Stripes (hat tip HD).
Hat tip: EDO.
7 comments:
I don't agree with the outrage over general allan's position.
1. Any unnecessary provocation of the indigenous population only hurts the troups in the end.
2. The afghans are in THEIR country and they have every right to establish whatever rules they want. We reclaim the same and we will be regarded as incoherent if we don't grant the afghans in their country the same right, which can only impair our credibility at home.
Yes, you probably did miss this event. "Islamic Republic of Afghanistan" is the official name of the country, like "Kingdom of Norway" is the official name of Norway.
The official name of a country is written in its consitution.
HT
Honestly, most Middle-Eastern counties should be fenced in. Then we could look in on them once in while to see if they had reached a level of development, that would allow them to socialize with human beings.
I have to wonder how "Islamically enriched" the materials in question must have been after their use by various "holy warriors of Allah" for them to have been remanded to the burn pit.
Let's be clear here:
1. Muslims burn CHRISTIANS - along with Christian Bibles - when Muslims bomb and burn Christian churches.
2. Muslims often confiscate and burn Bibles when tourists and/or foreign workers bring Bibles into Muslim lands. Then, Muslims beat or murder the people who brought the Bibles.
3. Muslims themselves burn Korans that are damaged or outdated.
When is it right and when is it wrong to burn the Koran?
Disposing of Scripture
4. Muslims burn their own Korans in their warfare with each other!
When Muslims bomb each others mosques, businesses, and homes, Muslims often burn the Korans that reside within Muslim properties.
5. Dissident Muslims burn Korans.
When Muslims burn Korans
6. In the specific case here, we see that the Korans were used as a means of passing secret messages. Why in the world would we give these ENCODED books back to the enemy at the gates - literally - at the gates!
7. The local Afghans who sold out the Americans who are PAYING their salary are NO friends of ours - rather, they are ENEMY SPIES and AGITATORS should be summarily disciplined and fired.
Egghead
Yes, this seems so typical of their reaction. Do you see Christians turn to violence when their faith is offended by radical liberals and even by stories of Bibles being trashed or even shredded in Saudi Arabia? NO!
For a muslim it's ok to burn a Christian/Jew/whatever but when a koran is burnt they are like foaming dogs.
I'd suggest this experiment: burn a koran in front a muslim and burn a bible in front a christian and see the reaction who will beat the one who is making the experiment?
Just see what is happening to the blogger who dared to criticize Mo! and what happened to the nth people who criticize Jesus/God...each passing day I'm wondering IF the muslim will be able to get out from their stone age mentality...and reach us civilized people in the XXI century (but it would be great if they reach the XIX century mentality)
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