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US military: soldier shot at Quran for practice
myway ^ | May 18, 2:11 PM (ET) | KIM GAMEL

Posted on 05/18/2008 12:58:54 PM PDT by rocksblues

BAGHDAD (AP) - An American soldier used a Quran, the Islamic holy book, for target practice in a predominantly Sunni area west of Baghdad, prompting an apology from the U.S. military, a spokesman said Sunday.

snip

Iraqi police found the bullet-riddled Quran with graffiti inside the cover on a small-arms range near a police station in Radwaniyah, a former insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad, U.S. military spokesman Col. Bill Buckner said in an e-mailed response to a query.

The shooting, which occurred May 9 and was discovered two days later, threatened to further strain relations between the Americans and Sunni allies who have joined forces with them against al-Qaida in Iraq in Radwaniyah and other areas.

The incident was first reported by CNN, which broadcast a ceremony at which the top American commander in Baghdad apologized to tribal leaders in Radwaniyah. The military confirmed the details in an e-mailed response to a query.

"I come before you here seeking your forgiveness," Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond was quoted as saying. "In the most humble manner I look in your eyes today and I say please forgive me and my soldiers."

The military statement called the incident "serious and deeply troubling" but stressed it was the result of one soldier's actions and "not representative of the professionalism of our soldiers or the respect they have for all faiths."

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: dod; for; iraq; koran; rop; soldier; thee
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To: rocksblues

Unfortunately, our allies in Iraq are also Muslims, and we have to try to deal with them.

As I think I mentioned, I’m as hard on Islam as anyone, but this was a foolish and unnecessary thing to do, for a soldier in Iraq. When you’re in the military there are times when you have to keep your personal opinions to yourself.


41 posted on 05/18/2008 2:56:40 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Morgana

Good Job Morgana,
love it.


42 posted on 05/18/2008 2:58:06 PM PDT by Joe Boucher (An enemy of Islam)
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To: bigheadfred

Has anyone ever burned the Koran on Youtube?


43 posted on 05/18/2008 3:16:04 PM PDT by lilycicero (Just wondering.)
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To: Cicero

No one believes it happened.


44 posted on 05/18/2008 3:22:10 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: Cicero

We have no allies in Iraq. There are no Moderate Muslims.


45 posted on 05/18/2008 3:31:33 PM PDT by rocksblues (Folks we are in trouble, "Mark Levin" 03/26/08)
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To: rocksblues
American commanders then launched an inquiry that led to disciplinary action against the soldier, who has been removed from Iraq, Buckner said.

This soldier really screwed up. Instead of leaving it laying around, he should have burned it after he was finished with his target shooting.

46 posted on 05/18/2008 3:38:37 PM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner ("We must not forget that there is a war on and our troops are in the thick of it!"--Duncan Hunter)
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To: muawiyah

Well, that’s a whole other kettle of fish, if it was a faked incident.

Like the Koran flushed down the toilet.


47 posted on 05/18/2008 3:40:04 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: rocksblues

Well, I said “unfortunately.” Allies of convenience? We have had some pretty strange allies in the past, like Uncle Joe Stalin.


48 posted on 05/18/2008 3:41:32 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Cicero
The thing is shooting a Koran for target practice is the sort of thing that might be titilating for an Iraqi, but not for an American ~ they have other things to shoot anyway.

The whole business of disrespecting a Koran is a piece with the worship of wooden idols. Mohammad burned the wooden idols at Mecca. Modern Moslems have brought it back but fashioned the wood pulp into Korans.

Still the same old idolotry. These people are such hypocrites.

49 posted on 05/18/2008 3:42:46 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: Williams
tiny incident, apologies made. Isn’t it obvious the press WANTS moslems to start killing Americans over this?

Exactly. They trumpet this stuff far and wide in hopes that violence against Americans in Iraq or Afghanistan will ramp up.

The anti-American media makes me sick.

50 posted on 05/18/2008 3:42:53 PM PDT by Allegra (TEHRAN DELENDA EST)
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To: Cicero
this was a foolish and unnecessary thing to do, for a soldier in Iraq. When you’re in the military there are times when you have to keep your personal opinions to yourself.

We are trying to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqis and create a regime capable of managing its own affairs so that this guys' buddies can pack up and go back to family and country. Stupid things like this cause folks to get killed and delay mission accomplishment. I don't know how soldiers handle these things. In the Navy guys like this had bad habits of falling down ladders, banging their eyes on protruding equipment, and then doing extra duty painting over the blood stains that resulted from their clumsiness (making sure that the paint matched all the way around the engine room).

51 posted on 05/18/2008 3:56:32 PM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: Cicero
Allies in war are Allies of convenience. My main problem with this subject is both sides of this conflict Sunni or Shite kill our soldiers with no regard. They quote the Koran as their justification. They have no respect for anyone that doesn't follow their religion. They disrespect all other religions, yet we must not do anything to disrespect their's!

The MSM plays up the PC mood for the ignorant Liberals.

52 posted on 05/18/2008 4:09:29 PM PDT by rocksblues (Folks we are in trouble, "Mark Levin" 03/26/08)
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To: AndyJackson
I don't know how soldiers handle these things. In the Navy guys like this had bad habits of falling down ladders, banging their eyes on protruding equipment, and then doing extra duty painting over the blood stains that resulted from their clumsiness (making sure that the paint matched all the way around the engine room).

We had a guy that when the evening prayer began would walk down the passageway singing "Oh Lord wantcha buy me" He was an atheist. We had a Devil worshiper who held rituals on his rack. We ignored them and they stopped. The only whackjob who got in serious trouble was the idiot who burnt a cross on the aft mess decks. The gays also got a quick way off the ship.

While our fathers and grandfathers were fighting the Nazi's in Europe another group from Germany every bit as dangerous but a little bit more smarter in reaching their agenda was setting up shop in our education system.

Generals like MacArthur, Patton, and Ike were not effected as they had reached their top positions and were trained by older professional warriors in how to conduct battlefield warfare.

The Marxist took over our colleges and as such took over our future leadership both elected and career military. I can not imagine for example Patton sending out an apology for destroying a Buda or writings of Hitler. POLITICAL CORRECTNESS the other name for CULTURAL MARXISM is the war going on within the United States at this very moment. It is in our government and our military. It will kill far more persons and destroy our nation completely far, far, quicker than any Fundi Islamics could do in decades.

The fact this is an issue at all proves as much.

53 posted on 05/18/2008 4:21:47 PM PDT by cva66snipe (Three Blind Rats. Three Blind Rats, See How They Run. See How They Run. Hillbomacain)
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To: rocksblues
Cui bono? It may well be that this was planted by someone who wished to bring disgrace upon the US military.

-ccm

54 posted on 05/18/2008 4:22:10 PM PDT by ccmay (Too much Law; not enough Order.)
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To: rocksblues

You say “PC in a war zone,” but the Petraeus paradigm operates under the assumption that a little cultural sensitivity enhances stability in ways bullets cannot. I’ll side with the Army on this one.


55 posted on 05/18/2008 4:28:00 PM PDT by jude24 (Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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To: lilycicero
Has anyone ever burned the Koran on Youtube?

I just wipe my a$$ with pages from my Koran. You want a video of that? Oh, and yeah, if you do, pick a color. (that blueray is really something)

56 posted on 05/18/2008 4:34:58 PM PDT by bigheadfred (FREE EVAN VELA, freeevanvela.com)
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To: sinanju
There’s a bit of difference between using a Quran for target practice in Baghdad and doing so in your own backyard.

The best private place to use it for "target practice" is your bathroom.

57 posted on 05/18/2008 4:38:42 PM PDT by libstripper
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To: rocksblues
Just so you know there is N-O-T-H-I-N-G about this on any of the DoD or MNF-Iraq news information sites. So until something appears there this whole CNN.com started story stinks to high heaven as more pig-shi*!
58 posted on 05/18/2008 4:39:03 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country! What else needs to said?)
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To: libstripper

Hmm, Quranic printed baby wipes?


59 posted on 05/18/2008 4:45:11 PM PDT by sinanju
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To: Concho

Yeah, wtf are freepers thinking...that this place is for posting and discussing news stories?

For the record, I will follow your lead and vote in favor of censorship and burying news we don’t like.


60 posted on 05/18/2008 4:48:28 PM PDT by Eagle Eye (I'm a RINO cuz I'm too conservative to be a Republican. McCain is the Conservatives true litmus test)
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