Petraeus condemns Quran burning as protests rage on

cnn ^ | 4/3/2011 | cnn

[tobyhill]

Top U.S. officials in Afghanistan on Sunday condemned the burning of a Quran in the United States that sparked three days of protests in which more than 20 people died.

Burning the Muslim holy book "was hateful, it was intolerant and it was extremely disrespectful and again, we condemn it in the strongest manner possible," said Gen. David Petraeus, who heads the U.S.-led international forces in Afghanistan.

U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry said in a statement that Americans respect the Quran "and all religious texts and deplore any action that shows disrespect to any religious faith."

"At the same time, I want to emphasize, as have many Afghan leaders, that to attack and kill innocent people in response to the deplorable act of one individual is outrageous, and an affront to human decency and dignity," Eikenbery's statement said.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Burning the Muslim holy book "was hateful, it was intolerant and it was extremely disrespectful and again, we condemn it in the strongest manner possible," said Gen. David Petraeus, who heads the U.S.-led international forces in Afghanistan.

With all due respect to Gen. Petraeus, he doesn't seem to be familiar with the Constitution he swore to defend. And tolerance doesn't in any way equate with subservience.

[dfwgator]

These cowardly killers knew the UN guards would not shoot at them so they got a Freebie.

Then the blood is on the hands of Ban Ki-Moon, for having such a ridiculous policy.

[Normal4me]

Yeah, we get it. We build them power plants and water treatment facilities and they kill our soldiers. We arm and train them and they kill us. We teach them to farm and try to bring the 21st century to them and ........they kill us.

I could give a shit if a muzzie burned the Bible, it's just a book made out of paper. OTOH, if they take out a church then we take out a mosque. Should have nuked the whole place while we were pissed ten years ago.

[dfwgator]

The General is only trying to protect his soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.

Then he should have focused more on the actions of his own soldiers, who killed civilians and then posed with the bodies in photos.

[pennboricua]

That could not have happened, otherwise it would have been all over the news and on the cover of both Time and Newsweek.

sarcasm

[OldNewYork]

Is this tactically true, strategically true, personally held to be true, an approximation of the truth, conveniently true, temporarily true, or the truth? My respect for Petraeus is being questioned by his statements.

It might be tactical, it might be strategic, it might also be heartfelt, but his saying this in aid of his mission there would seem to me to distance himself from America as a whole, which would call into question his legitimacy of command to those in Afghanistan who think about these things, weakening his mission rather than defending it. Why should they listen to him now, if he’s saying that the country he represents, our traditions and laws, are not to be respected when in conflict with their traditions and laws?

[Kaslin]

Sorry, but he would be responsible if our troops would be killed because of this. The muslims have a complete different mindset that we have.

[mikey_hates_everything]

“was hateful, it was intolerant and it was extremely disrespectful and again, we condemn it in the strongest manner possible,”

I’ve seen hateful and disrespectful Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo cartoons from WWII and I don’t recall any of our generals at the time condemning those. This is a war, Gen. Patraeus, fight for Americans and their Rights under the US Constitution. I recall my oath saying something about that when I enlisted.

[Wilum]

We should just make them DEAD!!!!! Wherever they pop up their terrorist heads.

Here's your apology Muzzies!

[BwanaNdege]

There are reports of the US military seizing Bibles entering Afghanistan and then burning them.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/20/us.military.bibles.burned/

I say to Gen. Petraeus, “Butt OUT! Don’t condemn in others that which you do yourself.”

Yes, I understand protecting his troops. Yes, I have served in combat. No, I probably don’t have as much time in combat as the general, only 13 months out of 21 months active enlisted time.

You, as a good Marine, should know that you do not deter a heretofore implacable foe by trying to placate him. You must teach your foe to FEAR you so much that he ceases combat, both overt and surreptitious.

After your enemy has been subdued then we can talk about living together as civilized, peaceable people. You know, civilized, as in “I will stop burning your holy book now that you have stopped burning our airliners, office buildings, the bodies of our dead, peaceable church-goers in India, Pakistan & Egypt and our flag.”

BTW, I do NOT recommend, encourage, or approve of burning the Koran. A better thing to do would be to let people know the terrible teachings of the Koran that are being used to send thousands of Muslims to die and/or kill others, all the while believing that they are doing the will of God.

[P-Marlowe]

Wasn’t it Petraus who ordered the Bible burning last year?????

[jonrick46]

Any culture that gets their panties in a wad for the falling of a leaf is too fragile to survive. The burning of the Quran is the falling of a leaf.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

A politically correct general and nothing more.Thats why hes still there.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

How about free speech? You remember that dont you? The muzzies want to kill you regardless of whether we burn the koran or not.Wise up.It's no religion of peace.

[freeangel]

“U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry said in a statement that Americans respect the Quran “

Eikenberry doesn’t speak for this American. The only thing that might be useful for the queeran is to use it as toilet paper.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

The mission of our warriors is to kill the enemy.Bring it on.

[Jean S]

The General is only trying to protect his soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. He doing what any good commander would do, take care of his people.

What is the solution then? Temporarily suspend the 1st amemdment?

[paulycy]

So is this true now?

[thecabal]

Yes, by all means, lets curtail any activity on American soil which my hurt a filthy Jihadi’s feeeeeeeeelings. Because God knows it’s not the responsibility of a Jihadi when he beheads a dirty kafir, it’s some dumb-ass hick pastor’s fault.

[kabar]

Do you have any understanding that this involves far more than just consequences against our troops? When the Islamic radicals can intimidate people around the world thru "self-censorship," then we are violating our own principles that this Republic was founded upon.

When the Danish cartoons depicting Mohammed were published, Danish embassies around the world were attacked. Some people died as a result. When Salman Rushdie published the Satanic Verses, a fatwa was issued against him that demanded he be killed. It is still in effect and Rushdie must still be very careful about his security and appearing in public. Theo van Gogh was assassinated because of a film he made about Islam.

The people who should be criticized and excoriated are the people who killed the UN staff. Their actions are in no way justified by what a preacher does in the US. The idea that we must curtail our right of free expression because it might anger radical Islamists is abhorrent, especially when it comes from one of our national leaders. Where is the outcry about bibles not being allowed to be imported into many Muslim countries? Or the prohibition against the practice of Christianity in those countries.

The grave danger posed to our way of life thru self-censorship caused by fear of a radical religion's response is far greater than the physical danger posed to our troops. What the Hell kind of nation have we become?