That the Geneva conventions specifically allow for the cremation of enemy dead for reasons of hygiene.
From Field Manual FM 27-10:
Bodies shall not be cremated except for imperative reasons of hygiene or for motives based on the religion of the deceased. In case of cremation, the circumstances and reasons for cremation shall be stated in detail in the death certificate or on the authenticated list of the dead.
The commander on the ground is a lieutenant. Nobody yet has come up with a better idea. What was he supposed to do?
This lieutenant had apparently made an effort to allow the locals to recover the dead. He fulfilled his obligations to the deceased by attempting to make that coordination.
He fulfilled his obligations to protect his men by having them cremated.
Case closed. The chattering classes should cut the LT some slack. And Time Magazine, which failed to do the reporting necessary to uncover the regulations with regard to the disposal of enemy dead in logistically adverse conditions (I found it in five minutes) ought to refrain from speculating on the course of this LT's career until they bother to download a clue.
In fact, they could have been first to the public with the revelation about the legality of cremation in this specific circumstance. Had they bothered to seek enough newsroom diversity to have a couple of veterans on staff. After all, you have to know the jargon before you can google it.
No wonder the media have a credibility problem with troops.
The LT should face a court martial for failing to mix the ashes in pig's blood. (just kidding.....about the court martial).
I do believe it should be official U.S. policy to bury enemy combatants, killed in action, in pig entrails. Give them something to think about before they get into firing range.
And logically and rationally, the onus would shift to the Afghan authorities notified.
But Islam suffers a kind of psychotic paranoia...it is above blame. It cannot accept blame or comprehend it. Blame in Islam must shift back to unbelievers (there is no system for blame removal or forgiveness in Islam).
Our world has grown up. We must now face the facts that some religions are destructive and deadly...and require action.
No serious citizen of the world thinks that Nazism should be encouraged or even permitted to gain traction. Same will become the mode of handling Islam.
The killing, destructive, death-loving aspect of Islam must be outlawed. Islam must be defanged or it will destroy this planet.
Our President is pulling up the weeds of Islam, but he is not attacking the source.