Posted on 05/17/2008 5:09:19 PM PDT by Prole
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A soldier used the Quran -- Islam's holy book -- for target practice, forcing the chief U.S. commander in Baghdad to issue a formal apology on Saturday.
Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond apologizes after a soldier admitted using the Quran for target practice. Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad, apologized to leaders in Radhwaniya, in the western outskirts of Baghdad, for the staff sergeant who was a sniper section leader assigned to the headquarters of the 64th Armored Regiment.
He also read a letter of apology by the shooter. It was the first time the incident -- which tested the relationship between U.S.-backed Sunni militiamen and the military -- was made public since it was discovered May 11. "I come before you here seeking your forgiveness," Hammond said to tribal leaders and others at the apology ceremony.
"In the most humble manner I look in your eyes today and I say please forgive me and my soldiers." Another military official kissed a Quran and presented is as "a humble gift" to the tribal leaders.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I forgot to ask about the head scarves, maybe that depends on the particular church or the order that the Priests belong to? I sure don't remember any covered heads when I'd go to mass with my cousins on occasion. (Dad was catholic, but lapsed well before I was born, Mom is not catholic, some kind of German Evangelical Church I think.
Silly me, I figured when someones troops fight side by side with yours, against a common enemy, that made them allies.
Better grab your rifle and go attack Holloman AFB in Alamagordo New Mexico, which is used by the Luftwaffe for training in the Tornado aircraft (and maybe others). Similarly you might want to see what you can do against other Luftwaffe troops at Ft.Bliss in El Paso Texas, where they train on anti-aircraft weaponry.
At any given time, there are lots of foreign troops training in the US. At the language school at Lackland AFB for example.
Gato;
Well, if you consider that “operating” you are in need of a tune up.
The DoD invites many nations to “train” with our military-which isn’t exactly “operating”.
Gosh, we “train” all of the world, but we “operate” currently in Iraq, Afganistan etc. Get the difference?
No foreign power is overtly “operating” in the USA. If and when one does, you can bet it won’t be with our nations approval. It would be called an invasion. Kinda like we did to Iraq, but we are not a “Christian” Army fighting “Islam”, rather we are a western Army fighting a global war on terror. Argue how you wish, that is what it is.
God Bless
Molon Labe
Z;
I did not miss your point. Having been there and all, I completely understand the issue.
However, since the Bible is banned, burned and decried in most islamic places, I do not see the comparison.
Also, most “Christians” I know would not see the defacing of a book-any book as a crime against God. It (a Bible) is simply a medium for communicating the “Word” of God; it in itself is not the “Word”-rather He, the “Word” is seating at the right hand of God; His name is Jesus Christ....
God Bless & Molon Labe
What you said was "operating in the USA whether with or without the consent of the US Government". And since with consent would not be an invasion, I guess I mistook your meaning. I don't think it's this old cat that needs a tune up.
In an invasion, I'd be one of those shooting at that invaders. Blue helmets make great aiming points for 7.62x51., of which I have the better part of a case, and a scoped H&K to shoot it through.
No, we were talking about a particular group of Tribal leaders, who, up to that point anyway, had been supporting us and the central government. With the apology, they apparently still do.
I think some ‘modernist’ churches are lax about these things, but who cares what they think.
Do you think the Iraqi Army will be ordered to fight by our side if we attack Iran?
Depends on how it starts. But they'll likely be busy with Iranian surrogates, or actual Iranians, in Iraq itself.
That's where we'd get the troops to attack Iran, when the Iraqis are carrying most of the load in Iraq itself.
Not that I think we'll use troops to attack Iran, just aircraft and missiles, at least in the beginning.
Once these things start, you never know exactly how they'll go down.
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