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 ...
“piss Christ=freedom of speech
shooting at paper=crime and groveling by heroes
Stand by for burqas at the beach and sharia at the mall.
If I were the General, I would have told the State Department robots that I want out of the service. I won't grovel in front of evil, and I won't kiss an evil book.
Heck, I would have been forced out long before this incident.
Look at what the PC scumbags did to General Peter Pace when he made his comments about the homosexuals. They attacked him just like they probably threatened "General Grovel N. Kiss."
Bravo.
Not PC, pragmatism. You don't piss on your allies boots and tell them it's raining. No matter what you think of the Koran, there are plenty of Muslims who are ralleying to the cause of freedom, and against the terrorists, the criminals and the Iranian and Syrian thugs.
Shooting the Koran was a stupid act. Doing it in an Iraqi police range was imbecilic.
If as a private citizen want to buy a dozen Korans, take them to the range or some field somewhere, more power to you, it's a free country. But if you are a member of the US Armed Forces in a country where the vast majority are Muslim, (even Kurds are Muslims), then desecrating their holy book is not exactly an optimum way to win friends and influence people, which is after all part of the mission.
The guy should have his ass kicked every klick of the way to the airplane, and then every step of the way from the airplane to his barracks... hopefully in Greenland if we still have installations there.
You would fit in at the State Department well.
So far, so good....
"Military apologizes"
Why?
Anyone who disagrees with such a concept should be "kicked and beaten" all the way to the airport.
Welcome to Free Republic. Plan on staying long??
Apparently, a bit ahead of his time....
This is just offensive. Everyone knows the koran is better used as buttwipe.
I’m honestly one of the least “PC” people you’ll meet and find the whole movement deplorable. The actions taken in this story though have absolutely nothing to do with being PC, nor is my response.
I look at people’s actions from more than just my own personal viewpoint. It’s an awakening of sorts.
They'd kill them for less.
I would have presented the tribal leaders with the remnants of my boot that I broke off in the young mans hind quarters and called it even.
Well said!
I didn’t know Pinch Sulzberger trolled here!
Louis Farrakhan IS a Muslim! Nation of ISLAM...?
Why are our American Soldiers being forced to follow these careerist and opportunist officers who grovel like wimps and kiss the face of evil?
I feel like I am living in a cuckoo clock.
Lose the liberal mind set that our enemies need an excuse to hate us. They aready hate us so they look for excuses to justify it. Before you spaz out I already said the soldier screwed up. I just get tired of that tired old "this will makes thems hates us!!!" rhetoric.
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