Posted on 09/08/2010 11:04:56 AM PDT by roses of sharon
At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told staff in a morning meeting he "strongly endorsed" the view of his military commanders that any Koran-burning plan could endanger U.S. lives, said a Pentagon spokesman, Colonel Dave Lapan.
General Ray Odierno, the former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said the event would only provoke Muslim extremists and increase threats to U.S. troops.
Two of the top commanders in Afghanistan have said the Florida church's plan risks undermining U.S. President Barack Obama's efforts to reach out to Muslims across the world.
Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay, whose country has nearly 3,000 troops in Afghanistan, said in a statement: "This initiative is insulting to Muslims and Canadians of all faiths who understand that freedom of thought and freedom of religion are fundamental to our way of living."
On Tuesday, several high-ranking Obama administration officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, spoke out against the planned event, and leading Christian and Jewish leaders also voiced outrage.
Actress Angelina Jolie, visiting Pakistan to highlight the plight of millions of people devastated by the country's worst floods, said on Wednesday she "hardly had the words" to express her opposition.
The United Nations called the event "abhorrent" and the Vatican also added to a growing chorus of global criticism.
In Iran, the planned Koran-burning drew protest from a leading cleric. "I along with 1.5 billion Muslims ... condemn this brutal and savage spirit ... I warn about its consequences," Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi-Golpaygani told Iran's Students News Agency ISNA.
"If it happens, Obama should be tried for it and this priest should be arrested immediately and his church must be shut down forever," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...
It sure does highlight a double standard. Did the attempted Times Square Bomber get a rise out of the UN, Vatican, Canadian Defence Minister, Angelina Jolie...and every stinky hippie from San Fran to Manhattan?
” Two of the top commanders in Afghanistan have said the Florida church’s plan risks undermining U.S. President Barack Obama’s efforts to reach out to Muslims across the world. “
How many muzzies will he have to bow to now to get back on their good side?
Do you really think he ever was on their good side in the first place?
Looks like we are in the minority here, and that's sad. I would expect more from Freepers who should see this as the trap it is. The fleet of satellite uplink trunks and throngs of reporters gathering at the sight are not their to condemn one preacher of a small church. They are their to condemn the Christian Church and the conservative movement in general.
Yep, which is what we should have done immediately after 9/11.
Of course....anyone comparing the civilized world to the Islamic world...HAS a definite agenda. As does anyone acting “concerned” that those illogical comparisons can be made.
Don’t forget the “holy book” is pro pedophilia.
http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2010/01/islamic-child-sexual-abuse-muslim.html
They are afraid because the reaction will be by those crazy, terrorist factions, made up of people that hate and want to kill, not the majority.
Exactly!
good point
My point is that Petraeus will order Bibles burned .But defend the Koran.
He is not a warrior; he is a PC perfumed prince of the Pentagon.
He is not defending the Constitution but he is violating it.
I disagree completely. The pastor of that church is bringing to the fore a debate on what is free and what isn’t in America.
You as countless others miscast the true national concern.
America as now has some useful or possibly useful diplomatic relations with Muslims in theater (and this doesn’t mean show biz). There may be no moderate or liberal Islam, but there are moderate and liberal Muslims.
If you really, truly want to pull the rug out from under that (as well as from under any US based evangelism of Muslims) well you might seriously consider if the thrill is worth it. Especially since this Gainesville church endorses the Westburros on its web site.
It's probably now to the point it would do more harm to stop the pastor from carrying out his mission than to let him continue and then deal with the consequences.
It's always the nut jobs on both sides that start wars. There is a time for everything under the sun and the time of all out war seems to be fast approaching. I truly wish it wasn't so.
No, the one’s that don’t hate us and hold us to a higher standard.
Not DU!
ES&D
I wasn’t talking about number of comments I was talking about the degree of outrage from high places. Look at this thing. Gibbs, Clinton, the UN. Angelina Jolie! (sarc on the last one.) Where have they been concerning Westboro? *crickets*
It shows those willing to see that Islam is being privileged above all other religions here in America and worldwide.
If it went to the USSC it would almost certainly be found that these were materials useless to the religious devotions of the servicemen. English and Spanish bibles proliferate like rabbits over there.
I'm honestly more bugged by the way they have stepped in this issue to pretty much shut down a person's right to free speech. I'm just surprised that so many here aren't seeing the big red flag here.
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