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 ...
Bingo.
That is not a different question, and it does not have a different answer.
I guess one would have to be a “nut” to take on the Islamic nuts.
A videotaped beheading of a Muslim to show the world(ie, Daniel Pearl) would have garnered a collective yawn,/s.
The Generals could have warned their troops privately...but to make this even more public stinks of a POLITICAL MOVE.
What about printing leaks in the NEW YORK TIMES? Does that endanger lives? If they DON’T burn the ko-rans, will they NOT hurt, hate, or kill us any more? Because if they promise to stop killing us, by all means we should not burn ko-rans.
Could be walking right into a trap
It’s like stepping on an ant hill. Our men are over in the middle of arab country. This dude over here in florida burns the koran. He’s not going to suffer the fury of these pissed-off muslims. But, our soldiers will. Like they need the extra added crap to what they already have to deal with. Why burn the koran? He proved his point with just the suggestion of it.
Little but make the Muslims and leftists get their panties in a wad. Come to think of it, maybe it is doing more good than I first thought.
“The more I see of the people who are against this, the more I want to support it.”
This is what makes me suspicious of the whole thing.
I totally agree with you. Butt, we have also to exercise our freedom of speech, even if it is just once a year... ;)
I'm sure millions of our tax dollars are at work trying to find a way to stop him if that's any consolation.
If nothing else, it illuminates the totalitarian nature of Islam.
It also reveals that our leaders see some pigs as more equal than others when it comes to free speech.
those were my thoughts exactly. I don’t really see what good burning these Korans will do. I mean seriously. This pastor in Florida is making a statement alright, getting his voice heard, getting his plan all over the news, but how will burning the korans help America? Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutly nuttin’ wrong with getting rid of quite a few of these detestable and evil books, but sheesh....there are better ways to combat Islam.
No need to fret....”wagon hitching” is not the issue.
In the US yes. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, no.
Give Petreus a break. IMHO his job in Afghanistan is harder than Iraq. In Iraq a little payola and TLC persuaded the sheiks who had always run things to throw the AQ punks out and take a seat at the power table, which means ultimately a piece of the oil pie.
Things are much more disorganized in Afghanistan and there's not much pie to be divided at the government table. He needs every tool he can find to win hearts and minds and persuade groups to join the government and not the Taliban. The Taliban will use this to make his job harder. I say give him what he wants.
This group strikes me as a bunch of attention whores like that Westboro bunch.
We need to ask General Petraeus
why he ordered BIBLES burned ??.
>>I just wonder why Reuters is pushing this story so hard.<<
Their Hate America virus is coming out.
I agree that this is definitely political and calculated. How many things go on in this country that inflame the Muslims? Take a look at a “gay pride” parade. You don’t think that debauchery inflames Muslims? Yet do you hear Gates and Petreaus telling gay activists to tone down their activities? What about the mere fact that we are Christians and Jews? That alone inflames these savages. We should all convert and then the military won’t have anything to worry about.
Something many do not know:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/20/us.military.bibles.burned/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
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