A week ago, Iraqi militiamen made a shocking discovery: a Quran (Koran) used for target practice, riddled with bullets, and the words “F*** yeah” scrawled inside. U.S. officials are scrambling to make amends in fear of a major backlash across Iraq.
The Fourth Division’s investigation has identified a staff sergeant in a sniper section of the 64th Armor Regiment as the primary suspect. A
Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, did show considerable courage and tact in facing any angry mob in the area and asking for their forgiveness.
For the full story, click here.
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mespo727272
user0x7d:
The Qur’an may be merely a book to you, but the point is that it is much more to Muslims. Attaching a value to an object more than the sum of its constituent parts is nothing new, nor limited to the religious. Look at the flag burning controversy, or the attachment we feel for family relics, or our documents founding our liberties. The point is that deeply antagonizing those who fundamentally disagree with us is counterproductive and truly insane.
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Anyone that attaches ANYTHING with value greater than human life is insane plain and simple. I don’t care what religion, what country, whatEVER they want to use to justify it with. There is NOTHING in this world more important than a human life.
You are right Jill. My comments were out of line and immature and I apologize. I need to abstain from giving emotional responses.
It is frustrating to experience the war firsthand and then hear people flippantly offering their own opinions on it, even though I may agree with them in some ways.
I agree with you that many things have been done in the name of Christianity. I do not think that being transformed by trust in His sacrifice and following the teachings of Christ would allow any of the violence that has been historically done in His name. So, in that regard, I would say that many wear the jersey but few play the game.
Thank you for your gentle rebuke Jill, I probably deserved it to be harsher.
Clint,
I get what you’re saying but I think you aren’t accurate about several things. First, if you look at the three religions of the book: christianity, judaism and the muslim religion I just don’t understand how you can say the latter has been the most violent. Historically, each of these religions has engaged in extreme creulty and violence. You are absolutely right to say muslims torture and kill christians, they do. It is equally true that christians have tortured and killed muslims. Neither religion has the moral high ground on the willingness to torture and kill.
I do understand that a battlefield is a place nearly completely removed from civilian life ethics. You have to do things and see things that make you crazy. It is difficult to hold onto any shred of your humanity. That is the same for every person in a war, no matter what side they are on. And maybe sometimes it just isn’t possible, but I feel every person needs to try with all their being to hold onto their humanity. It’s the only way out. So yes, I understand why those soldiers shot up the quran, but it was still a stupid and dangerous thing to do.
I’ve worked in enough anti-war groups to know that many people in those groups are completely insincere a-holes. They think it’s really cool to get arrested. I have no respect or tolerance for that crap. I also know that there are many of us who try as hard as we can to end this war. Don’t discount us with cheap shots about watching CNN, that isn’t right.
Jill
Clint
Well, everyone is entitled to their own moronic, ill-considered, baseless, irrelevant and bone-headed opinion and you’ve certainly been given the opportunity on this site to express yours.
Crazed Man-I think its funny that you think its funny that you don’t SEE Muslims doing the same thing. Thats a very good point. I’m sure the most violent religion in the world has the utmost respect for Christianity (even though they torture and slaughter Christians every day in Eritrea and other Muslim countries)
Have any of those who made the above comments the courage to serve in a war? I respect peace-loving for its own sake, but many are peace-loving because they are cowards. It is very easy to bash soldiers in a war you don’t agree with (which, being a veteran of that war, I don’t necessarily agree with either), but have you done anything besides complain to your friends and make anti-Bush jokes? What those soldiers did was idiotic, wrong, and should be punished. But, seeing your friends blasted by people who hide bombs under their clothes tends to make you less aware of consequences or ethics.
Live comfortably, watch CNN, and make anti-Bush potshots–the world will thank you later.
It’s funny how we never see Muslims dissing the Bible or desecrating it physically or insulting Jesus.
Matthew:
I think they are the same guys who handled ‘Nam. We just love recycling our screw ups.
Wow. This is surely a good way to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, and the Muslim world in general. Just what kind of jerk-offs do we have running our military these days?
This just shows the intolerance people have towards Islam. More education maybe? Couldn’t they use any NON holy book to shoot up? I’m disgusted!
As usual, Niblick missed the point. Can you imagine the froth-mouthed outrage in the US Army, rampant with evangelicals, Faux Noise, every right wing pundit and religioso if a Bible had been shot up by Muslims? But then, that isn’t what happened, is it?. It was US soldiers (Christians?) who deliberately defaced another culture’s relgious work. If shooting up “just a (Christian) book” would create an international religious furor—and it most certainly would, then shooting up a Qur’an is equally provacative and should be condemned. The military has done the right thing on this–thus far. I fear once the uber-Christian military brass gets hold of this it’ll wash away without any action.
user0x7d:
The Qur’an may be merely a book to you, but the point is that it is much more to Muslims. Attaching a value to an object more than the sum of its constituent parts is nothing new, nor limited to the religious. Look at the flag burning controversy, or the attachment we feel for family relics, or our documents founding our liberties. The point is that deeply antagonizing those who fundamentally disagree with us is counterproductive and truly insane.
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R. Theroux
My God, Jonathan, after reading the above responses, can there be any question why America is so hated. What hubris.
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Hubris has nothing to do with it. The fact that we’re still living in the moral stone ages where it is acceptable to kill another human being for ANY reason has.
This shot up book is just that, a book. Pieces of paper bound together by an adhesive. Yet these same people who would kill the person who shot it, if they could, seem to think it’s fine and dandy to murder another living breathing person.
This is not hubris.
This is insanity plain and simple.
Bob/Jill:
Without getting into too much stereotyping, does anyone think it significant that the 4th Infantry Division is based in Fort Hood, Texas? Exporting cultural “rednecks” to war zones, should be our last priority..er, on second thought, maybe it should be our first.
Bob,
You have this exactly correct. This action did not take place in a civilian context. Frankly I don’t care if someone wishes to exercise their second amendments rights to the first amendment by shooting up a koran, bible, upanishads or the big book of atheism. In a military occupation/situation this action put fellow soldiers at risk. That is unacceptable.
Jill
Defendant soldiers knew or should have known that their actions would place their fellow soldiers at increased risk….
The JAG should throw the book at them; and do so publicly so as to quell the mob and rumors.
My God, Jonathan, after reading the above responses, can there be any question why America is so hated. What hubris.
Yes, one of our soldiers disrespected their Quran. Now, if only the muslims killed less and worshiped more, maybe there could be peace among them? Probably not!
They shot up a book. Oooo… I wonder why there isn’t this kind of outcry when they shoot up something important, LIKE A LIVING HUMAN BEING!
By the way, love the blog.
This was dumb. If they only had used a Bible, MSNBC & the left in America would have given the soldiers an award.
Just wondering why there was all this hoopla over Huckabee’s “CROSS” bookcase in a video when Obama can put out a FLYER and advertisement that shows him at a pulpit with a REAL CROSS in the background.
Let it never be said there is consistency in the left wing hate rhetoric.