Don't shoot at books you don't know...

DeepIron · 05-19-08, 03:54 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/...ran/index.html

I've been following this story and now this:

Quote:

Iraq's most powerful Sunni Arab political party on Monday said a U.S. soldier's desecration of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, requires the "severest of punishments," not just an apology and a military reassignment.

Screw 'em... Time to take our marbles and go home... These people simply don't operate in reality.

Quote:

"I have asked that first this apology be officially documented; second a guarantee from the U.S. military to inflict the maximum possible punishment on this soldier so it would be a deterrent for the rest of the soldiers in the future."

How insipid and stupid. Deterrent my as* ! The American was there to help give back the country to the Iraqis and they're more worried about a book...

Tchocky · 05-19-08, 03:56 PM

I dunno, take 200,000 guys, not all of them are gonna be amber-waves-of-grain apple pie types.
Still, this is nasty and it won't help the situation a bit.

I doubt we're going to find a mandated policy of shooting the Koran, anyone?

DeepIron · 05-19-08, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tchocky

I dunno, take 200,000 guys, not all of them are gonna be amber-waves-of-grain apple pie types.
Still, this is nasty and it won't help the situation a bit.

I doubt we're going to find a mandated policy of shooting the Koran, anyone?

What bugs me is the insistence of the Iraqis to punish this guy further...

kurtz · 05-19-08, 04:09 PM

It's a book!
An evil one granted, but still only a book. You've got to wonder, it's not like there's a shortage of copies, most maniacs have one, come to think of so have I

Tchocky · 05-19-08, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurtz

It's a book!
An evil one granted, but still only a book. You've got to wonder, it's not like there's a shortage of copies, most maniacs have one, come to think of so have I

Choppers inbound

Platapus · 05-19-08, 06:25 PM

What the soldier did was reprehensible and unprofessional. The actions of the military with respect to this individual were appropriate. He was removed from his duty and his career is effectively ended.

The apology by General Hammond was sincere and appropriate.

The matter should end there.

Neither the United States Military nor this individual soldier are Muslim nor governed by Islamic law. Any punishment appropriate for a Muslim committing this act would be inappropriate for the soldier.

The act of the soldier was stupid and clearly warranted his removal.

I am hoping that the US military is further educating its troops so such stupid acts are not committed in the future.

This Islamic political party needs to accept the apology.

WE ARE NOT AN ISLAMIC COUNTRY

Our laws are different.

They need to understand and accept this. They really do.

TteFAboB · 05-20-08, 05:42 AM

They aren't Muslims, they're politicians. They'll squeeze this to get as much juice as they can.

Platapus · 05-20-08, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TteFAboB

They aren't Muslims, they're politicians. They'll squeeze this to get as much juice as they can.

Ding! we have a winner!

Ducimus · 05-20-08, 06:53 PM

I have to admit, if i were stuck in a hot, stinking hell hole 3rd world country for umpteen months, with people wanting to kill me, IED's blowing up someone i know or heard of every now and then, getting shot at, etc, i think id probably use the koran for target practice too. Infact, i think its pretty damn funny. The truth is, GI's do alot of stupid **** when their frustrated and/or bored. Only difference his little antic/prank managed to escalate past those closest to him. When you do stupid ****, you do it where only your closest buddies will see and no one else.

Jacky Fisher · 05-20-08, 07:57 PM

This is the kind of thing that wins Al-Qaida about a hundred new recruits a day.

Was this soldier briefed at all on the nuances of the local culture.

Platapus · 05-20-08, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacky Fisher

This is the kind of thing that wins Al-Qaida about a hundred new recruits a day.

Was this soldier briefed at all on the nuances of the local culture.

And this is why we may win battles but may lose the insurgent war.

05-21-08, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacky Fisher

This is the kind of thing that wins Al-Qaida about a hundred new recruits a day.

Was this soldier briefed at all on the nuances of the local culture.

Obviously not. When I joined the USAF in 1971, one of the things they mentioned in Basic Training is that you represent the USA. (As George Carlin once put it, "Remember: You represent your row."*)

You are a diplomat, whether or not you want to be. Your actions reflect either good or bad on our country, our flag, and what it stands for. Embarrass your country while in the service of the military, and your ass is ours.

Apparently, someone was just not going to let that little bit of info sink in.

* For those not familiar with the concept, in schools years ago (don't know if they still do this), the person at the head of each row of students "represented" that row of students. They were the first to get pages handed to them by the teacher for passing out to the students behind them, and were the ones that received the pages handed up from the rear for retrieval by the teacher.

05-19-08, 03:56 PM	#2
Tchocky Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,874 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	I dunno, take 200,000 guys, not all of them are gonna be amber-waves-of-grain apple pie types. Still, this is nasty and it won't help the situation a bit. I doubt we're going to find a mandated policy of shooting the Koran, anyone? __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

05-19-08, 04:09 PM	#4
kurtz Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Leighton Buzzard,England Posts: 660 Downloads: 39 Uploads: 0	It's a book! An evil one granted, but still only a book. You've got to wonder, it's not like there's a shortage of copies, most maniacs have one, come to think of so have I __________________ War without Fire is like sausages without mustard-Henry V. http://www.myvintagelife.co.uk/

05-19-08, 06:25 PM	#6
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,386 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	What the soldier did was reprehensible and unprofessional. The actions of the military with respect to this individual were appropriate. He was removed from his duty and his career is effectively ended. The apology by General Hammond was sincere and appropriate. The matter should end there. Neither the United States Military nor this individual soldier are Muslim nor governed by Islamic law. Any punishment appropriate for a Muslim committing this act would be inappropriate for the soldier. The act of the soldier was stupid and clearly warranted his removal. I am hoping that the US military is further educating its troops so such stupid acts are not committed in the future. This Islamic political party needs to accept the apology. WE ARE NOT AN ISLAMIC COUNTRY Our laws are different. They need to understand and accept this. They really do. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

05-20-08, 05:42 AM	#7
TteFAboB Admiral Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,247 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	They aren't Muslims, they're politicians. They'll squeeze this to get as much juice as they can. __________________ "Tout ce qui est exagéré est insignifiant." ("All that is exaggerated is insignificant.") - Talleyrand

05-20-08, 07:57 PM	#10
Jacky Fisher Loader Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: on the bridge of the Dreadnought Posts: 82 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	This is the kind of thing that wins Al-Qaida about a hundred new recruits a day. Was this soldier briefed at all on the nuances of the local culture. __________________

05-20-08, 06:53 PM	#9
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	I have to admit, if i were stuck in a hot, stinking hell hole 3rd world country for umpteen months, with people wanting to kill me, IED's blowing up someone i know or heard of every now and then, getting shot at, etc, i think id probably use the koran for target practice too. Infact, i think its pretty damn funny. The truth is, GI's do alot of stupid ** when their frustrated and/or bored. Only difference his little antic/prank managed to escalate past those closest to him. When you do stupid **, you do it where only your closest buddies will see and no one else.