Analyst's note: Absolutely must read. Enough of this already .... for us "just to be" is against sharia .... this entire response is a non-starter. We'd best get out in front of this now. Come on Congress and get on-board. What about 'moderate' Muslims? -- we will also much appreciate hearing from our American Muslims to help clear up and end this matter.
Since we can see by this article that Mr. Obama and his administration, as an infidels & dhimmis, are purging all training materials about Islam and jihad and are unwilling to be critical of radical Islam and are thus already lost to what is really happening, so lets hear from our GOP field of "Presidential hopefuls". It is good to remember that these "holy books" were being used to convey violent messages and communicate between Taliban prisoners in our custody. This is simply more evidence that the strategy of counterinsurgency (COIN) is a failure in this society. Both our civilian and our military leadership continues to let America down ... see the following:
Truth, lies and Afghanistan: How military leaders have let us down
The Unabashed Literary Fondling of Petraeus; Architect of American Graves!
Unreasonable Risk and Ill-Conceived Combat Missions!
The Specter of Success in COIN. But for Whom?
We must Fight to Win or Don't 'Ring my Bell'
Muslim Brotherhood is infiltrating our Federal Government
Team B II Wants Islamist Penetration of U.S. Government Investigated
May I also suggest this interview with John Bernard, a retired Marine Corps First Sergeant and combat veteran who, since launching his blog Let Them Fight or Bring Them Home in 2009, has developed a large following for his perceptive insights into our current struggles. The interview is conducted by Paul Hair, a writer and veteran of the war in Iraq. Our friend and associate John Bernard discusses the disastrousness of COIN theory, Bernard's take on Gens. Petraeus and McChrystal, changing the ROEs are treated here in a extraordinarily thoughtful discussion. Considering the complete interview provides additional and useful insight into this article by STRATFOR ... Never Fight a Land War in Asia
We also learn the following from a recent newsletter from Dr. Tawfik Hamid entitled "Using the Quran to Control Afghan Anger:"
"[....] The Quranic text can actually be used in such situations to control the Afghan anger and prevent its spread. In fact, the religiosity of people in these parts of the world makes the use of religious text more effective in controlling people's anger than using formal apologetic approaches.
The point to be used with Afghans in this situation is that how could they know that the intensions of those who burnt the Quran was to insult it. They must bring evidence that the intention of the NATO personnel was to insult the Quran-as the Quran itself describes those who accuse others without having evidence as "dishonest" people {Quran Al-Naml 27:64 Or, Say, "Bring forth your evidence (proof), if ye are telling the truth!"}. The third Islamic Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan (who is considered to be one of the greatest Is disciples of prophet Mohamed) burnt the Quran and his actions were not considered as a sin -by either him or by the disciples of the prophet -since the act of burning was not associated with intention to insult it. Similarly, the Afghans must not react with anger against the burning of the Quran as they do not have a proof that it was associated with an intention to insult it.
In addition, even if the action of the two personnel who burnt the Quran was intentional, it is forbidden in the Quran to react against others. For example the Quran forbids any angry reaction against the NATO soldiers who actually did not commit the burning and are likely to be against it. The Quran stated clearly in four different positions that not one should be punished for the mistake of another person {Quran: Al-Isra 17:15; Al-An'am 6:164; Fatir 35:18; Az-Zumar 39:7 Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another's burdens.
Finally, there is no single verse in the Quran that considers its burning as 'Haram' or forbidden (Afghan Muslim need to be challenged to bring this verse from the Quran!). On the contrary there is a clear verse that asks Muslims to control and restrain their anger {Quran: Al-Imran 3:134 Those (the true believers) who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) humans;- for the Lord loves those who do good;-}
To conclude, because of the nature of the Afghan culture and the importance of religion in their life, the use of Islamic jargon and Quran text can aid in controlling the anger of the population in response to the burning of the Quran."
What could the charge possibly be? Whoever did it didn't break any law except Sharia, which NATO has not (yet) adopted. And that's what this whole controversy is really all about: it's another Islamic supremacist attempt to force non-Muslims to abide by Sharia provisions.
"Afghanistan demands NATO put Koran-burners on trial," by Mirwais Harooni and Amie Ferris-Rotman for Reuters, February 23:
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan wants NATO to put on public trial those who burned copies of the Koran at a NATO base, President Hamid Karzai's office said on Thursday, after a third day of bloody protests over the incident.
It said NATO had agreed to a trial, but that could not be immediately confirmed.
Karzai had earlier accused a U.S. officer of "ignorantly" burning copies of the Koran, in an incident that has deepened anti-Western sentiment in a country NATO is trying to stabilize before foreign combat troops leave by the end of 2014.
Demonstrations have drawn thousands of angry Afghans to the streets, chanting "Death to America!" amid violence that has killed 11 people including two U.S. service personnel.
"NATO officials, in response to a request for the trial and punishment of the perpetrators ... promised this crime will brought to court as soon as possible," Karzai's office said in a statement.
President Barack Obama sent a letter to Karzai apologizing for the burning of the Korans, after Afghan laborers found charred copies while collecting rubbish at the sprawling Bagram air base.
Obama told Karzai the incident was not intentional.
The letter, which the White House said was a follow-up to a phone call earlier this week between the two leaders to discuss a "long-term partnership" between Washington and Kabul, was delivered to Karzai by U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker.
Karzai's office said in a statement Obama had promised to investigate those involved in the incident.
Karzai said the American officer had acted "out of ignorance and with poor understanding" of the Koran's importance, a presidential statement said....
