Nato apologises for Afghan Koran 'disposal'

[Kombattant]

I am a Christian but I am not about to go killing and rioting because some azz burned the bible. Troll on somewhere else.

They do not share the same mentality as you.


We have to be mindful of their culture if we want to win.

[PeterG]

They do not share the same mentality as you.


We have to be mindful of their culture if we want to win.

Win what? There's something to 'win' in Afghanistan? The only good thing to come out of madness like this, is that more people wake up to the lunacy of trying to 'win the hearts and minds' of the Afghan people, nation-build the most f*cked up nation in the world, while fighting a never-ending war there. Read the report by army officer, Lt. Col. Daniel Davis. Madness! I sincerely hope that innocent people won't get hurt as a result of this unfortunate incident though. It shouldn't have happened - this lesson should have been learned by now.
http://militaryreporter.net/2012/02/...o-the-pentagon

[Ngati Tumatauenga]

Facinating to read some of the comments here.

[hulaku]

At least four people have been killed and 20 injured in Afghanistan as protests spread over the burning of copies of the Koran at a US airbase.

One person has been killed in Kabul, one in the eastern city of Jalalabad and two in Parwan province.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17123464

[IconOfEvi]

Thats one thing Im wondering about - who are they killing when these kind of riots go down?

[Chulo]

Thats one thing Im wondering about - who are they killing when these kind of riots go down?

Most probably their own.

[haze99]

And in early 2009, Bibles in local dialects (Pashto?) were burned at a US base and no one in the Christian world attacked muslims or their embassies. (No, all religions and their beliefs are not the same.)

[hulaku]

President Barack Obama has apologised to the Afghan people for the burning of Korans by American troops at a US base.

In a letter to President Hamid Karzai, Mr Obama expressed his "deep regret" and said the incident earlier this week was a genuine mistake.
Demonstrations against the desecration have continued for a third day across northern and eastern Afghanistan.
Two US soldiers and two Afghans were killed in an attack on a military base. Elsewhere there were four other deaths.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17144726

Rest in Peace

[Galaverna]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17144726

Rest in Peace

With last week 3 casualties, Italian contigent in Afghanistan counted 49 dead and it is fair to start pondering whether these deaths were worthy or not.

Having said this, in view of the utmost backwardness of the locals, it is of paramount importance to understand their beliefs and the overinflated importance they give to this book must be considered. It is pointless to compare our attitude with theirs, they simply live in a different world and epoch.

Nowadays soldiers are political subjects like never before in the history of warfare and their acts are closely scrutinized, in some cases they are immediately posted in social networks worlwide
This makes even more inexplicable their continuing ignorance of local cultures, especially when like in this case it might cost lives and does create lots of zealots ready to wage revenge on NATO soldiers or westerners in general.

I guess that some time and money should be spent in teaching soldiers about cultural differences, local taboos and so on, it might save lives.

[haze99]

My reply to you galaverna is, no.
The US and ISAF have spent 10 years (TEN) yes, a decade, helping this country. If they are unable to see how much we (USA & ISAF) have bent over backwards and twisted ourselves into ballon-animal shapes to be "sensitive" and "accomadating" of their culture, society, & "religion", then additonal 5-hours or 1 week of "cultural awareness" will not make a D#*n bit of difference!
At the rate this whole "nation-building" process has gone, you may as well convert and get out a blasted prayer!

[Breakfast in Vegas]

Having said this, in view of the utmost backwardness of the locals, it is of paramount importance to understand their beliefs and the overinflated importance they give to this book must be considered. It is pointless to compare our attitude with theirs, they simply live in a different world and epoch.
I guess that some time and money should be spent in teaching soldiers about cultural differences, local taboos and so on, it might save lives.

Yet it hasn't even been established if:

* the Koran was burned on purpose
* the Koran was burned at all

Mere rumors of burned Korans would be enough to cause these riots, this violence, just as cartoons of Mohammed did. Mere cultural sensitivity won't change Afghanistan.

[hulaku]

Yet it hasn't even been established if:

* the Koran was burned at all

It was on BBC. They actually showed the half burnt/ partially burnt Korans.

Local sensibilities, no matter how illogical they are, have to be respected when you are out to win hearts and minds of the local populace.

[liberal cl]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17144726

I wonder when Obama will apologize to Americans for his domestic policy failures?

[Sloppy Joe2]

I wonder when Obama will apologize to Americans for his domestic policy failures?

Off-topic and its not like you don't get enough opportunities to bash him.

Regardless of opinions on what the future direction of the mission in Afghanistan should be, cultural sensitivity should be of high priority if not for the current mission, then for the safety of the military and foreign aid presence in the country.

[Wahnsinn]

And in early 2009, Bibles in local dialects (Pashto?) were burned at a US base and no one in the Christian world attacked muslims or their embassies. (No, all religions and their beliefs are not the same.)

We expect people living in countries where something like 70% of the population can't even read to act just like us in the West which doesn't make sense. Why would they act like us? All a lot of these people seem to have is their religion. You'd probably get attacked in a few parts of Africa for burning a bible too, pretty much for the same reason. The sooner we realise that people living in conditions that are completely different to us have a different frame of mind the better.