US soldier uses Quran for target practice; General apologizes

[slime]

U.S. soldier uses Quran for target practice; military apologizes - CNN.com

[IbnMardhiyah]

And then the dude says "... but in my heart [the actions] were not malicious."



Note to US Army: Please teach your soldiers to lie more believably.

[jinnzaman]

My thoughts:
U.S. Soldier Uses Qur’an for Target Practice | Global Intifada

[AmroodWaala]

This behavior stems from institutional racism.

The Patai book, [The Arab Mind], an academic told me, was “the bible of the neocons on Arab behavior.” In their discussions, he said, two themes emerged—“one, that Arabs only understand force and, two, that the biggest weakness of Arabs is shame and humiliation.”

--The Grey Zone by Seymour Hersh

Last week, my own further enquiries about the book revealed something even more alarming. Not only is it the bible of neocon headbangers, but it is also the bible on Arab behaviour for the US military.

According to one professor at a US military college, The Arab Mind is "probably the single most popular and widely read book on the Arabs in the US military". It is even used as a textbook for officers at the JFK special warfare school in Fort Bragg.

In some ways, the book's appeal to the military is easy to understand, because it gives a superficially coherent view of the Arab enemy and their supposed personality defects. It is also readily digestible, uncomplicated by nuances and caveats, and has lots of juicy quotes, a generous helping of sex, and no academic jargon.

The State Department, too, used to take an interest in the book, although it seemingly no longer does. At one stage, the training department gave free copies to officials when they were posted to US embassies in the Middle East

--"It's best use is as a doorstep" by Whitaker

[oFoShOuKnO]

An American sniper has been sent home from Iraq for using a copy of the Koran for target practice at a shooting range near Baghdad, the US military says.

The Muslim holy book was found riddled with bullet holes last week by Iraqi police, who also discovered offensive graffiti inside its cover.

A US military spokesman said the soldier had been removed from his unit, sent home, and would be disciplined.

He was unnamed, but was reportedly a staff sergeant in a sniper section.

US military spokesman Colonel Bill Buckner said the incident was "both serious and deeply troubling", but stressed it was an "isolated incident and a result of one soldier's actions".

The US army's commander in Baghdad, Major-General Jeffery Hammond, made a personal apology to local Sunni Arab leaders in Radwaniya, CNN reported.

On arrival, he was met by hundreds of protesting tribesmen.

"In the most humble manner, I look into your eyes today and I say, please forgive me and my soldiers," Gen Hammond said, according to CNN.

The military presented the elders with a new copy of the Koran.

An Iraqi community leader said Sunni Arab tribal units who fought alongside US forces had threatened to quit, but that the US apology had assuaged their anger.

"I was feeling bitterness, but as long as they apologised we are okay with them. Our anger has cooled," Saeed al-Zubaie told Reuters.

BBC NEWS | Middle East | US sniper shot at Koran in Iraq

[Summers]

The Muslim holy book was found riddled with bullet holes last week by Iraqi police, who also discovered offensive graffiti inside its cover.

Their anger cooled by some worthless apology? Thats scarier than the action committed.

May Allah protect the ummah, and give such disbelievers what they deserve.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Search.

Its your friend.

http://www.islamicaweb.com/forums/ne...pologizes.html

[Blue_Phoenix]

I wonder if anyone would be outraged over someone using a bible as target practice.

[Jaysh]

His body will be used for target practice in Hell-Fire, and his body will be riddled with the stones of Hell, unless Allah [swt] forgives him.

[oFoShOuKnO]

IbnMardhiyah said

Search.

Its your friend.

http://www.islamicaweb.com/forums/ne...pologizes.html

Uses Pseudo Moderator Powers to merge thread

*merge*

[ChotooMotoo]

I'm not surprised at anything they do anymore. Bush has really ruined this country. So much for his "patriotism."

[roberto]

Blue_Phoenix said

I wonder if anyone would be outraged over someone using a bible as target practice.

Yes many....

[jinnzaman]

ChotooMotoo said

I'm not surprised at anything they do anymore. Bush has really ruined this country. So much for his "patriotism."

What does this have to do with Bush? This was the action of an independent soldier who acted recklessly.

[ChotooMotoo]

jinnzaman said

What does this have to do with Bush? This was the action of an independent soldier who acted recklessly.

I don't think it was an independent action. Like AmroodWala, I think it's just a symptom of the institutional racism that is running rampant through the armed forces these days. How is it Bush's fault? Who started the Iraq war? Whose policies necesetated an institution of anti-Arab, anti-Muslim racism to justify water boarding and other inhuman acts of violence against Arabs in Iraq, and Muslims the world over?

Talking to soldeirs who came back from the first gulf war, and soldiers who came back recently, there is a HUGE difference in mentality when it comes to Arabs and Muslims.

Bush is supposed to be the commander in cheif of the US armed forces, who else does the blame lie with, if not him?

It's just my opinion, you don't have to take it as gospel truth or anything.

[AmroodWaala]

jinnzaman said

This was the action of an independent soldier who acted recklessly.

...and there are many of those reckless soldiers. This isn't the first time:

"And I saw something that I feared more than any of this: a copy of the Koran with a bullet hole through it. It was lying in the ruins of what was Sadr's headquarters in Sadr City. On April 8, according to witnesses, two US tanks broke down the walls of the centre while two guided missiles pierced its roof, leaving giant craters in the floor and missile debris behind.

The worst damage, however, was done by hand. The clerics at the Sadr office say that US soldiers entered the building and crudely shredded photographs of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the top Shia cleric in Iraq. When I arrived at the destroyed centre, the floor was covered in torn religious texts, including several copies of the Koran that been ripped and shot through with bullets.

Naomi Klein: An Iraqi intifada | World news | The Guardian -2004