Rick Santorum: Obama's Apology For Quran Burning 'Shows Weakness'

Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum accused President Barack Obama of "weakness" on Sunday for apologizing to the Islamic world over the U.S. military's recent burning of Qurans in Afghanistan.

The destruction of copies of the Muslim holy book has outraged much of the international Islamic community, and Obama apologized for what the American government has described as the inadvertent disposal of Qurans in a fire. Santorum's latest rhetorical attack on the president follows his recent questioning of Obama's religion, in which Santorum claimed Obama subscribes to a "phony theology."

During a Sunday appearance on ABC News, Santorum said that Obama should not have apologized for the holy book destruction because the U.S. military had only accidentally burned Qurans. Santorum then added that Obama's apology, rather than the actual burning of Qurans, was hurting both the image of America abroad and the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan.

"There was nothing deliberately done wrong here. This was something that happened as a mistake. Killing Americans in uniform is not a mistake ... when that is occurring, you should not be apologizing for something that was -- an unfortunate -- say it’s unfortunate, say that this is something that should have been done," Santorum said. "To apologize for something that was not an intentional act is something that the president of the United States, in my opinion, should not have done."

"But if it was a mistake, isn’t apologizing the right, important thing to do?" asked ABC News host George Stephanopoulos.

"It suggests that there is somehow blame, this is somehow that we did something wrong in the sense of doing a deliberate act wrong," Santorum replied. "I think it shows that we are -- that I think it shows weakness."

Appearing on NBC's "Meet The Press," Santorum again criticized Obama's apology, saying that the Afghanistan government and President Hamid Karzai should apologize to the United States for "attacking and killing our men and women in uniform."

Santorum was heavily criticized last week for challenging Obama's religous faith, with many observers suggesting that his comment played to conspiracy theories among the Republican base that maintain Obama is secretly Muslim. Santorum's latest Islam-oriented criticism of the president comes as polls show a close race between Santorum and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the upcoming primary battle in Michigan.

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Comments

[jeffdaschel]

09:02 PM on 03/05/2012

Weakness, or awareness, depending on how you look at it.

[bokhattak]

04:15 PM on 02/29/2012

When two opposing parties are engaged in conflict and neither are willing to compromise and make a concession of any kind - and Presidents throughout the ages have known that the cheapest concessions come in the form of carefully-crafted words - then the conflict will surely continue until one side is decimated.

President Obama has made an apology for an act that was culturally insensitive and would put the lives of American men and women at risk, with carefully-crafted, free words. This is the way diplomacy happens. This is the way wars end without costing massive amounts of human lives. This is the way the civilized world conducts itself.

It is a shame that Gingrich and Santorum would choose to disregard civilization, the lives of American men and women in uniform. I find nothing American about that sort of non-compromising ideology.

[austinlad]

02:24 PM on 03/01/2012

Wonderfully expressed. The cycle of hate has to be broken by someone willing to take the higher ground -- why not the U.S.?

[F for Fake]

10:39 PM on 02/28/2012

I imagine myself tripping and spilling my drink all over someone, then saying "that was an unfortunate unintentional act. But I don't apologize."

[bynddrvn5]

06:31 PM on 02/28/2012

Can't image this guy as the Commander in Chief - what a pathetic joke of a candidate.

None of the Republican candidates have any intelligence or tact to speak of. They do realize they are applying for a public servant position, yes?

[x-mil]

09:14 AM on 02/28/2012

Santorum is a loose cannon, arrogant, and not as smart as he thinks he is. He strikes me as a bit wet behind the ears in the kinds of vain comments he makes. We need a president who has the maturity to respect differences and build bridges, not the illusion that he can force everyone to think a certain way. And to whack at someone for apologizing in attempt to calm things down... I wonder how this person resolves issues with his wife. Surely many know that the only way is to apologize, right or wrong.

[resquedog]

12:22 PM on 02/28/2012

A president who can build bridges? Bridges can't be built where this is the constant perpetuation of hatred toward Christians which is the primary reason those who hate Santorum hate him. There will NEVER be any bridges or unity as long as this division, which this country has not seen the likes of since the Civil War somehow ends. The thing that strikes this poster as the height of HYPOCRISY is the fact that when this country is attacked by an outside foreign enemy no one tells the Christians who run to help defend this nation to go home because they're of no use due to their religious beliefs ! ! ! That egregious SNUB is reserved for elections. SHAME ON YOU!!!

[JMKeynes]

03:48 AM on 03/01/2012

Wow. We used to be able to have differences of opinion without hate. I am very much against Santorum as a presidential candidate. I'm a Catholic and one who had 13 years of Catholic school. That's religious instruction every day. My family has maintained close friendships with members of a few religious orders and we've discussed various controversial topics over the years. I've always found priests and nuns to be very thoughtful in their positions and not at all dogmatic. God gave us free will and everything is a matter of conscience. What's right for one person isn't necessarily right for everyone. We have the Gospels to use as a guide.

When I see Santorum, I don't sense any of this temperate wisdom. He chose a couple of topics and he's very rigid on them but I haven't heard him say much on the one thing that we were always taught is an absolute must: sharing your blessings with the less fortunate. To the Republicans, the less fortunate are never deserving and I suspect some of that may be due to the varying beliefs of different denominations. That doesn't explain Santorum however, since he says that he's a Catholic.

[TAKEITBAK]

10:07 PM on 02/27/2012

The Apologist president is at it again..!!, So far 40 americans killed by afgans since the apology. Your fraud obama., is the Greatest.. Follow your messiah and worship him.

[Teeninchee]

03:13 AM on 02/28/2012

Is your kid over there???? MINE IS and so is my son-in-law...I am THANKFUL the President apologized. I can't imagine how much worse it would be if he hadn't.

IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. WE SHOULD BE SORRY IT DID.

I follow THE Messiah, and that's the principle of Matthew 5: 23-25. If someone thinks you have done them wrong, you go to them and make it right.

[RichardinJax]

01:11 PM on 02/29/2012

They are not killing folks because of the apology clown..they are doing because your redneck buddies acted like jerks..

[bynddrvn5]

07:39 PM on 02/27/2012

Gingrich and Santorum should tell the protestors in Afghanistan that they support the burning of the Koran.

Unfortunately, they would rather stay in the USA and watch as our soldiers have to deal with the fallout of their message.

Can't image this guy as the Commander in Chief - what a pathetic joke of a candidate.

[marymeade2]

10:29 PM on 02/27/2012

Just as much as many others couldn't image the present Commander in Chief, but, here we are.

[ctrippe7]

07:05 PM on 02/27/2012

Does Rick seriously not understand that we are not at war with Afghanistan? We are at war with the terrorist organization in Afghanistan and trying to establish a stable democracy. Making Afghan angry does nothing but hurt our efforts, so what's the point in being pig-headed? Moreover, we offended them. If you make a mistake, you apologize. That's what my mommy taught me.

[jbarelli]

07:20 PM on 02/27/2012

Such subtle differences escape Mr. Santorum. Also most of his followers.

These are the folks that when the Taliban claims that the US is at war with Islam, yell "Oh, yeah! Bring it!" Don't believe me? Just read a few of the posts on this thread, and remember that the really violent or obscene ones are filtered out.

[ctrippe7]

07:35 PM on 02/27/2012

I know, it is just silly that people don't understand the distinction between violent people and Muslims. It makes me sad.

[marymeade2]

10:33 PM on 02/27/2012

Frankly, I don't think it matters to them. They are warring people and have been for eons. Anything about their religion is a reason to fight. The apology meant nothing to them anyway. I'm pretty old and have been seeing this for years. Religious wars throughout the mideast. The apology only gave us an out, because it served no other purpose. The Afghan's are supposed to be our allies and here they are killing our men/women over this.

[Teeninchee]

03:17 AM on 02/28/2012

We are supposed to be THEIR allies, too...and perhaps they are thinking the reverse of that---The American's are supposed to be our allies and here they are BURNING our holy book.

Sometimes it helps to see things through the eyes of the other guy.

And if the apology only means something the the one who might be pointing a weapon at my kids...I am thankful for it.

[resquedog]

10:02 AM on 02/28/2012

I applaud you for this comment filled with your seasoned wisdom. I thank you for taking the time to provide your insights at this time in our country's historywhen there is a concerted effort going on in the media to undermine this country through erroneous "sound bites". People today are required to multi task to survive economically and therefore often do not have the time to spend hours each day searching out TRUTh. With your 6 lined comment you have just countered erroneous media LIES. Your voice matters my friend!

[buggeroffyou666]

06:40 PM on 02/27/2012

Republican = not only evil but unapologetically evil.

[marymeade2]

10:33 PM on 02/27/2012

That is such a lie and emotional overkill. Bush had to apologize plenty during his tenure.

[resquedog]

10:05 AM on 02/28/2012

Bush was raked over the hot coals back and forth so many times over high energy costs (oil & gas) that his scorched body eventually reduced the coals to ash. As always, the "educated pedigree" is getting a free ride!

[ocrmom59]

06:36 PM on 02/27/2012

The president did what majority of decent people would have done, it doesn't matter if it was an accident it still happen and he did the right thing. People like Rick will never say that they are sorry for anything unless it getting caught having affairs with someone other than their spouses or their hands got caught in the money jar. Then they will break their neck getting on national television and beg for forgiveness.

It takes a good christians tosay I am sorry to those who hate you and mean it, it actually hurts them worst than the person saying I am sorry. Do these people understand that everytime they go against the president, they are giving the enemy just what they want, to keepthe nation divided.

[MadameEnnui]

06:36 PM on 02/27/2012

When you do something that can be seen as offensive to another it is only polite to apologize. It does not matter if it was accidental - as a matter of fact an apology is ALWAYS in order when you offend without intent.

Obama did not apologize for killing Bin Laden because that was an intended act. We DO apologize for accidentally burning anther country's holy book.

Seriously - were the Republicans raised by moronic wolves? They seem to be both stupid AND rude.

[janicedow1]

05:54 PM on 02/27/2012

Let the Afghans burn a few bibles and hear what the republicans presidential candidates and others on the right would be saying.

[resquedog]

07:55 PM on 02/27/2012

They wouldn't be saying anything if terrorists were using the bibles to send coded inscriptions to one another as was being done with the Qarans. Look, do you have any idea how many Bibles have been carried by those in the American military as we have fought major wars to defend your homeland so you and your children can live in safety and peace? Furthermore, I don't want to tell you the things that have been done to Bibles in America. I'm not going to offend Christians by elaborating. Suffice it to say, burning the Bibles would be a welcome alternative to the filthy desecrating things that have been done to Bibles. Don't you forget now, the Christians who fought shoulder to shoulder with non Christian military people in the major American wars carried BIBLES, they did NOT carry Qarans! ! ! That's an important point to remember Janice

[janicedow1]

10:56 PM on 02/27/2012

I am merely saying that those condemning Obama for apologizing for the Koran burning, would be the first to demand apologies (or worse) if the Afghans were burning bibles. And when it comes to desecration and slaughter, the Christians have done a pretty good job of that during the ages. Crusades, Inquisitions, persecution of Jews. etc. Carrying a bible doesn't necessarily equate to being right or righteous.

[janicedow1]

05:52 PM on 02/27/2012

The reason this is still an issue is because the crazy extremists in Afghanistan, and the crazy extremists in America, want to keep it an issue.

[finitz]

05:23 PM on 02/27/2012

By the time March rolls in....Few people will remember that this was a headline....

[jtthomas240]

04:27 PM on 02/27/2012

"During a Sunday appearance on ABC News, Santorum said that Obama should not have apologized for the holy book destruction because the U.S. military had only accidentally burned Qurans."

apol·o·gy : noun : an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret.

So, wouldn't the accidental burning of a religion's holy book fall directly under the category of "error or discourtesy"? Geez, you'd think these Republicans didn't know how to express human emotions like sorrow, regret, joy, or love.