US Removes Soldier From Iraq After He Defaces Quran

A U.S. Army soldier was removed from Iraq after he shot a Quran full of bullets and marked it with graffiti, the U.S. military announced Sunday.

U.S. military officials, fearing a backlash as a result of the desecration moved quickly to resolve the case after Iraqi police found the desecrated book May 11 at a shooting range in the predominantly Sunni Muslim area of Radwaniya in western Baghdad.

They briefed tribal leaders on their investigation and expressed regret for the damage to the Quran, the Islamic holy book.

So far, there has been no public outcry over the desecration.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Badwater]

Bush besmirches Christianity by pretending to be a Christian.

[SaraPulis]

It's just a book, already. Can he just shoot a Bible and call it even? Maybe we can send a Quran to each soldier we have stationed over there and get them all out of Iraq.

[Ammobob]

Obama"s style of being all things to all people threatens to melt under the inescapable spotlight of a national campaign against a Republican. It"s like what brings on the downfall of really successful con artists: They get themselves onto a stage that"s so big that they can"t hide their contradictions anymore, and everyone finds out about the different stories they"ve told different people.

The GOP has apparently amassed 1,000 pages of opposition research on the opponent. The odds are slim that Obama, should he be nominated, will not have to face his contradictions, falsehoods and alarming displays of ignorance on Iraq during the general election campaign.

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/obamas-iraq-minefield/

[tinarm]

Some of you are letting your stupidity show. Can you imagine here in the u.s. if someone took a bible out, and shot the crap out of it? To the Iraqi people it is the same feeling dumb butts. As a christian I find it totally offensive that anyone would deface a religious book of any kind. No wonder so many people hate us around the world. Oh, and by the way, americans need to remember there are people all over the world that read the quaran, not just in Iraq.

[DFDoerr]

Just say it was "art".
Case closed.

[Peddler]

So sad that he wasted his ammuniton on a book..........it should have cross-haired another target.

[donttasemebro]

And to think Klinger tried to get out on a section 8.

[MajorKong]

That's all it takes to get sent home is shooting a Quran? Why didn't I think of that?

[thirteen13]

There's plenty more out there. Didn't Hitler's regime round up and destroy books.

POWERFUL THINGS BOOKS

[Jason357]

Maybe he can bring the other 139,999, more or less, US troops with him.

[Jonahson]

The people of the Muslim faith take their religion very seriously. To them, Islam is a way of life. A vast majority of them do not condone violence like those shown by Al Qaeda. The gap in terms of religion tolerance, understanding, customs and respect towards their elders between East and West, despite the advance in modern day communication technology, did not bridge as exspected. Soldiers before going on tour duties are brief on what to do and what not to do in Iraq, such action by this lone soldier could have further incensed muslims anger towards US soldiers. He could have caused further death to his collegues and make their work more difficult. I advice this matter be treated as an individual act, apologise and close all posting regarding this matter so as not to aggravate this situtation. It is not matter of freedom of action or speech but insensitive comments wll endanger lives of the soldiers there.
Even in US you don't see people of different faiths doing that to each other.

[Jeff1958]

Jonahson wrote, "Even in US you don't see people of different faiths doing that to each other."

Ever seen a Jewish cemetary with swastikas spraypainted and tombstones toppled? How about black churches torched? Damage to mosques? Yes, right here in the good ole US of A.

[DFDoerr]

Big deal.
How many Maplethorpe inspired Islamic shires are there?

[shades3]

If Middle Easterners desecrated a Bible by putting graffitti on it and shooting it full of holes, it would become an international incident.
But, they have not.
Desecrating a Quoran is the same thing.
DFDoerr obviously knows nothing about international culture or the nuances of any foreign religion.
This is the kind of ignorance that will guarantee that there will never be global peaceful coexistance.
Ignorance. It is the real tragedy.

[Faux]

"If Middle Easterners desecrated a Bible by putting graffitti on it and shooting it full of holes, it would become an international incident."

I guess it made the news...not really an incident, mind you.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/285123/christians_in_gaza_fear_for_their_lives.html

[riverhouse]

This event isn't appropriate for jokes, you know. It's a highly inflammatory action and America should be ashamed of any soldier's action that reflects poorly on our country. Behavior like this is despicable and simply adds to the rage against our military which adds to their danger.

[CocteausTwin]

I'd say it is just a book like the bible, but the soldiers actions displays so much disrespect it barely believable.

[gonavy]

Gosh, I guess that Freedom of Expression thing is just not catching on in Iraq.

[newworldman777]

Would you be offended if the Iraqi military took over America and occupied your country, your state, your town, and your street, freely kicking in your door at will, and shooting holes in the Bible (assuming that you are of the Christian faith)? Hell, we have Christian zealots here who are offended when our own citizens desecrate the Bible.

What we need is a little more common sense to be shown toward this entire American occupation fiasco. Well, of course the American Christians would be offended if the shoe were on the other foot. Additionally. our "freedom of expression" stops at our own borders. If the Iraqis want to exercize "freedom of expression," then let them shoot up the Quran (like that is going to happen).

[Manni]

and yet, you would support the burning of the flag!

[amanda85]

Gosh, I guess that Freedom of Expression thing is just not catching on in America.

http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/1999/10/02/dung/

[eugenegerard]

Well, now you know how to get out of the war zone without shooting yourself in the foot.

[dbdzen]

They hate our freedom.
That's why we're killing them over there so that they can't come and kill us over here at home.
We're taking the war to them.

Meanwhile we're fanning recruitment for Al Qaeda by defacing the holy book of Islam and making even the Saudis hate us. (i forgot they featured in a major way in 9/11)

[thirteen13]

Don't kid yourself, they are killing us at the gas pump. Every time you fill up, your dollars go flying to the middle east, you know, al Qaeda land.

By the way, al Qaeda's goal is to bring the USA to financial colapse. That is why they destroyed the World Trade Center. Almost eight years later, there is an empty hole at "ground zero".