Thus far, six lives of US and/or NATO personnel have been unnecessarily snuffed out because of the accidental burning of copies of the Koran, Islam's sacred scripture. Additionally, 30 Afghans have also died as a result of the post-burning violence.
First of all, why would President Barack Obama and a large cast of descending senior US officials "apologize" for the accidental destruction of an undisclosed number of copies of the Koran when there was no identifiable INTENT to do so?
Clearly, Marine General John R. Allen USMC and US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker should have spoken personally to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and expressed their sincere "regrets" for the incident, but a repetitive "apology" at all levels of the chain of command leading ultimately to the offices of President Barack Obama seem unwarranted when there was no intent on the part of the US to disrespect the holy book of Islam in any way.
Military investigators have concluded that five soldiers were involved in the accidental incineration of a number of copies of the Korans in Afghanistan last week, noting that the reason for the destruction was because the bound copies had been defaced with militant writings by incarcerated prisoners.
COMMENT: When one considers the large number of US and NATO forces who have been killed or injured at the hands of Afghan security forces in the last two years, it does give pause for one to question just how badly the Afghan government wants stability on its own ground.
Having worked throughout the Middle East during my career with the US Department of State, I find that the reaction to an accidental act in Afghanistan is a direct result of President Karzai and senior clerics' failure to exercise their leadership and end the protests and violence over an event that never should have escalated to this level.
Further, in the majority of countries in the Middle East, such an accidental event, even involving the Koran, would not become global news and turn a country upside down as it has in Afghanistan.
Nor has President Karzai shown any leadership at all in squashing calls from his own citizens to prosecute the five soldiers who were ordered to destroy "administrative documents." He continues to let this unrest continue unabated.
Understandably, it is fortunate that the US anticipated an excessive and irrational reaction to the burning, and removed the five soldiers from Afghanistan, so their safety could be ensured. Indeed, it was a huge error for President Obama to not only set a timetable for sending US ground troops home, but in not supporting field generals on the ground whose recommendations he failed to endorse.
Sadly, US wars often are unsuccessful and fail to fulfill their stated missions not because of the quality of our men and women in uniform, but because of politicians who adequately don't support American military leadership. Regrettably, after ten years in Afghanistan, the US may go home, as it did in Iraq, with leaving peace and stability just as elusive as it was at the onset.
First of all, why would President Barack Obama and a large cast of descending senior US officials "apologize" for the accidental destruction of an undisclosed number of copies of the Koran when there was no identifiable INTENT to do so?
Clearly, Marine General John R. Allen USMC and US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker should have spoken personally to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and expressed their sincere "regrets" for the incident, but a repetitive "apology" at all levels of the chain of command leading ultimately to the offices of President Barack Obama seem unwarranted when there was no intent on the part of the US to disrespect the holy book of Islam in any way.
Military investigators have concluded that five soldiers were involved in the accidental incineration of a number of copies of the Korans in Afghanistan last week, noting that the reason for the destruction was because the bound copies had been defaced with militant writings by incarcerated prisoners.
COMMENT: When one considers the large number of US and NATO forces who have been killed or injured at the hands of Afghan security forces in the last two years, it does give pause for one to question just how badly the Afghan government wants stability on its own ground.
Having worked throughout the Middle East during my career with the US Department of State, I find that the reaction to an accidental act in Afghanistan is a direct result of President Karzai and senior clerics' failure to exercise their leadership and end the protests and violence over an event that never should have escalated to this level.
Further, in the majority of countries in the Middle East, such an accidental event, even involving the Koran, would not become global news and turn a country upside down as it has in Afghanistan.
Nor has President Karzai shown any leadership at all in squashing calls from his own citizens to prosecute the five soldiers who were ordered to destroy "administrative documents." He continues to let this unrest continue unabated.
Understandably, it is fortunate that the US anticipated an excessive and irrational reaction to the burning, and removed the five soldiers from Afghanistan, so their safety could be ensured. Indeed, it was a huge error for President Obama to not only set a timetable for sending US ground troops home, but in not supporting field generals on the ground whose recommendations he failed to endorse.
Sadly, US wars often are unsuccessful and fail to fulfill their stated missions not because of the quality of our men and women in uniform, but because of politicians who adequately don't support American military leadership. Regrettably, after ten years in Afghanistan, the US may go home, as it did in Iraq, with leaving peace and stability just as elusive as it was at the onset.
