http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7407187.stm

US sniper shot at Koran in Iraq

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.

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Anyone else think this guy should be given a medal?

Anyone else think this guy should be given a medal?

Memberino

Its knuckleheads like this that get our troops suicide bombed..honkyjoe

yeah...i hope it cools down and we dont see mass protests-it up to the media if they don over inlfate this

P.S: LOVE your sig...brilliant

Fixed:

"Your values aren't my values" Gen Hammond said, according to CNN.

[QUOTE="honkyjoe"]Its knuckleheads like this that get our troops suicide bombed..kirk4ever

yeah...i hope it cools down and we dont see mass protests-it up to the media if they don over inlfate this

P.S: LOVE your sig...brilliant

Thanks man..Yours isnt half bad yourself..I love Metallica

Anyone else think this guy should be given a medal?

Memberino

No

They sent the guy home for that? What the hell?Conanfan1

yea shooting someones religious beliefs is not a big deal :roll: .

That's stupid. "Jesus christ guys, he shot a book! Get him out of there!!!"monkeytoes61

says man who was offended my WW2 soldiers lifting a tree :lol: .

wait so no one complains when muslims burn american and israili flags, but when you shoot there book, OOHHH no thats crossed the linelegend26

[QUOTE="monkeytoes61"]That's stupid. "Jesus christ guys, he shot a book! Get him out of there!!!"dominer

says man who was offended my WW2 soldiers lifting a tree :lol: .

wait so no one complains when muslims burn american and israili flags, but when you shoot there book, OOHHH no thats crossed the linelegend26

where have you been?people complain about that all the time.

and someones sacred beliefs is more important then a nationality

[QUOTE="dominer"]

[QUOTE="monkeytoes61"]That's stupid. "Jesus christ guys, he shot a book! Get him out of there!!!"monkeytoes61

says man who was offended my WW2 soldiers lifting a tree :lol: .

both my parents served in the military, and my mom's dad died in WW1, so I know

btw I have keen memory

[QUOTE="dominer"]

[QUOTE="monkeytoes61"]That's stupid. "Jesus christ guys, he shot a book! Get him out of there!!!"monkeytoes61

says man who was offended my WW2 soldiers lifting a tree :lol: .

You are obviously to Ignorant to realize what the Koran means to the Muslim People. They are willing to die by the book. it would be like shooting the Pope

US sniper shot at Koran in Iraq

The US military said the soldier's actions were an isolated incident

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.

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Anyone else think this guy should be given a medal?

Memberino

the guy who apologized? Yes he should get a metal; he handled the issue very well; in a situation like that, all you can do is apologize. I also like how the local leader kept it cool and accepted the apology.

Its a shame we live in a world where apologies are more admissions of responsibility than good manners, and this guy proved that this does not have to be the case.

As for the sniper, I hope he doesnt get too severe of a punishment; it is, after all, just a book. Not like he shot a kid or a camel, you know.

I am very proud of my military today.

[QUOTE="dominer"]

[QUOTE="monkeytoes61"]That's stupid. "Jesus christ guys, he shot a book! Get him out of there!!!"monkeytoes61

says man who was offended my WW2 soldiers lifting a tree :lol: .

And you can't make the connection that people over there would be very offended by this? Shooting a book that represents your religion is a lot worse than a photoshop of soldiers lifting a tree.

It shouldn't be a big deal at all. In the US people will buy Bibles and burn them for fun(probably shoot them too). In China they will destroy just about any religious book.........

This if the first step on a long a painful road to a miserable military defeat. Yes lets send our valuable snipers home because he used the filthy text of Islam as target practice. It's even more troubling because Muslims can burn bibles and flags freely without consequence because they're a minority or because everyone is too liberal to respond. Why not nuke all those desert **** holes and bring all the soldiers back home.Bigg_Boi

now I see why people hate America...

This if the first step on a long a painful road to a miserable military defeat. Yes lets send our valuable snipers home because he used the filthy text of Islam as target practice. It's even more troubling because Muslims can burn bibles and flags freely without consequence because they're a minority or because everyone is too liberal to respond. Bigg_Boi

I got rid of the last sentence....:|

So I could agree with u.

It shouldn't be a big deal at all. In the US people will buy Bibles and burn them for fun(probably shoot them too). In China they will destroy just about any religious book.........

the1stfandb

how many of them are soldiers on duty?

This if the first step on a long a painful road to a miserable military defeat. Yes lets send our valuable snipers home because he used the filthy text of Islam as target practice. It's even more troubling because Muslims can burn bibles and flags freely without consequence because they're a minority or because everyone is too liberal to respond. Why not nuke all those desert **** holes and bring all the soldiers back home.Bigg_Boi

Wat?

[QUOTE="Bigg_Boi"]This if the first step on a long a painful road to a miserable military defeat. Yes lets send our valuable snipers home because he used the filthy text of Islam as target practice. It's even more troubling because Muslims can burn bibles and flags freely without consequence because they're a minority or because everyone is too liberal to respond. Why not nuke all those desert **** holes and bring all the soldiers back home.dominer

now I see why people hate America...

*makes note to self* Gets sent home for shooting a book? Wow. What about all those people that burn American Flags in Iraq? Why aren't they shot? We get in trouble for shooting at their stuff, they should get in trouble for disrespecting our stuff as well.Grodus5

I think getting shot is on a different level than getting sent home.

*sigh*

Kinda said when people get so offended over a dam book.

Does it effect your belief? No. Does it effect your life at all? No. Then who cares.

The jerk only gets to them because they let him get to them.

[QUOTE="Grodus5"]*makes note to self* Gets sent home for shooting a book? Wow. What about all those people that burn American Flags in Iraq? Why aren't they shot? We get in trouble for shooting at their stuff, they should get in trouble for disrespecting our stuff as well.thriteenthmonke

I think getting shot is on a different level than getting sent home.

To the people who say it doesn't matter, then you shouldn't mind extremists burning american flags or bibles, am I correct?Mochyc

I mind for everything;)

I wouldn't make them.....................................leave?:?

Just tell em to stop. Its not that it doesn't matter its that they made such a big deal out of it.

[QUOTE="Mochyc"]To the people who say it doesn't matter, then you shouldn't mind extremists burning american flags or bibles, am I correct?the1stfandb

I mind for everything;)

I wouldn't make them.....................................leave?:?

Just tell em to stop. Its not that it doesn't matter its that they made such a big deal out of it.

I'm sorry, but people make a HUGE deal about extremists burning flags, it's really quite disrespectful. You're disrespecting the same people you're trying to save, not to mention things haven't been going great in Iraq anyways. By doing so, you're making the image of americans worse than it already it.

To the people who say it doesn't matter, then you shouldn't mind extremists burning american flags or bibles, am I correct?Mochyc

If they feel better because they burned an American flag then let them. Ok that's great, nothing in the world is different now and they just wasted their time (and money) burning some cloth. I am not going to stop them from living in a world of hate and anger.

I have no idea why you guys are down playing it to make it sound like no big deal. It's a huge deal, and an embressment to the US army. Imagine one of our soliders using the US flag for target practice. That's excactly what it's like to Muslims.Master_Jdog

Why would someone, who disagrees with a nation so much he wants to shoot their flag, join that nation's army?

It's not that he shot "a book". If it were Emily Post's 25th Edition of Etiquette it wouldn't be a big deal. . . It's what the "book" represents to the people of that religion, and shooting it was wrong.

There would be an uproar in the U.S. if somebody they were at war against shot The Bible, because that is the religion of the majority of that country. It's exactly the same situation, and disciplining him is the right thing to do.

Who cares?DrSponge

People make me lose faith in the future.

So they can burn our bibles by the hundreds and kill those who read it and we cant shoot 1 of theres and draw a penis on the inside cover. How Retarded is that?Star_Wars117

[QUOTE="Memberino"]

Anyone else think this guy should be given a medal?

Mr_sprinkles

Looks like Memberino is a bit of a die hard Republican.