NationStates Jolt Archive

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.

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

Not exactly the right way to go about making friends with your Muslim hosts.

What a dick. Sounds like it hasn't caused too much long-term damage, luckily. Really doesn't require much common-sense to realise that isn't something you should be doing :rolleyes: Way to give ammunition to the insurgents (no pun intended)

Take that literature!

But seriously, even if that is extremely offensive, how can they send him home for that?

Then again, I'm not up to date on military law.

Belive it or not, I beleive that the imediate decisive actions and show of respect is how to win hearts and minds and that General Hammend handled the situation admirably.

Click Stand;13701189']Take that literature!

But seriously, even if that is extremely offensive, how can they send him home for that?

Then again, I'm not up to date on military law.

Well, the thing is that the Koran is much more than just a book to Muslims. So his stupidity could have started a riot and put forces in danger. Someone that unable to think of the consequences of their actions really shouldn't be given a weapon.

Edit: As everyone has been saying, well done to those higher up the command chain for defusing the situation

Full house points to the US for responding so perfectly. It costs nothing to show respect and the soldier deserves to be well and truly punished including dishonourable discharge.

Belive it or not, I beleive that the imediate decisive actions and show of respect is how to win hearts and minds and that General Hammend handled the situation admirably.

The reaction of the military authorities was spot on. The soldier should never have put them in that position, however.

well thats the US army for you :cool:

I'd say this will be ignored by even the insurgency and their jibba jabba about X-ray sunglasses

Cool, there's a way for soldiers to get out of that illegal war!

No need to send him/her home for that, but I guess the military are to busy trying to lick the arses of Muslims to care.

Cool, there's a way for soldiers to get out of that illegal war!

Good, because pretending to be gay is much harder than shooting a Koran.

They could have just given some insurgents a copy of the Bible and told them to do the same thing. After all, eye for an eye, right? ;)

No need to send him/her home for that, but I guess the military are to busy trying to lick the arses of Muslims to care.

Looking to avoid the impression that we are engaged in a holy war = licking arse? Okay.

Cool, there's a way for soldiers to get out of that illegal war!

I had no idea that it was 2003 :confused:

I guess the military are to busy trying to lick the arses of Muslims to care.

and they wonder why there is an insurgency

Click Stand;13701189']Take that literature!

But seriously, even if that is extremely offensive, how can they send him home for that?

Then again, I'm not up to date on military law.

Criminal idiocy?

Seriously, if he was acting as a private citizen at home I'd be the first to defend his right to damage, destroy, defile, desecrate etc. the Qur'an, or any other book for that matter (while simultaneously calling him an idiot), but he's a soldier in a Muslim country which is already suspicious of US intentions and he's just handed a ready made piece of propaganda to the insurgency.

He should have been given a dishonourable discharge in my opinion.

He should have been given a dishonourable discharge in my opinion.

dishonourable discharge is for serious offenses, being a stupid kid is not

He should have been given a dishonourable discharge in my opinion.

No. A dishonourable discharge is far more impacting than you--or quite a number of other people, in fact--realize. It would ruin his life because it would literally make it almost impossible for him to get jobs elsewhere, do other things, ect. That's not the sort of thing you hang over a person for being an idiot.

He does, however, deserve a serious stern lecture, and perhaps some other minor punishments.

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

Not exactly the right way to go about making friends with your Muslim hosts.

Idiocy at it´s best. When in France, do as the French. When in Iraq or in an Arab country, do as the Arabs and respect the customs.

One good thing came out of this, though. The soldier got to come home and was taken out of the war zone. That ought to count for something.:p

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

Not exactly the right way to go about making friends with your Muslim hosts.

Sweet! I know what I'm doing if I get drafted :D