The media feeding frenzy regarding an incident involving Qurans incinerated by U.S. forces in Afghanistan is leading to what one observer called an “exercise in political correctness.”
In a statement issued Tuesday morning, the top U.S. military officer said he had received a report overnight on the improper disposal of Islamic religious materials at Bagram and launched a formal investigation.
“When we learned of these actions, we immediately intervened and stopped them,” Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the International Security Assistance Force’s commanding officer, said. “The materials recovered will be properly handled by appropriate religious authorities.”
International Security Assistance Force officials are taking steps “to ensure this does not ever happen again,” Allen said. “I assure you — I promise you — this was NOT intentional in any way,” he added.
All United States military personnel will be required to complete a training program in order to learn about the proper handling of Islamic “religious books and holy items” within the next couple of weeks, Pentagon officials announced yesterday.
In addition, Gen. John R. Allen ordered that there be similar training for all coalition forces in Afghanistan to be completed by March 3, 2012.
The order comes in response to an incident Monday in which religious materials, including Qurans were identified for disposal. The Islamic materials were taken to a large industrial incinerator facility located at the Bagram Airfield, according to reports.
The incident will be fully investigated, said the Marine General during a press conference.
As is common practice with members of the Obama Administration, Allen proceeded to begin the process of apologizing, said a former Marine intelligence officer, Mike Snopes, who went on to say that he finds this affair “an exercise in political correctness.”
“No one is saying we should burn Qurans or other items deemed holy by Muslims. But let’s remember that while U.S. forces were careful in Iraq and Afghanistan not to bomb or damage mosques, Islamic fighters — terrorists or insurgents — often destroyed religious buildings and materials during their ‘scorched earth’ battle tactics,” said Snopes, also a former detective and security firm CEO.
Apologies Extended to Afghans
“On behalf of the entire International Security Assistance Force, I extend my sincerest apologies to the people of Afghanistan,” Allen said.
“To assist us in ensuring we have uncovered all the facts, I’ve also asked our partners from the Afghan Ministry of Interior to assist us with this investigation,” he added.
According to the Pentagon, the training will include the identification of religious materials, their significance, and correct handling and storage.
“Along with our apology to the Afghans, is our certainty and assurance to them that these kinds of incidents, when they do occur, will be corrected in the fastest and most appropriate manner possible,” Allen continued.
“We’ve been shoulder to shoulder with the Afghans for a long time. We’ve been dying alongside the Afghans for a long time because we believe in them, we believe in their country, and we want to have every opportunity to give them a bright future,” said General Allen.
Not to be outdone by General Allen’s quick response to the Quran burning incident, in a written statement, Panetta said that Gen. Allen had notified him of “the deeply unfortunate incident.”
“[I] apologize to the Afghan people and disapprove of such conduct in the strongest possible terms,” Panetta said. “These actions do not represent the views of the United States military. We honor and respect the religious practices of the Afghan people, without exception.”
But more than one person noted that Panetta’s statement was “overboard and unrealistic.”
“I couldn’t help but notice that Panetta’s apology included his saying that he honors religious practices of the Afghan people ‘without exception.’ Some of the religious practices in Afghanistan deserve neither honor or respect. Do we honor and respect stonings or hangings of Muslims who transgress?” asked a former police training advisor who requested anonymity.
The secretary added that he supports Allen’s “swift and decisive action” to investigate the matter jointly with the Afghan government. “I will carefully review the final results of the investigation to ensure that we take all steps necessary and appropriate so that this never happens again,” he said.
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