Petraeus Warns Against Church's Koran Burning

**djones520** · 09-07-2010, 08:11 AM

A Florida church's plan to burn Korans on Sept. 11 isn't doing the troops in Afghanistan any favors, Gen. David Petraeus said Monday.

Hundreds of Afghans protested Monday in Kabul over the decision by the Gainesville, Fla.-based Dove World Outreach Center to burn copies of what Muslims consider the word of God.

Petraeus said he's concerned that the protests could spread across the country.

"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort in Afghanistan. It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community," Petraeus said in a statement provided to Fox News.

Though Dove World Outreach Center has been denied a permit to hold a bonfire, the Koran burning is still scheduled to proceed on Saturday. The burning -- set to mark nine years since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- follows a campaign last year in which the church distributed T-shirts that said "Islam is of the Devil."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...koran-burning/

He's absolutely right. We're in the middle of a massive COIN operation in Afghanistan. We're trying to win the hearts of the Afghani people, and this church is giving the Taliban and Al Queada more recruiting ammunition.

We all understand they have the right to do this, no one is arguing that point. But just because you have the right, doesn't mean it is right. Wait... haven't I heard that before regarding something in New York?

This event will put our troops in more harm. It works against our efforts in Afghanistan. The leaders of this church are acting incredibly stupid. They're putting their useless symbolic gesture over the lives of Americans.

**Jfor** · 09-07-2010, 09:21 AM

Anything we do gives them a reason.

**PoliCon** · 09-07-2010, 09:35 AM

It's clearly a politican and a publicity stunt.

**FlaGator** · 09-07-2010, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by djones520

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...koran-burning/

He's absolutely right. We're in the middle of a massive COIN operation in Afghanistan. We're trying to win the hearts of the Afghani people, and this church is giving the Taliban and Al Queada more recruiting ammunition.

We all understand they have the right to do this, no one is arguing that point. But just because you have the right, doesn't mean it is right. Wait... haven't I heard that before regarding something in New York?

This event will put our troops in more harm. It works against our efforts in Afghanistan. The leaders of this church are acting incredibly stupid. They're putting their useless symbolic gesture over the lives of Americans.

All you say is true, but isn't one of the points of our military is to defend the right for groups like this to take just such actions? I think that what they are doing is wrong from a social and Christian point of view, yet our laws give them every right to do what they are doing.

**djones520** · 09-07-2010, 10:10 AM

As I said, no one is questining their right to do this.

What is being questioned is if it is right. At what point do these people say that this is more important then the potential damage it could cause?

**Jfor** · 09-07-2010, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by djones520

As I said, no one is questining their right to do this.

What is being questioned is if it is right. At what point do these people say that this is more important then the potential damage it could cause?

So what you are saying is ALL Americans should just kill themselves because by us being alive, it gives the muslims reason to want to harm us and our troops?

**djones520** · 09-07-2010, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by Jfor

So what you are saying is ALL Americans should just kill themselves because by us being alive, it gives the muslims reason to want to harm us and our troops?

And such a simplistic view of Islam isn't doing anyone any good either.

I'm in a country that's 80% Muslim, and they love us.

**FlaGator** · 09-07-2010, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by djones520

As I said, no one is questining their right to do this.

What is being questioned is if it is right. At what point do these people say that this is more important then the potential damage it could cause?

My step son (or soon to be step son) is deployed in Heider Iraq so I am worried about him and the actions that may be directed his way because of this church. That being said, at what point to you curtail your own personal freedoms for the sake of not offending your enemy? Shouldn't our troops become equally as fired up towards the enemy because of restraint being asked of the people who they defend?

What we seem to be saying is that we should bend over backwards to placate the enemy instead of telling the enemy that we are Americans, these are our freedoms and we will kill you if you attempt to suppress what we see as our God given rights.

Are they afraid of offending Americans when they cut of the heads of people who are only guilty of not being Muslim? Do they worry about the safety of those who are in an unsafe environment to begin with?

To me the question is really why don't they fear our response to their actions? If some church thousands of miles away burns some of their holy books shouldn't the enemy fear to take the life of one soldier because of the response they know will come?

**djones520** · 09-07-2010, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by FlaGator

My step son (or soon to be step son) is deployed in Heider Iraq so I am worried about him and the actions that may be directed his way because of this church. That being said, at what point to you curtail your own personal freedoms for the sake of not offending your enemy? Shouldn't our troops become equally as fired up towards the enemy because of restraint being asked of the people who they defend?

What we seem to be saying is that we should bend over backwards to placate the enemy instead of telling the enemy that we are Americans, these are our freedoms and we will kill you if you attempt to suppress what we see as our God given rights.

Are they afraid of offending Americans when they cut of the heads of people who are only guilty of not being Muslim? Do they worry about the safety of those who are in an unsafe environment to begin with?

To me the question is really why don't they fear our response to their actions? If some church thousands of miles away burns some of their holy books shouldn't the enemy fear to take the life of one soldier because of the response they know will come?

Bending over backward? You hold daily bonfires where you toast some marshmallows over a burning Koran?

I would think it would be obvious by now, but Muslims don't look at the Koran like you guys look at the Bible. To them it is an inviolate thing. To them desecration of it is something to go to war over. It is a part of their culture. Plain and simple. Whether or not we agree with that, it is how it is. From the time they are born, that is what they are taught. That is their life.

We are trying to make these people are friends. We are trying to show them America is not the evil asshole fuckwads that the Taliban and Al Qaeda are painting us as. What better way to show them that by committing one of the most horrible acts possible to their culture?

It is counter to the war effort. No one is asking you to bend over and wash their feet for them. No one is even asking you to respect them. What we are asking is that you not go out of your way to piss them the fuck off when we're doing everything we can to turn them against our enemies.

**linda22003** · 09-07-2010, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Jfor

So what you are saying is ALL Americans should just kill themselves because by us being alive, it gives the muslims reason to want to harm us and our troops?

No, just idiots like this Fred Phelps wanna-be in Florida and his cracker congregation.