http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/05/19/iraq.q'uran/index.html  (make sure you take the apostrophe sign out of the "q'uran" for the link to work properly since oga Seun's auto-change keeps messing up the link)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's most powerful Sunni Arab political party on Monday said a US. soldier's desecration of the Q'uran, the M'uslim holy book, requires the "severest of punishments," not just an apology and a military reassignment.

Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond apologizes after a US. soldier admitted using the Q'uran for target practice.

The Iraqi I'slamic Party, the movement of Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, condemned what it said was a "blatant assault on the sanctities of M'uslims all over the world."

An American staff sergeant who was a sniper section leader used a Q'uran for target practice on May 9.

The US. commander in Baghdad on Saturday issued a formal apology and read a letter of apology from the shooter.

The sergeant has been relieved of duty as a section leader "with prejudice," officially reprimanded by his commanding general, dismissed from his regiment and redeployed -- reassigned to the United States.
But the Iraqi I'slamic Party -- which said it reacted to the news "with deep resentment and indignation" -- wants the "severest of punishments" for the action to serve as a lesson for the future.

"Such assaults have recurred over the past few years; therefore, the apology alone is no longer sufficient," the party said in a statement. "The US. military should take preventative measures considering the feelings of M'uslims."

The statement added, "The Iraqi I'slamic Party demands the US. administration deal firmly with these violations. We also demand our government take an appropriate stance (or position) towards the enormity of the humiliation."

A tribal leader said "the criminal act by US. forces" took place at a shooting range at the Radhwaniya police station on Baghdad's western outskirts. After the shooters left, an Iraqi policeman found a target marked in the middle of the bullet-riddled The Great Book.

Copies of the pictures of the The Great Book obtained by CNN show multiple bullet holes and an expletive scrawled on one of its pages.

On Saturday, Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commander of US. forces in Baghdad, appeared at an apology ceremony flanked by leaders from Radhwaniya.  Watch Hammond issue an apology »

"I come before you here seeking your forgiveness," Hammond said to tribal leaders and others gathered. "In the most humble manner, I look in your eyes today, and I say please forgive me and my soldiers."

Another military official kissed a The Great Book and presented it as "a humble gift" to the tribal leaders."


What do you think should happen to this soldier?

NOTHING should happen to him. these guys need to get their heads out of their behinds - why should shooting at an ordinary book cause so much ruckus?

Musulumis really need to realise there are more important things in the world than their 'Holy Book'. Why don't they protest about the Q'urans that get blown up by suicide bombers and all? Or is shooting at the Q'uran wrong while blowing it to bits allowed?

what about printing presses that shred the ink stained copies with errors
should they also be punished.
These folks really amaze me
How about Iraquis and Mooslims that burn American flags, what shall we do to them?
If this had been the Bible,will any Christian be asking for a head on the platter.

The earlier they get it that the K'oran is nothing but a book to any non Mooslims and that the buyer is not obliged to do ablutions before touching and doing whatever they will to it,the better.
Would I do same as the soldier,absolutely not
Does he deserve punishment,what for?
anyone is entitled to treat his personal property however he deems fit, including wipe his butt after a bowel movement.
If the book is his,he can do whatever he wants with it from jotting down grocery list to wrapping his lunch.
The shooting may be an extreme but does he deserve punishment?
Absolutely not!

debosky:

NOTHING should happen to him. these guys need to get their heads out of their behinds - why should shooting at an ordinary book cause so much ruckus?

Musulumis really need to realise there are more important things in the world than their 'Holy Book'. Why don't they protest about the Q'urans that get blown up by suicide bombers and all? Or is shooting at the Q'uran wrong while blowing it to bits allowed?

How can?
Even the sunnis that blow up Shittes plus their K'orans while bowing to pray is insignificant
but if the bomber happens to be an "infidel",they unite overnight to behead him.

sheniqua:

what about printing presses that shred the ink stained copies with errors
should they also be punished.
These folks really amaze me
How about Iraquis and Mooslims that burn American flags, what shall we do to them?
If this had been the Bible,will any Christian be asking for a head on the platter.

The earlier they get it that the K'oran is nothing but a book to any non Mooslims and that the buyer is not obliged to do ablutions before touching and doing whatever they will to it,the better.
Would I do same as the soldier,absolutely not
Does he deserve punishment,what for?
anyone is entitled to treat his personal property however he deems fit, including wipe his butt after a bowel movement.
If the book is his,he can do whatever he wants with it from jotting down grocery list to wrapping his lunch.
The shooting may be an extreme but does he deserve punishment?
Absolutely not!

Well said n I agree. But the Military already dismissed the guy, and issued an apology including "Another military official kissed a The Q'oran and presented it as "a humble gift" to the tribal leaders." The U.S. army gave in to these people instead of standing behind their soldier who risked his life to serve his country.

It's funny one of the tribal leaders called it a "criminal act by US. forces" they probably will not rest until the soldier is beheaded or something

debosky:

NOTHING should happen to him. these guys need to get their heads out of their behinds - why should shooting at an ordinary book cause so much ruckus?

Musulumis really need to realise there are more important things in the world than their 'Holy Book'. Why don't they protest about the Q'urans that get blown up by suicide bombers and all? Or is shooting at the Q'uran wrong while blowing it to bits allowed?

hmm me sef I would like to know the answer to that question.

Isn't this a typical example of making a mountain out of a mole hill? I am highly disappointed in the action of the US army. . . 'punishing' the soldier for what? I wouldn't wipe my ass with no holy book, neither will I encourage anyone to do so but in the freaking end, it's just a book, no plus. . . no minus. Did someone say 'crime'? C'mon!!!!! mozlim fanatics really need to sit down and accept the simple fact that the world does not revolve around them. The sooner they do this, the less chance of catching cardiac arrest over inconsequential incidents or blowing themselves apart only to meet (to their greatest shock) 72 homosexual virgins.

I wonder what the severe punishment they want to mete out on the man is.

savanaha:

I wonder what the severe punishment they want to mete out on the man is.

probably beheading

But why should he use the holy book for shooting practise, does it mean that the US army don't have equipments for training again?
We all know they don't joke with that their coran but we keep on looking for their problem.

I swear the muslims love death. I cant stand the bad middle eastern. Not all of them, the bad ones.

SeanT21:

I swear the great ones love death. I can't stand the bad middle eastern. Not all of them, the bad ones.

Might as well have said you like the good ones because the bad ones are a plenty.

Smart soldier, what a great way to get relief to go home for PTSD.

You see, when he looked at the book he really saw a dangerous Iraqi attacker coming towards him fast and furiously, so he shot him it.

The psychiatric management of that condition includes rest, therapy/counselling, and sometimes medications in that order.

naijaking1:

Smart soldier, what a great way to get relief to go home for PTSD.

You see, when he looked at the book he really saw a dangerous Iraqi attacker coming towards him fast and furiously, so he shot him it.

The psychiatric management of that condition includes rest, therapy/counselling, and sometimes medications in that order.

Haha. I was laughing when they said it had happened before. What better way to get relief to go home?

naijaking1:

Smart soldier, what a great way to get relief to go home for PTSD.

You see, when he looked at the book he really saw a dangerous Iraqi attacker coming towards him fast and furiously, so he shot him it.

The psychiatric management of that condition includes rest, therapy/counselling, and sometimes medications in that order.

entirely possible.

savanaha:

Haha. I was laughing when they said it had happened before. What better way to get relief to go home?

exactly.


some people are so unreasonable. I read a biography where a mus'lim woman in one of those Taliban countries went out clutching a ko'ran, but not wearing a full burkha. Some Taliban jumped her and beat her to within an inch of her life, ignoring the ko'ran which had fallen to the ground in the meantime. Even though the woman was trying to tell them the book was in the dirt. She was lucky they didnt kill her that day.

how about the Nigerian truck driver that accidentally ran over a Ko'ran
They dragged him out and beat him to death.
The people think with their butts

sheniqua:

how about the Nigerian truck driver that accidentally [b]ran over a Ko'ran[/b]
They dragged him out and beat him to death.
The people think with their butts

I heard about that. They quickly wanted to kill him because he ^{was Igbo} ran over the Qu' rahn. What the hell was the Qo ran doing in the road anyways?

sheniqua:

how about the Nigerian truck driver that accidentally ran over a Ko'ran
They dragged him out and beat him to death.
The people think with their butts

Baby O', you know that the naija interpretation of quoranic descretion involves illitracy, misinformation and raw tribal hatred in addition to whatever religious interpretation must have been prevelant.

what about printing presses that shred the ink stained copies with errors
should they also be punished.

word, well thought out.

im a christian but i think its absolutely wrong for the soldier to dissrespect other people's religion
if a soldier goes to a place where sango is worshipped,he/she should respect it and not shoot at it,the mere thought process from getting the quran to shooting at it shows he planned it to cause the most offence to these people's religion,especially when u know that book is the corner stone to their religion and which they hold really dear,after we ll say muslims are violent, if a guy did that to the bible ill take a great offence.
for ppl saying its no biggie,when jerry springer showed his jesus opera in the london theatre,they had about 50,000 complaints in a couple of days and mostly white ppl even though they dont go to church protested for days

if a guy did that to the bible ill take a great offence

Are u the custodian of the bible? my man what God wants is for You to cast yourself free from sin  and not for You to be the protector of a book,  The bible is a book that contains Gods message to u,  the Information in it is whats divine and not the ink and paper.

lucabrasi:

im a christian but i think its absolutely wrong for the soldier to dissrespect other people's religion
if a soldier goes to a place where sango is worshipped,he/she should respect it and not shoot at it,the mere thought process from getting the the great book to shooting at it shows he planned it to cause the most offence to these people's religion,especially when u know that book is the corner stone to their religion and which they hold really dear,after we ll say great ones are violent, if a guy did that to the bible ill take a great offence.
for people saying its no biggie,when jerry springer showed his jesus opera in the london theatre,they had about 50,000 complaints in a couple of days and mostly white people even though they don't go to church protested for days

No one has come forward claiming it's right. What people are condemning is the idea of 'severe punishment'.

As a Christian, you ought to know that God has commanded us to let Him fight His battles. vengeance is his. So yes, you have a right to be offended, but to actually harm the perpetrator? Or call for 'Severe punishment'?

The Soldier is held to the highest standard by the UCMJ, nums and values. He knew and very well recognized that his action was bound to start a spark if noticed. Considering that the Iraqi's are what fall short of fanatics when it comes to their religions, he should never have done it. The freedom enjoyed by the common citizen is not what is enjoyed my any Military personnel. His punishment might have been to harsh, but it comes with being a Soldier.

LASIEFAIRE:

The Soldier is held to the highest standard by the UCMJ, nums and values. He knew and very well recognized that his action was bound to start a spark if noticed. Considering that the Iraqi's are what fall short of fanatics when it comes to their religions, he should never have done it. The freedom enjoyed by the common citizen is not what is enjoyed my any Military personnel. His punishment might have been to harsh, but it comes with being a Soldier.

my brotha there are very few things the western world does that does not incur the wrath and anger of these people. Perhaps for the sake of peace the soldier should not have done it, but for military to pull him out and send him home was too harsh. After he had gone to Iraq to fight for his country, risking his life, this is how he gets thanked? The punishment exceeds the "crime" by far.

idupaul:

Are u the custodian of the bible? my man what God wants is for You to cast yourself free from sin and not for You to be the protector of a book, The bible is a book that contains Gods message to u, the Information in it is whats divine and not the ink and paper.

i dont have to be a custodian of the bible to take offence when an individual goes out of his way to take offence,let me ask you a question, if you used a pen to writte squiggles on an american passport even though u didnt deface the photo page or u stamed on it and put it through the mud will it be accepted at the american port of entry?its the same rationale

texazzpete:

No one has come forward claiming it's right. What people are condemning is the idea of 'severe punishment'.

As a Christian, you ought to know that God has commanded us to let Him fight His battles. vengeance is his. So yes, you have a right to be offended, but to actually harm the perpetrator? Or call for 'Severe punishment'?

what is the severe punishment,that he was sent back home for something he intentionally did knowing the outcome, was he castrated or was he beheaded?the fact remains that when you are in rome you should do as the romans do,and when u are sent to another country then you should respect their cultures.so many things i find silly in this country but i dont kick off because i have to respect their laws and cultures no matter how peculiar i find it, yes GOD did say he ll fight his battles doent meant that if a pastor saw you pointing an ak47 or throw a grenade at him he ll wait for GOD to fight for his battles because he is faithful to him, even in the bible many of the biblical prophets and kings who were faithful to GOD used common sense

The American Soldier knows it is wrong to mess with a persons religion be it Christianity, Budhism, Judaism or The Great Religion.

Why take an action that is it clear will jeopardize your future at work?

It is simple, I am the Messenger of God Almighty and I know that if I burn or pee on a bible the followers of Christ will be displeased. Why go ahead to complicate situations?

It is simple the guy was out of line and it called for a capital punishment.

As for the Iraqi's and the Followers of God Amighty (Muslimin) all over the world, they are showing how they handle their religion and proving that they won't acknowledge any body out to taunt their religion.

If you're of any other religion, your own opinion may differ due to the teachings of the god you follow. But by using an average mans mentality and putting God aside, we all know that his actions were totally out of  order.

If the guy remains in Iraq, he may not live to see today.

How are you sure that he is trully been punished for his actions?

We know as he knew that, what is wrong is wrong.

Lets just be careful when it comes to religious matters.


_{Abdulrahman Ibn Ismail}

@nazzyon
Capital punishment, eh?

What ?

nazzyon:

The American Soldier knows it is wrong to mess with a persons religion be it Christianity, Budhism, Judaism or The Great Religion.

Why take an action that is it clear will jeopardize your future at work?

It is simple, I am the Messenger of God Almighty and I know that if I burn or pee on a bible the followers of Christ will be displeased. Why go ahead to complicate situations?

yes I will be offended but will not call for "severest of punishment"

It is simple the guy was out of line and it called for a capital punishment.

are you saying he should be killed?

As for the Iraqi's and the Followers of God Amighty (Muslimin) all over the world, they are showing how they handle their religion and proving that they won't acknowledge any body out to taunt their religion.

So you're saying everyyone must "respect" and "acknowedge" their religion or else? Ever heard of freedom of speech and religion?

If the guy remains in Iraq, he may not live to see today.

again are you saying the soldier deserves to be killed for that?
*shaking my head*

I am a muslim. Islam preaches peace. It is very annoying to see people attacking you or treating you as a common illiterate just because you are a muslim. The soldier has done bad but, I think nothing can be offered more than the apologies. (Even I don't think dismissing the soldier is also a good move by the US).
Seriously speaking, we all know that the Middle-East people are violent (correct me if there is a better word to use) just as the Northerners (Hausas) in Nigeria but, some people still mess with them and their believes and expect them not to react. When they react they say that the Muslims are back again. If we are to address the truth, during all these killings in the Northern part of Nigeria we all know that not Christians are being killed but NON-NOTHERNERS (be it Mislim or Christian).

Back to the soldier issue, I think he should be recalled back to the US army, personally apologise (under security or through a recording) and the Offended should let him be and leave him to be dealt with by the Almighty God. I _{will never support killing to correct mistakes}

The soldier wasnt dismissed, he was merely reassigned