Gen. David Petraeus says the burning of Koran would ...

[her209]

That's what people were saying about the mosque.

Anyway, no the issue is not whether he should. Almost everyone agrees it's a waste of time to burn books. The question is whether a general should be jumping in and whether people take into consideration the threats of violent muslims.

What about the perceptions of Muslim allies working with US forces?

 

[Vonkhan]

That's what people were saying about the mosque.

Anyway, no the issue is not whether he should. Almost everyone agrees it's a waste of time to burn books. The question is whether a general should be jumping in and whether people take into consideration the threats of violent muslims.

You want the good General to keep mum on an issue that could impact his mission and the lives of his troops?

 

[Infohawk]

What about the perceptions of Muslim allies working with US forces?

Patraeus would be smart to mandate that his soldiers not insult their partners' religion and mandate that aid organizations there not push Christianity. I thought it was a good idea to take the CHristian references off of gun sites. That's the scope of his responsibility.

He should not worry about what happens on American soil, especially when it's a tiny group. He made a terrible decision to make a bigger deal about it then it already was.

An analogy: Americans say terrible things about French and Germans all the time. French and German soldiers are fighting along with Americans in Afghanistan. It's really irrelevant.

 

[Infohawk]

You want the good General to keep mum on an issue that could impact his mission and the lives of his troops?

Let's assume he shouldn't. Then what? We could force kids to stop being so fat so that next year's recruits are in better shape. We can make the mission succeed by having all of America convert to Islam. We could send them gold. We could stop all aid to Israel. All those have an affect on the lives of his troops but are not within his domain. American civilians are not his soldiers.

If he really cared about his soldiers lives he would tell Obama he resigns and declare to the media that US forces should withdraw.

 

[Jaskalas]

You want the good General to keep mum on an issue that could impact his mission and the lives of his troops?

Perhaps the true threat to the General's men is our presence in Muslim lands where his men are killing Muslims, and not free Americans exercising their very existence.

This is in retrospect to a world history full of military control over civilians and our modern usurping of that rule. Civilians are sensitive to military telling them what to do.

The good General has a simple choice to save the lives of his men. He can tell us to off our freedoms, or he can tell the President to off his orders and bring his men home.

Our freedoms, or his career. Which has the General put on the line to save his men, which does he value more?

 

[TheDoc9]

How did this stupid distraction even make it into the news?

This isn't an exercise in free speech it's an attempt to antagonize a group of people. Everyone is free to push a steroid using beefcake into the wall for no reason but that doesn't mean you do it.

These people blew up a couple of buildings a decade ago and in response we've basically leveled, and now occupy 3 dirty-ass third world countries! They aren't invading the U.S. we are invading their homeland on the other side of the globe - now some of us want to attack their religion!

Why don't we just fly over there and take a piss on some graves while we're at it, show them how great our free society really is.

 

[Fern]

Where are all the who are against the mosque near ground zero condemning this action?
Sure its those people's legal right to burn the korans, but its highly insensitive. Where is glen beck, sarah palin and many of those kinds of people speaking out against this burning?

I don't know about Beck specifically, but others on Fox have criticized the pastor calling him an anti-Muslim bigot etc.

Fern

 

[Modelworks]

The Islamic community is missing a big opportunity here. Instead of rioting in the streets and chanting death they have a chance to really make a statement. Want to really hurt this nut job preacher wannabe ? The Islamic community should calm down, make a public speech about how they feel pity for such a person that would result to such acts in an attempt to make them out to be something they are not and how they will pray that people with such hate will in the future overcome it.

Instead they are giving him what he wants.

 

[Infohawk]

nm

 

[her209]

Patraeus would be smart to mandate that his soldiers not insult their partners' religion and mandate that aid organizations there not push Christianity. I thought it was a good idea to take the CHristian references off of gun sites. That's the scope of his responsibility.

He should not worry about what happens on American soil, especially when it's a tiny group. He made a terrible decision to make a bigger deal about it then it already was.

If those actions on US soil have repercussions on his mission, then he has an responsibility to address it, which he did. If say the White House came out tomorrow and said, "Muslims are prohibited from emigrating to the US", Patraeus shouldn't say anything?

An analogy: Americans say terrible things about French and Germans all the time. French and German soldiers are fighting along with Americans in Afghanistan.

Saying terrible things != Burning a holy book to a country's citizen you're currently occupying
French and German soldiers fighting under the NATO alliance != Afghan informants/translators/"soldiers" working with the US under their free will

* Quoted soldiers because those soldiers could say "Fuck it" to go AWOL without any real reprecussions.

It's really irrelevant.

 

[her209]

The Islamic community is missing a big opportunity here. Instead of rioting in the streets and chanting death they have a chance to really make a statement. Want to really hurt this nut job preacher wannabe ? The Islamic community should calm down, make a public speech about how they feel pity for such a person that would result to such acts in an attempt to make them out to be something they are not and how they will pray that people with such hate will in the future overcome it.

Instead they are giving him what he wants.

Actually, there was a Muslim Imam that reached out to the Pastor.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/w...rida.pastor.not.backing.down.on.Koran-burning

An imam from a local Florida Muslim group was present during Jones' statement and later entered the church to urge him to call off the event, quoting Bible verses and encouraging him to follow Jesus' teaching of "love your enemy".

 

[Jaskalas]

How did this stupid distraction even make it into the news?

This isn't an exercise in free speech it's an attempt to antagonize a group of people. Everyone is free to push a steroid using beefcake into the wall for no reason but that doesn't mean you do it.

You're the sort who'd ban bible burning as well then?

 

[Infohawk]

If those actions on US soil have repercussions on his mission, then he has an responsibility to address it, which he did. If say the White House came out tomorrow and said, "Muslims are prohibited from emigrating to the US", Patraeus shouldn't say anything?


Saying terrible things != Burning a holy book to a country's citizen you're currently occupying
French and German soldiers fighting under the NATO alliance != Afghan informants/translators/"soldiers" working with the US under their free will

* Quoted soldiers because those soldiers could say "Fuck it" to go AWOL without any real reprecussions.

If

Saying terrible things != Burning a holy book to a country's citizen you're currently occupying
French and German soldiers fighting under the NATO alliance != Afghan informants/translators/"soldiers" working with the US under their free will

Then burning a book != "Muslims are prohibited from emigrating to the US"

He's a military general. He's not a politician. Maybe he thinks of himself like a MacArthur in Japan but he's not and MacArthur got sacked. I'm sure you would have supported an Iraq general in 2003 speaking out against protests in the US because they can hurt soldiers' morale and embolden the enemy.

 

[Throckmorton]

Guys, it's Petraeus, not Patraeus. From the Greek root word for "rock" as in Peter and petroleum. You're confusing him with Patranus

 

[her209]

If

Its a judgement call made by the General.

Then burning a book != "Muslims are prohibited from emigrating to the US"

He's a military general. He's not a politician. Maybe he thinks of himself like a MacArthur in Japan but he's not and MacArthur got sacked. I'm sure you would have supported an Iraq general in 2003 speaking out against protests in the US because they can hurt soldiers' morale and embolden the enemy.

Protesting the war != Protesting the troops

I thought of all people (considering your post history on the Iraq War) would know that.

 

[Throckmorton]

If protesters were accusing troops of war crimes, it would be equivalent. Hence my Jane Fonda comparisons

 

[Infohawk]

Its a judgement call made by the General.


Protesting the war != Protesting the troops

I thought of all people (considering your post history on the Iraq War) would know that.

Right, that's my point. Generals shouldn't be making judgments about what Americans do. It doesn't matter if they are liberals protesting war or conservatives protesting Islam. I feel that makes me consistent. You seem to be deciding based on whether the general's criticism fits with your politics.

 

[her209]

Right, that's my point. Generals shouldn't be making judgments about what Americans do. It doesn't matter if they are liberals protesting war or conservatives protesting Islam. I feel that makes me consistent. You seem to be deciding based on whether the general's criticism fits with your politics.

LOL... how does it fit my politics? I stated in another thread that I hoped the Pastor exercised his 1st Amendment right. So how does that support my politics?

 

[Throckmorton]

The preacher cancelled the Koran burning

 

[her209]

The preacher cancelled the Koran burning

He said he was cancelling it because the GZ Mosque Imam called and told him that the mosque was being moved, but nobody has confirmed that GZ Imam has agreed to moving the mosque.

 

[werepossum]

He said he was cancelling it because the GZ Mosque Imam called and told him that the mosque was being moved, but nobody has confirmed that GZ Imam has agreed to moving the mosque.

I thought the burning was a protest against 9/11? Was it always a protest against the victory mosque? (And if so, has there been a counter-protest, and a counter-counter-protest, etc?)

Anyway, he should cancel it, it's a douche move and definitely non-Christian.

 

[Fern]

I thought the burning was a protest against 9/11? Was it always a protest against the victory mosque? (And if so, has there been a counter-protest, and a counter-counter-protest, etc?)

Anyway, he should cancel it, it's a douche move and definitely non-Christian.

I've heard news reports where the preacher claimed the burning was in response to the GZ mosque.

I really doubt that the GZ Imam called him and agreed to move the mosque. I'd like to see that verified.

Fern

 

[AznAnarchy99]

It is an unwise and inflammatory thing of the church to do to be sure, but what do you all propose? I'm having trouble reconciling the notion that our soldiers are overseas fighting for our way of life and freedom (whether you believe that or not, it is an oft-cited reason) but that some people might think that this church should be banned from exercising their right to freedom of speech and expression -- the very thing our military claims to be fighting for overseas.

Lets go burn crosses in front of a black church. Its my right right? As long as im not on their property its coool!

 

[Jaskalas]

Lets go burn crosses in front of a black church. Its my right right? As long as im not on their property its coool!

How about you go burn crosses on your own property? Guess you can do that, but heaven forbid if it's a particular book then the FBI will come knocking on your door!

 

[cubby1223]

Lets go burn crosses in front of a black church. Its my right right? As long as im not on their property its coool!

Blah blah blah we can all play the "what if" game forever and never get anywhere. Most all situations involve one person's rights infringing on another person's rights and there is always debate. I don't believe someone in Florida burning a copy of the Koran is preventing any Muslim from living in peace in this country.

What, we had that guy from the New Black Panther Party shouting on video "kill all white babies". Is that any different from this?