To simply ignore something of this scale under the veil of 'They've apologized' is a disaster waiting to happen. IMHO
Look at it like this: Most of the people from GS who live in the USA/EU/CA know that average westerners are not hatermongoring folks and are sincere who just want to work, make a nice living, and have peaceful lives. But the people outside of USA (specifically Iraqis) whose only exposure to western mentality is the visitors (or invaders/liberators in this case) and the Al-Jazeera, take their mindset from the actions they see performed.
So when Iraqis and most of the muslim world sees this kind of thing happen, then it further solidifies their belief that West is evil. It's not a random act of stupidity, the consequences are much more severe. This further gives the extermists an excuse to recruit more to do their work. It's justification in itself, anyway you look at it.
Do you really think Iraqis or other people living in majority muslim countries believe the words and apologies coming from G.W./Military/or even the soldier who committed this? I highly doubt it.
More a reason to withdraw because every few days somewhat of a blunder happens, and no matter how much we (The liberators) apologize, the damage's already done.
So lets not brush it aside or ignore it with the mindset that 'Oh but we acknowledged and apologized'. That's not how things work outside of USA. People remember these things for a very very very long time.
People would take more comfort in the ruling if the soldier was tried for his crime in an Iraqi court, in front of the Iraqi people because he is accountable to them. That in my opinion would have been a more Just thing to do. Technically it is not possible, i understand that. But just a scenario to ponder over.
BTW, isn't Blackwater allowed to continue working in Iraq even after the last incident? :)
US is the most ignorant country in the self proclaimed civilized first world.
If you goto East European third world countries, you will find nut cases like this soldier in some rural areas, that too one in million. But here in US, even the elites of mid-west have hitler type of hostality for Muslims and Jews. The red-necks would shamelessly utter the same non-sense we hear from some fanatic Taliban in Waziristan. That Taliban has probably not seen the school building in his life, but here we are talking about educated well to do people who talks about family value for hours and hours, yet failed to understand the human sensitivity that is required at this cruical time of ours. All they want is gun in their truck and war somewhere far from continent.
20 year old high school grads, with guns in their hands, without having any knowledge of this world or other religions/points of view ....
What else can you expect?
"uzr e gunah, bad-tar az gunah".
Do not attempt to justify attack on Islam by supporters of Zionist apartheid and occupation. You do not know the age of person who did it. This is also not the first incident. Prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have regularly complained about American soldiers using slurs against Islam and disrespecting Quran as a form of torture.
Hate to break to you Abbas, but their are plenty of those who support a strong and stable Pakistan as well as support Israel. Whoever has taught you Israeli supporters must hate Muslims has smoke coming out of their ass from being so full of it.
There are few in Pakistan who support Israel while knowing its occupation of Islam's first Qiblah.
Israeli terrorist regime does not need to hate Muslims. Not even Palestinian Muslims. They consider Palestinian Muslims only as an "environmental nuisance".
They only despise people who oppose their forceful occupation of Quds and Palestinian Muslim lands, expulsion of millions of Palestinian Muslims and allowing foreigners from all over the world to occupy their place, and introduction of apartheid and racist philosophy of Zionism.
Can some Pakistanis live with such a regime in the center of Islamic world? Sure they can. These Pakistanis can even have "strong and stable" while someone else occupy Makkah.
Such Pakistanis only have to be enemies of Islam. That's all.
What a book means to them ??? They have killed what? like a million iraqis already.
And this little thing come as surprise to muslims????
unbelievable.
If a book does not mean anything to them then why were they shooting at it? Fact is that by shooting Quran they were showing their hatred against Iraqis and Islam.
Their justification to kill Iraqis comes from their waging of war. But their is no justification to desecrate the holy book of Islam ... especially when like you said "the book does not mean anything to them".
It's unbelievable that a person could be so full of hatred of Muslims that he will downplay such an incident.
If a book does not mean anything to them then why were they shooting at it? Fact is that by shooting Quran they were showing their hatred against Iraqis and Islam.
Their justification to kill Iraqis comes from their waging of war. But their is no justification to desecrate the holy book of Islam ... especially when like you said "the book does not mean anything to them".
It's unbelievable that a person could be so full of hatred of Muslims that he will downplay such an incident.
they??? dude there was only one guy who shooted at the quran. The action of one guy doesnt reflect the whole US army intentions.
Wait until Seminole, underthedome, Aalsi, and mercenary2k come to justify this "GREAT" mercenary army of Blackwater.
I wouldn't do that any more than I would consider one man's actions representative of an army or nation. Get a grip.