There’s been a controversy brewing in Florida, ever since a church decided that it was a good idea to burn a pile of Korans on the ninth anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks. The controversy has gone international, and may have serious repercussions for U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan.
The Dove World Outreach Center says that “Islam is of the devil” and that the church is obligated to carry out the burning because the Koran is not God’s word, is “totalitarian, and….teaches idolatry, paganism, rites and rituals.” Over the last week, there have been large protests in cities across Afghanistan, and across the Muslim world.
In fact, the military brass is so concerned that General Petraus has gone to the press, expressing concern that the action might play directly into the hands of the Taliban and other groups who are fighting against the coalition in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I think there is merit to what Washington and the military leaders are saying. Anything that derails efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan, and the eventual withdrawal of international troops should not be tolerated.
The church does have a right to express itself, and I’m not in total disagreement with what they say, but how they express themselves makes me worry about the troops. They’re in enough danger already. And how many of our embassies in other Muslim countries will be burned to the ground if this book burning goes forward?
I would encourage the Dove World Outreach Center to cancel their current plan and come up with a way to express themselves that doesn’t cause more people to join the fighting against our forces. That’s the last thing that the troops need.
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