Comments on: He should have used Battlefield Earth

By: MB4

MB4 — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:06:35 +0000

Truly a Hobbesian Choice. Not to be confused with a Hobson’s choice.

By: Romeo13

Romeo13 — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:03:13 +0000

TimothyJ on May 19, 2008 at 4:38 PM

Yep, go check Jihadwatch… a Sunni is DEMANDING more action…

This is exactly what I was talking about… appologize for somthing, and its a sign of weakness, so they demand more.

By: TimothyJ

TimothyJ — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:38:39 +0000

You are all missing the point here. The apology and A$$ kissing was NOT ENOUGH. They want that boy’s head. There will be riots in the streets this weekend for sure. IMHO every time we give in to the radical muslin demands for this and that (footwashing at airports, etc.) we weaken our position and strengthen the position of the muslims. And just to be sure, I bet that if you asked the “moderate” muslims, which is more important, the US Constitution or Shiria law, they would say the latter!

By: landlines

landlines — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:57:30 +0000

Fanatisism WILL die down, over time, if we do this. Look to post war Japan and MacArthur to see the truth in this.

FloridaBill on May 18, 2008 at 8:59 PM

MacArthur did not “kiss up” to local customs and religion. He DEMANDED CHANGE and offered a workable civil society in return.

By: landlines

landlines — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:48:48 +0000

Reaction by our military was “over the top”. A simple apology to the sane locals should have been sufficient explaining that the soldier interpreted it as enemy literature because it appeared to advocate beheading non-Muslims (among other things). Let the offended ones and/or apologists try to explain this away.

Any treatment of this as a criminal act is way out of bounds and shows PC-style ignorance. We should enforce the simple and understandable principle that those who cause or facilitate terrorism are our enemies, and not handcuff our own soldiers in the name of political correctness. To those who are offended, we should politely explain that if they don’t want our troops around, they can easily get rid of them by stopping all support of terrorism.

As far as alternatives for target practice:

Do HA readers have any suggestions?

I’d add anything by Michael Moore or Al Gore to the mix already suggested.

By: BL@KBIRD

BL@KBIRD — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:22:51 +0000

So it boils down to either kissing Islams ass for safety and swinging a deal or finally confronting the true enemy, an ideology, not a group of “radicals” like everyone pretends to believe .

Kissing ass wins. It is usually so with Islam. That is why a militant supremacist group of parasitic creatures like the slaves of Allah have been successful pirates, slavers, and butchers for a millennium and a half. Fear works wonders when you call it respect “for their beliefs”.

By: Esthier

Esthier — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:11:14 +0000

Mormon Doc…..My take, I don’t care if they worship Valley of the Dolls. If that is their holy book then that is their holy book. The soldiers are there, for better or worse, rightly or wrongly, to help put that country back together again. That’s the mission. If that means leaving Jacqueline Susann’s book the hell alone then it means leaving Jacqueline Susann’s book the hell alone.

Limerick on May 18, 2008 at 11:34 PM

Exactly. That’s the job.

Somehow speaking out against the hateful teachings in the Koran has been equated with bigotry and this simply must stop.

Mormon Doc on May 19, 2008 at 12:04 AM

“Speaking out against the hateful teachings in the Koran” is one thing. Calling all Muslims “the enemy” is another.

The latter is what’s getting people called a bigot, and that’s appropriate. Not all Muslims interpret their bible the way you do. Disagree with their logic all you want, but that doesn’t necessarily make them fake Muslims. In fact, those Muslims could change their religion, the way Christians did hundreds of years ago.

The best case for peace is for religious reform, not creating a holy war.

By: rjjago.wordpress.com

rjjago.wordpress.com — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:53:09 +0000

Top Ten Books You Can Use as Target Practice…

US Snipers in Iraq are getting it for using a Koran as target practice. That’s obviously bad form or something. So as a public service I’d like to offer a few – safer – book suggestions for future snipping:
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
…

By: OldEnglish

OldEnglish — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:41:49 +0000

Ernest on May 19, 2008 at 10:14 AM

Ok. So, what have you got against staph, then?

By: Ernest

Ernest — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:14:43 +0000

People are not staph. You might have covered that in biology.

DrSteve on May 19, 2008 at 9:57 AM

Some are Doc, you may have covered that in history 101.

By: heroyalwhyness

heroyalwhyness — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:13:29 +0000

Bullocks. This apology is repulsive and mocks our freedoms, freedoms gifted to a thankless Iraq through our blood and treasure. At no time, and under no circumstance should any statesman, soldier or citizen valuing our freedoms and equality defend this antithetical text.

Our soldiers are in Iraq despite the contents of this reprehensible tome . . . not to defend it.

By: DrSteve

DrSteve — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:57:20 +0000

What is the right number of Muslims that I am supposed to know before my concerns become valid?

That’s a function of the quality and nature of your concerns, isn’t it?

Your argument thus far is one huge generalization. I’ve found that knowing even a few Muslims (and they’re from everywhere, from Istanbul to Bartlett, TN) explodes stereotypes pretty quickly.

People are not staph. You might have covered that in biology.

By: Ernest

Ernest — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:55:40 +0000

What are we supposed to do, feel all bad and guilty. There…. satisfied. Now let’s get back to that lesson where the Koran teaches respect and love for Christians and Jews. They may not shoot at our bibles but they do chop of our heads.

I think it may warrant an apology for political correctness but kissing the Koran, not on your life. Let the Europeans kiss that sucker, not us.

By the way a Koran is pretty small. How far away was the soldier? Uh…just wondering.

By: major john

major john — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:16:34 +0000

apollyonbob on May 18, 2008 at 6:41 PM

That pretty much sums it up for me.

Somebody want to explain how what that knucklehead did was good COIN practice? I have been shot at enough this tour, thanks very much. The last thing I need is some Joe giving AQI or JAM a propaganda point. Fence sitters move because of #$%& like that. And I don’t mean in the right direction.

By: gator70

gator70 — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:12:55 +0000

Soldier, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen are taught not to desecrate, destroy, or badmouth anything muslim. He was in violation of an order, and more importantly just made things much harder for his fellow soldiers who have to clean up the mess while his dumba** gets shipped back to the land of the big PX. He should be flogged and thrown in the brig for the next few years. You have no idea how hard it is to put your feelings on the shelf and do the right thing. It isn’t about how you feel about the Koran or Muslims, it’s about doing what you have to do do come home alive with all of your buddies, and ultimately doing the right thing so that we all can come home. Crap like what he just pulled extends these deployments because they set us back with the Iraqis we are trying to gain trust with.

By: OldEnglish

OldEnglish — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:12:05 +0000

Being a realist, I couldn’t care less what book of mumbo-jumbo was shot at per se. However, when in Rome, one should watch out for the natives, they may take a different view.

By: Shy Guy

Shy Guy — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:21:09 +0000

Did you just do a play on words?

MB4 on May 19, 2008 at 1:14 AM

Do sheiks rattle your nerves?

By: scottm

scottm — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:09:51 +0000

Hey, I liked Battlefield Earth (if for no other reason than the line in the movie where they say dogs are clearly the superior species). The book? I dunno, but if he wanted to shoot at a DVD…my suggestion would be ISHTAR.

By: morganfrost

morganfrost — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:04:42 +0000

When Muslims can be as outraged at beheadings, hijackings and suicide bombings as they are at someone shooting a book, there will be some hope of peace.

By: gridlock2

gridlock2 — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:49:44 +0000

Copies of Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton can be found in the discount bin, cheap. And they have that irresistable cover shot. Of course, My Life by Bill Clinton is another excellent choice, for the same reason.

By: Mormon Doc

Mormon Doc — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:46:43 +0000

F15Mech

I rejected your recommendation to read the contents of a specific book by one man that I thought was taking the discussion off topic. I never encouraged nor even suggested you read my book because my field of writing would probably not have broad appeal here nor did I intend to get myself banned for using the HA site to do shameless self promotion.

You seem to have a problem with my statement as you have brought it up on at least two occasions? Does it bother you that I rejected that particular book? If so, perhaps you could suggest others to me. I didn’t want this to be personal but it appears that you are taking my rejection to heart. If I have been discourteous then please accept my apology.

By: herself

herself — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:29:49 +0000

I have a mind that dotes on suspicion that there’s more to be seen than what the eye beholds in the first glance. Were I am Iranian agent intent on causing problems for the US forces in Iraq, I’d find someone who could write the “right” expletive in the Qur’an; I’d draw the target; and I’d shoot it up. Then I would take it in finest taqiyya tradition and arrange to find it or have it found at the shooting range after the military target practice. Did our military test the shot up Qur’an for latent prints and test that against soldiers who might have had an opportunity to mark it up and shoot at it? If not, their apology and ceremony was stupid beyond belief. If so, when is the responsible soldier being dishonorably discharged for crude, insensitive, counter-productive behavior unbecoming a soldier?

{^_^}

By: F15Mech

F15Mech — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:19:20 +0000

...I just finished writing my book... Mormon Doc on May 19, 2008 at 12:12 AM

Mormon Doc does this sound familiar?

Actually I am less interested in reading one man’s opinion... Mormon Doc on May 18, 2008 at 9:21 PM

If you are not interested in reading another mans book why should I read yours?

By: MB4

MB4 — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:14:39 +0000

He made their book holier than it was before.

Shy Guy on May 19, 2008 at 1:11 AM

Did you just do a play on words?

By: Mojave Mark

Mojave Mark — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:13:14 +0000

Good initiative… poor judgment.