Obama was right to apologize for the Koran-burning

Despite these dubious shots from the Republican candidates, the president understood the danger and responded appropriately in an effort to mitigate the political fallout.

But the question looms, how could any soldier 10 years into the current conflict not understand the potential impact of mistreating the Quran? Less than a year ago, there was also unrest in Afghanistan when Pastor Terry Jones “tried” a Quran and then set it on fire in Florida…

Still, the burning at a minimum casts doubt on the military’s embrace of a new doctrine that emphasizes the civilian population as the “center of gravity” in modern conflict. The generals get it, but too often the lower ranks continue to pursue narrow military objectives without regard to the bigger picture and how operations impact public opinion that is vital to sustaining a long-term strategy.

At this stage, neither Afghan nor American political support can be taken for granted. The calls by Afghan parliamentarians for violence were deeply troubling, demonstrating how fragile the relationship is. The Quran burning placed the Karzai government, with limited political capital to begin with, in a difficult position, but it seems to be doing what it can to limit the damage.