Obama: Koran burning could spark suicide bombings
American officials condemn Florida church's plan to torch copies of the Koran on 9th anniversary of September 11 terror attacks.
By The Associated Press Tags: Islam Koran US Barack ObamaU.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday publicly denounced an American church's plan to burn copies of the Muslim holy book Koran, calling it "a stunt that could greatly endanger our young men and women who are in uniform and incite suicide bombers."
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U.S. President Barack Obama delivering remarks in Ohio on September 8, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
"Look, this is a recruitment bonanza for Al Qaida," Obama said in a taped interview on ABC. "You could have serious violence in places like Pakistan and Afghanistan."
Two months before the fall elections in the U.S., when Obama is trying to convince Americans that Democrats are squarely focused on the economy, the last thing he needs is another heated flap about Muslims, churning up lingering doubts about Obama's religious sympathies and his resolve against terrorism.
Slow to weigh in last month on the question of whether an Islamic center should be built in the vicinity of the September 11 World Trade Center attack, Obama's team moved quickly this week to speak out forcefully against plans by a small Florida church to torch copies of the Muslim holy book on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in New York city and Washington.
Pastor Terry Jones has confirmed that he is planning to go ahead with the burning.
The U.S. administration's denunciations had begun with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Kabul, and been echoed throughout the top echelons of the government. Defense Secretary Robert Gates seconded Petraeus. Attorney General Eric Holder called it idiotic. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said it was disgraceful. Obama adviser David Axelrod went with un-American.
Obama himself held out hope the pastor would rethink his plans. "I hope he listens to those better angels and understands that this is a destructive act that he's engaging in."
The administration hoped to rein in the story by speaking out clearly and with one voice.
Obama spent Wednesday in Cleveland promoting his economic plans and reaching out to those he acknowledges are frustrated and angry and anxious about the future. He made no reference to the Koran plan in his speech, but addressed the issue when asked about it during the interview taped in Ohio.
Egypt's Islamists demand U.S. envoy's expulsion over Koran burning
The reactions to the planned event were not confined to the U.S. Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood also weighed in on the issue, calling the Koran burning "insanity."
"This is insanity, the man is a criminal behaving outside of any religion," Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Mohamed Mursi told the German news agency DPA.
He compared Jones, the church leader behind the planned event, to a man walking around with a loaded gun threatening to shoot people.
"The greater responsibility for this issue lies with the U.S. government, and with the United Nations," Mursi said.
"We call on all Muslims to put pressure on their governments to expel U.S. ambassadors and to boycott U.S. products until the U.S. government takes action against this heinous crime," he said.
Calling Jones a "lunatic," Mursi said plans to burn the book holiest to Muslims "threatens peace and stability at an international level."
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I strongly condemn the planned burning of the Holy Book, Koran. One can only hope that Muslims around the world see this as the insane act of a madman masquerading as a pastor and NOT the West burning, desecrating or in any way shape or form supporting this fool of a man.
Now Obama has stepped into the fray for one racist bigot could very well endanger the lives of Americans both civilian and military abroad. What strikes me as strange is where are the voices of the likes of Palin and Beck. Deafening silence may be a sure sign that birds of a feather do indeed stick together.
Where were the protests when Moslems burned Christian librbaries and schools in Gaza? Where were the protests when the synagogues in Gaza were defiled? Why are there no diplomatic outcries when American flags are burned in Arab countries? It seems that only moslem sensitivities are to be taken into account-I thought tolerance was a 2 way street.. I guess the Saudi king kissing american president is more concerned over the burning of the koran than he is about the destruction of his nation's standard.
burn them all, they're mere historical falsifications , always or at least too often (mis)used for extreme ideological purposes.
by doing this.Having said that,he is correct in his anology that islam is not a peaceful religion.Look at the comments from muslims "We will expel ambassadors and boycott product"like they need an excuse for violence.
I think Muslims are offended that Christians are copying them.
you know it they will be burning Huckleberry Fin, Tom Sawyer, Mila 18 or Moby DICK ! Send in the FBI, stop the loonies. Better to burn the Kamasutra, overpopulation of India is a burden on the World. Maybe Monsanto can do something about that ?! Shalom and happy Bible reading !
why have there already been hundreds if not thousands of suicide murders the world over? and would there be a danger of suicide murders if a bible or torah were to be burnt by some fringe mullah in the desert somewhere? no - and that is the difference between islam and the rest of the world!
Religious fanatics, be them Muslim, Christian or whatever, are so narrow minded that they think the whole mystery of God or existence is encompassed by their particular version of religion and that they possess the whole "truth", and don't care who dies in the name of their lunacy. Morons all
There seem to loom great escalation between religions in Islamic countries. They shall make diffrence between burning books, what Jones will do, or killing people (christians) what some islamist do. Great power with nukes and so much afraid. Incomprehensible.
they you go showing your true colors Mr.President . never heard you asking the muslims to stop burning the American flag!!!
Yes, Mr. President, Koran-burning could cause suicide bombings. But far more likely to cause suicide-bombings are the ongoing bloody occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and the policy of subsidizing Israel's colonization of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Moreover, you do not have the constitutional authority to stop people from burning Korans, but you do have the constitutional authority to stop the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and the subsidization of the Israeli colonization of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. So how about it, Mr. President? George Malent www.kibush.co.il
can cause Koran book burning . I thought the USA is a liberal Free speech state , so while its perfectly legitimate to build a mosque near GZ , some would argue the same for Koran burning . Both acts are done without much thinking of the consequences or compromising .
Egyptian Muslim's hands are not so clean when it comes to Egypt's Treatment of the Christian population living in Egypt. " The Kettle calling the pot black. "
Troops are already in danger and burning a Koran or two does not change that. Obama seems to forget that the west are infidels and are allowed to be killed so says the Koran. perhaps Obama forgets what book it was that teh 9/11 hijacklers were reading when tehy did their most vile and evil deed. M
I have to agree with President Obama on this one. This is needless provocation at best. Pastor terry is a very small minded man getting way too much attention.
As much as I think the burning of Korans is insensitive and wrong, its still protected by the US constituion. And when the President of the United States suggests that Americans should practice self censorship in the face of violence and intimidation, he is infact promoting the erosion of free speech. And those who promote the use of violence and initimdation win the battle, as the west slides further and further into the depths of submission.
So your kissing the hand of the SA King hasn't appeased the Muslims .. It's because you din't kiss his .. as well .Do it next time.