Duck Fallas 209 Posted April 2, 2011 Afghan riots over Quran-burning: 2 days, 20 dead Share retweet EmailPrint.. AP – U.S. soldiers stand guard in front the gate of a U.S. base after an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, on … . Slideshow:Afghanistan . Play Video Video:Raw Video: Afghan protests over Quran burning AP . Play Video Afghanistan Video:Donald Trump Sits Down With Bill O'Reilly FOX News . By PATRICK QUINN, Associated Press Patrick Quinn, Associated Press – 1 hr 8 mins ago KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghans rioted for a second day Saturday to protest the burning of a Quran in Florida, killing nine people in Kandahar and injuring more than 80 in a wave of violence that underscored rising anti-foreign sentiment after nearly a decade of war. The desecration at a small U.S. church has outraged Muslims worldwide, and in Afghanistan it further strained ties with the West. On Friday, 11 people were killed, including seven foreign U.N. employees, in a protest in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The protests come at a critical juncture as the U.S.-led coalition gears up for an insurgent spring offensive and a summer withdrawal of some troops, and with Afghanistan's mercurial president increasingly questioning international motives and NATO's military strategy. Two suicide attackers disguised as women blew themselves up and a third was gunned down Saturday when they used force to try to enter a NATO base on the outskirts of Kabul, NATO and Afghan police said. Earlier in the week, six U.S. soldiers died during an operation against insurgents in eastern Afghanistan near Pakistan, where the Taliban retain safe havens. President Hamid Karzai expressed regret for the 20 protest deaths, but he also further stoked possible anti-foreign sentiment by again demanding that the United States and United Nations bring to justice the pastor of the Dove Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, where the Quran was burned March 20. Many Afghans did not know about the Quran-burning until Karzai condemned it four days after it happened. The pastor, the Rev. Terry Jones, had threatened to destroy a copy of Islam's holy book last year but initially backed down. On Friday he said Islam and its followers were responsible for the killings. In the southern city of Kandahar, the cradle of the Taliban, hundreds of Afghans holding copies of the Quran over their heads marched in protest of the burning. Security forces shot in the air to disperse the crowd, but it was unclear how the protesters were slain, said Zalmai Ayubi, a spokesman for the provincial governor. The Kandahar governor's office said nine protesters were killed and 81 others were injured in the demonstration that turned into a riot. Seventeen people, including seven armed men, have been arrested, the statement said. The protests began Friday in Kabul, Herat in western Afghanistan and Mazar-i-Sharif, where thousands flooded the streets. In Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghan demonstrators stormed a U.N. compound, shooting and killing four Nepalese guards, a Norwegian, a Romanian and a Swede. Afghan authorities suspect insurgents melded into the mob; they announced the arrest of more than 20 people, including a militant they suspect was the ringleader of the assault. The top U.N. envoy in Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, said the organization was temporarily redeploying 11 staff members from Mazar-i-Sharif to Kabul. "This is not an evacuation, it is a temporary redeployment because the office is not functioning. We will be ready to go back as soon as we can establish an office that is secure enough," he told reporters. The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, known as UNAMA, has some 1,500 staff — about 80 percent Afghans — operating in 18 regional and provincial offices across the country and in liaison offices in neighboring Pakistan and Iran. In late 2009, the U.N. sent about 600 foreign staff out of the country or into secure compounds after three gunmen stormed a Kabul guest house used by U.N. staff and killed 11 people, including five U.N. workers. Karzai has in recent months increasingly criticized both the international community and U.S.-led foreign forces — the first for being ineffectual and unaccountable, the second for causing unnecessary civilian casualties in its campaign against insurgents. Some Western diplomats privately say Karzai stoked some of the tension in recent days by making speeches about issues that had not gained much attention in the country, including the Quran burning. De Mistura, however, said he drew no connection between the riots and Karzai's earlier condemnation of the Quran-burning. He said it takes "two to three weeks for information to percolate. It's not like in the West. Then it goes through the mosque and then through the Friday prayers." "I don't think we should be blaming any Afghan. We should be blaming the person who produced the news — the one who burned the Quran," he said. Although the Taliban are responsible for the vast majority of killings in Afghanistan, civilian casualties from coalition operations are a major source of strain in the country's relationship with the United States. The deaths tend to generate widespread outrage and Karzai has said they will no longer be tolerated. The politicking could be part of an effort to reach out to the Taliban as Karzai tries to build bridges with the insurgents as part of a peace and reconciliation process. He and his advisers no longer refer to the Taliban as insurgents. They are often referred to as armed opposition groups. The Taliban themselves have no such qualms and openly call for the overthrow of Karzai's government. Last week about 300 Taliban fighters overran the tiny capital of a remote mountainous district in northeast Nuristan province and raised their flag over city hall. When this fucking religious nut decided to burn a holy book, did he expect Islam to take it lightly? He has some fucking nerve to blame the Muslims for their reaction. If someone breaks into your house, burns your shit, and you shoot him, would it be right for him to turn around and blame you for taking it personally? If you provoke a rabid animal and get bit, do you have the right to be mad at the animal for his reaction? I would think not. This idiot is just as culpable as the protesters for their actions. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FIDDYDEUCE 81 Posted April 2, 2011 Isn't it hilarious that Muslims are labeled radicals but Christians/Catholics burning others books is perfectly understandable. Absolutely no reason for this. Fucking idiots, just fucking idiots. I'm not religious but that is just scum, that is serious disrespect not only to Islam but to their culture. But Muslims are still wrong for reacting to something like that? Please. It astounds me these are the same candy-asses that preach about "peace" and "treat one as you want to be treated." Ugh. It's all just so stupid. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted April 2, 2011 Yeah my dad was telling me about this last night, I'm surprised this guy hasn't been beaten to a bloody pulp yet. Even if you aren't religious, that's was some fucking retarded shit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krawnka 282 Posted April 4, 2011 Hypocrites on both sides of this argument... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brownage 7 Posted April 4, 2011 Religon: The excuse to justify killing people. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maverick 791 Posted April 4, 2011 Hypocrites on both sides of this argument... This. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blotsfan 2,112 Posted April 5, 2011 These Christians voiced their opinion in a legal way, assuming they didn't endanger anyone with the fires etc. They're assholes, but part of what makes america great is that even assholes can voice their opinions and not have to worry as much that they're going to die for it. If these protesters don't like it, they should stop giving him reasons to stick with his belief. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duck Fallas 209 Posted April 5, 2011 These Christians voiced their opinion in a legal way, assuming they didn't endanger anyone with the fires etc. They're assholes, but part of what makes america great is that even assholes can voice their opinions and not have to worry as much that they're going to die for it. If these protesters don't like it, they should stop giving him reasons to stick with his belief. So it is the Muslim's fault that this guy is an asshole and is stoking an already warm fire? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blotsfan 2,112 Posted April 5, 2011 Its not their fault, but it doesn't give them the right to riot and kill people. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krawnka 282 Posted April 5, 2011 Its not their fault, but it doesn't give them the right to riot and kill people. This Freedom of speech (expression), and religion is a two way street. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but nobody is entitled to kill innocent people. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NaTaS+ 958 Posted April 6, 2011 When this fucking religious nut decided to burn a holy book, did he expect Islam to take it lightly? He has some fucking nerve to blame the Muslims for their reaction. If someone breaks into your house, burns your shit, and you shoot him, would it be right for him to turn around and blame you for taking it personally? If you provoke a rabid animal and get bit, do you have the right to be mad at the animal for his reaction? I would think not. This idiot is just as culpable as the protesters for their actions. You're equating the burning of a book (legal, non-physical), thousands of miles away, to someone breaking in and burning down your home (Illegal, physical)? Sheesh. Did you also compare Muslim radicals to rabid animals? The definition of terrorism is subjective, but one definition is "the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization." The people in Florida, as strongly as I feel about book burning, have ever right to do so. The people in the wrong are the fuckin whack jobs in Afghan, they are human (not rabid animals) and therefore have the ability of rational thought and conscience. If we submit to threats of violence if we do something the Muslims radicals do not agree with, then we're bending to terrorism. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duck Fallas 209 Posted April 7, 2011 This situation would be so much worse in our country, likely even more so, if it had been a Muslim burning a Bible. Anyone who disagrees is quite delusional. And I was referring to ALL religious zealots as rabid animals, not specifically Muslims. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blotsfan 2,112 Posted April 7, 2011 No it wouldn't. People would be pissed, but it wouldn't devolve into riots and killings. Klan rallies don't turn into black people rioting and killing. Neo-nazi rallies don't turn into rioting and killing. I know you wanna make christians sound evil, but they generally aren't Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted April 7, 2011 No it wouldn't. People would be pissed, but it wouldn't devolve into riots and killings. Klan rallies don't turn into black people rioting and killing. Neo-nazi rallies don't turn into rioting and killing. I know you wanna make christians sound evil, but they generally aren't Only the ones in control. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krawnka 282 Posted April 7, 2011 (edited) Only the ones in control. I thought he wasn't Christian...and the rest are athiest? Edited April 7, 2011 by Krawnka Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maverick 791 Posted April 7, 2011 chiabone you're a great guy, but you have to be one of the biggest fucking liberals I've ever seen lol... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duck Fallas 209 Posted April 18, 2011 chiabone you're a great guy, but you have to be one of the biggest fucking liberals I've ever seen lol... lol. I will take that as a compliment, Mav. I try to not hide who I am or what I think, regardless of who disagrees. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phenomenal TJ 28 Posted April 18, 2011 The definition of terrorism is subjective, but one definition is "the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization." Definitions that use the word they're trying to define are useless. Besides, from a different standpoint, burning one's religious text could qualify under the state of fear and submission clause in the above definition. Now, I could give a fuck less about the Quaran, or the Bible for that matter, because if I want to read fantastical pieces, I'll make them interesting. Though, Revelations is somewhat interesting, and I did enjoy Leviticus as well, but that's another story. I very highly doubt the burning of the books were done to simply exercise freedom of speech/religion, it's far more likely that the burning was done because the pastor in question is an utter douchebag that apparently has never read a word of the Bible without translating it into 'Oh shit. The Holy Land is ours. Let's take it back. NAO." As far as blaming the followers of Islam...LOL. Radical extremists =/= the majority of a religious order. Sounds like an utter setup for some racial profiling in whatever town/city that shit happened in, but I digress on that point as well. And on the other side of things, you can't place the death toll on the pastor that burned the book either, because that's horseshit too. Dunno. Maybe if people actually understood their own religion ALONG with the other major religions around the world and realized that at their core they are the exact same thing, then they wouldn't be such insurmountable assholes and we could all move on with this world that is quickly going to shit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites