On March 13, there was a quiet announcement on the findings of a joint NATO-Afghan investigation into the Bagram Air Field incident, wherein religious materials that “contained extremist messages or inscriptions” had been seized from detainees and burned. According to the Pentagon, “the investigation found that the ‘disposal process’ of the Korans was improper but was not a malicious act intended to show disrespect for Afghans or Islam.”
After reading this news, I looked for Afghan President Karzai’s apology for wanting to put our troops on trial immediately after the burning took place, but I could not find it. Yet right on cue, the same Pentagon spokesman who announced the investigators had found no “malicious” intent by our troops, added that investigators did find that “some U.S. personnel” treated the religious materials “improperly,” and they “recommended [these personnel] be reviewed for potential disciplinary action.”
When I read this stuff back to myself, I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder to see if Rod Serling was going to pop out of a closet and welcome me to the Twilight Zone.
Seriously folks: here we are, the greatest military might in the world, but instead of pushing for disciplinary action against the Afghans who have been taking pot shots at our troops since the incident at Bagram Air Field took place, we’re letting an investigator from Afghanistan tell us that our troops need to “be reviewed for potential disciplinary action.”
NATO has cleared our troops of “malicious” intent. Now it’s time to see if Obama will do the same.
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