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Bush Apologizes for Quran Shooting

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA,
AP
Posted: 2008-05-20 13:38:43
Filed Under: Iraq News, World News
BAGHDAD (May 20) - President Bush has apologized to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for an American sniper's use of a copy of the Quran for target practice, Maliki's office said Tuesday.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush spoke to al-Maliki about the Quran shooting incident during a regularly scheduled videoconference on Monday. She said Bush expressed his "serious concern."

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Charles Dharapak, AP

Fallout After
Quran Incident

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President Bush meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in New York in 2007. During a videoconference between the two Monday, President Bush expressed "serious concern" about a U.S. staff sergeant's use of a Quran for target practice outside Baghdad May 9.

"He told the prime minister that we take this matter seriously, and he noted that the soldier had been reprimanded and removed from Iraq by his commanders," Perino said.

A statement issued by al-Maliki's office said Al-Maliki told Bush of the "disappointment and anger of the people and government of Iraq over the soldier's disgraceful action," the statement said.

Bush told al-Maliki that the sniper would face trial, it added.

Separately, the statement said an Iraqi Cabinet meeting Tuesday called for the "severest" punishment against the sniper and warned of "grave consequences" if similarly offensive actions were committed in the future.

It also called on commanders of U.S.-led foreign troops in Iraq to educate their soldiers on the need to respect the religious beliefs of Iraqis.

The U.S. military said Sunday it had disciplined the sniper and removed him from Iraq after he was found to have used Islam's holy book for target practice on May 9. The copy of the Quran was found two days later by Iraqis on a firing range in Radwaniyah, west of Baghdad, with 14 bullet holes in it and graffiti written on its pages.

On Saturday, the top American commander in Baghdad, Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, and other officers held a formal ceremony apologizing to tribal chiefs in Radwaniyah.

Bush's apology followed similar moves by the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq to placate the Iraqis, apologizing in separate meetings Monday with al-Maliki, Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi and parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani.

The U.S. military said Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III paid individual visits to al-Maliki, a Shiite Muslim, al-Hashemi and al-Mashhadani, both Sunni Arabs — moves underlining the American eagerness to make amends for the incident, particularly among Sunni Arabs who have become key allies in the fight against insurgents.

In their meeting in his office, al-Hashemi, the top Sunni Arab in the government, told Austin that "the feelings of bitterness and anger cannot be eased unless there is a deterrent punishment and real guarantees" such an incident won't be repeated, according to al-Hashemi's office.

Al-Hashemi expressed his appreciation for the visit but asked for a written apology from the U.S. military.

Austin underlined in all three meetings that "the soldier had in fact been removed from Iraq. He assured them that the matter was serious and that we hold our soldiers accountable for their actions," a U.S. military statement said.

Al-Hashemi's Iraqi Islamic Party also issued a tough statement Monday saying that an apology alone was not enough and the U.S. military should impose the "severest punishment" on the soldier to ensure others do not repeat his act.



Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-05-20 09:27:04
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dubyasgrammarian 11:13:36 AM May 30 2008

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Hey, lay off Bush you traitor libs...just think how easy all that cheap Iraqi oil has made our lives! Hell, down at the Gas 'n' Go, they give me a free fill-up just for buying a large Slurpee!

dgoldie624 10:59:13 PM May 29 2008

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Although the Bush administration did try to character assasinate his former press secretary who exposed his less then forthright administration,I didn't hear any of them try to refute any of the facts.Can they ??????????????????

dgoldie624 10:52:42 PM May 29 2008

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I am quite surprised at an apology from Mr.Bush.I didn't think he had any humility in him at all.Is he now going to stop saying "WE ARE WINNING THE WAR IN IRAQ" and
"THE ECONOMY OF THE UNITED STATES IS FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND"

callen1755 07:08:33 PM May 29 2008

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I
I vote for this Bill Presson

hjohncrete 08:44:35 PM May 27 2008

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Jesus Christ is Lord and HE is my Savior, I will not lie, steal or cheat because he is Lord of my life, I love him because he redeemed me with his own precious blood. Just because to many christians are hippocrits, does that mean they are all?Jesus died for you, why don't you believe ,and let him change your life too. J. H.

joeinbost 04:59:22 PM May 26 2008

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get a laugh "special" police officers in Iraq what does that menat they are WORLD CLASS sprinters at the sound of a gunshot ?

joeinbost 04:53:02 PM May 26 2008

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Saudi Arabia is the HOME OF THE TERRORIST Ideology supported by the Government. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 15 out of the 19 were Saudi OBL personal friend to the Saudi Royals Funded by the "Islamic Charities" . 9/11 waa a Saudi Attack and we should have wiped out that Family and Government from the face of the EARTH . Then PUMP THEM DRY

joeinbost 04:44:58 PM May 26 2008

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get over it it is a damn book Just the next in the Fairy tale Series that includes the Bible

dondon747 08:40:24 AM May 26 2008

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Iraq is never going to be a peacful stable demoracy. This whole war in Iraq is a huge mistake. Iraq is Islam and they are going to have a Islamic goverment and fighting between the Sheites ,Sunnies and the Kurds. Our country can not change Iraq into a stable demoracy, even if we occupy them for a hundred years. Currently our goverment has killed more than hundred thousand Iraqis, and they are angry about it. Our goverment is never going to fixed Iraq, and our current occupation-war is not helping at all. Bush apoligize for the Koran shooting is absurd.

ultscan 07:15:26 PM May 25 2008

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PC run a muck, sorry for liberating you from an evil dictator, I guess the 250K people he gassed was a sign of his faith, I have something you can kiss!

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