UN staff killed during protest in northern Afghanistan

[Supreme]

BBC News - UN staff killed during protest in northern Afghanistan

At least seven foreign UN workers have been killed after protesters stormed a UN compound in the Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif, officials say.

The compound was set alight as hundreds protested over the burning of the Koran in a US church last month. Several demonstrators have also been killed.

Witnesses said the protest began peacefully but suddenly turned violent.

A local police spokesman told the BBC the city was now under control and a number of people had been arrested.

Dan McNorton, spokesman for the UN mission in Afghanistan, said: "Three international UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan) staff members were killed, and four international armed security guards were killed."

Initial reports said eight foreign UN workers had died.

The Taliban could have been behind this- but the real issue is the fact the police and army could not stop the mob, and that could be a real problem for America as it prepares to give control of security to the Afghans.

 

[fieldy]

It's easy for the pastor to do this because he's not the one who will face the consequences.

 

[seashale76]

Well you're right about being full of hatred. How else do you explain the beheadings? Still, this pastor knew what would happen.

Did he really? How is that?

 

[JustMeSee]

People are nuts.

 

[fieldy]

Did he really? How is that?

By watching the news.

 

[Belk]

This wasn't really about a man burning a Quran. They have no love and are full of hatred and are ever ready to act on that rage. If there wasn't a guy burning a Quran to give them their needed justification, they would have invented a reason. There's nothing holy or sinless about what they're doing.

Lord, have mercy!

No, they are people just like you and I. In different circumstances we could fully have done the same thing.

 

[bigbadwilf]

Did he really? How is that?

By the fact that the last time he threatened to pull this stunt everyone told him it was a massive provocation. Up to the level of the four star general in charge in Afghanistan personally telling him that his actions would compromise the safety of US troops on the ground.

 

[seashale76]

By the fact that the last time he threatened to pull this stunt everyone told him it was a massive provocation. Up to the level of the four star general in charge in Afghanistan personally telling him that his actions would compromise the safety of US troops on the ground.

So, essentially, everyone has the expectation that Muslims will go crazy and respond just like they did. Isn't that racist? It's what we're all told around here ad nauseum when someone dares to point out that Islam is defacto associated with exactly this type of murder and mayhem.

Personally, I think the Quran burner was an idiot (but if you think he is to blame- then the press bears a bigger burden for giving him a venue), however, to blame him for people going crazy and murdering others is a huge problem. If a group of Muslims or atheists went out and burned a bible, for example, and a bunch of bible lovers went out and murdered those they perceived to be Muslims or atheists- I highly doubt that anyone here would be holding the bible burners culpable in any way. Why should anyone give up their freedom of speech/expression to adhere to what Muslims want regarding their blasphemy laws? Nobody gives a rip about what Christians or any other religious group finds blasphemous. Why do Muslims get a free pass? They don't give a rip that what they say and do to anyone else is wrong/hateful/etcetera.

 

[seashale76]

No, they are people just like you and I. In different circumstances we could fully have done the same thing.

It sounds like you're making excuses for them.

 

[JustMeSee]

Two wrongs...

 

[JustMeSee]

It sounds like you're making excuses for them.

Sounds like you are making excuses for Radical Christians, like this pastor who knowingly provoked and antagonized Muslims.

I am not making excuses for radical Muslims. These murders were inexcusable, but were likely fueled by this fundamentalist Christian preacher's book burning.

 

[seashale76]

Stop giving the actions of murderers legitimacy. What they did wasn't really about a guy burning a Quran.

 

[seashale76]

...

 

[Douger]

Stop giving the actions of murderers legitimacy. What they did wasn't really about a guy burning a Quran.

Right you are, Koran, shmoran.
It was about ten years of occupation, air strikes, kill teams and rigged elections, condoned, supported, and carried out by the "international community".

 

[seashale76]

Right you are, Koran, shmoran.
It was about ten years of occupation, air strikes, kill teams and rigged elections, condoned, supported, and carried out by the "international community".

Quite likely. They weren't killing people they thought were Christians- they were killing people they thought had any connection with the US.

 

[Crusader05]

Since when does the Taliban need any motivation for cutting people's heads off?

This guy who burned the Koran is a nutbag but he was within his rights and the reaction of the Taliban is in no ways justified or even mitigated by the Koran burning.

 

[Belk]

It sounds like you're making excuses for them.

In no way. I find their actions horrific and inexcusable. Still, I think they are human beings and refuse to demonize them.

 

[seashale76]

In no way. I find their actions horrific and inexcusable. Still, I think they are human beings and refuse to demonize them.

Good.

They demonized themselves and it is beyond sad. They deny their own humanity by their horrendous actions- we are all icons of Christ made in His image- and to sin in this way is a terrible thing to do- it is a sin against God. When one murders and holds that level of hatred- they really DON'T hold any love in their hearts.

 

[fieldy]

Since when does the Taliban need any motivation for cutting people's heads off?

This guy who burned the Koran is a nutbag but he was within his rights and the reaction of the Taliban is in no ways justified or even mitigated by the Koran burning.

I don't think anyone here is justifying violence. Personally I just don't understand how anyone can get so upset about this. It is not just the Taliban. There are a lot of people angry about this. Sure he had the right to burn the book if he wanted to, but the point is that this person knew what he was doing. The pastor knew people would get hurt.

 

[circa02]

When one murders and holds that level of hatred- they really DON'T hold any love in their hearts.

So does that mean your against the military?