The chief of NATO agrees with the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan: A radical Florida church really shouldn’t burn copies of the Koran.
“I strongly condemn that. I think it’s a disrespectful action and in general I really urge people to respect other people’s faith and behave respectfully. I think such actions are in strong contradiction with all the values we stand for and fight for,” said NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, according to The Cable.
“Of course, there is a risk that it may also have a negative impact on the security for our troops,” he added.
Rasmussen’s comments come on the heels of a statement by Gen. David Petraeus that the Koran-burning, planned for Sept. 11, could endanger American troops. Petraeus spoke on the subject the same day hundreds of protesters gathered in Kabul against the planned Koran-burning, with some yelling “Death to America!” and throwing rocks at a passing U.S. convoy.
Rasmussen spoke to reporters in Washington, D.C., today, ahead of a meeting at about noon ET with President Obama.
The pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center, Terry Jones, said today he would still go forward with his “International Burn A Koran Day,” despite the warning from Petraeus. The Florida church, which has about 50 members, has also put signs on its lawn reading “Islam is of the devil.”
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