Obama dismisses critics of his apology to Afghans
Afghans express their rage over the accidental burning of Korans by U.S. soldiers at Bagram Airbase.
The apology to Afghan President Hamid Karzai "calmed things down," Mr. Obama told ABC News in an interview at the White House, though he added that "we're not out of the woods yet." The burning of the Islamic holy book, which the White House said was accidental, prompted days of protests across Afghanistan and resulted in the death of four Americans and dozens of Afghans.
The apology also prompted criticism from Mr. Obama's political opponents, including GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, who said the president "surrendered" in making the apology. Gingrich said Mr. Obama "is consistently apologizing to people who do not deserve the apology of the president of the United States, period."
In his interview with ABC News, Mr. Obama said that his "criteria in any decision I make, getting recommendations from folks who are actually on the ground, is what is going to best protect our folks and make sure that they can accomplish their mission."
He added that the politics of the issue don't concern him.
"Everything else -- the politics or second-guessing of these various decisions -- I'm not worried about," said the president.
U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker and Marine Gen. John Allen, the commander-in-charge of the war, told "CBS Evening News" anchor Scott Pelley Wednesday that the incident will not destroy the frayed U.S.-Afghan relationship. The violence erupted after Americans were seen dumping books into a garbage pit where waste is burned.
"Scott, clearly it's been a bad week but I'm quite confident we'll get through this," said Crocker. "The pace of protest has slowed dramatically. A decade's worth of relationships doesn't go away in a single week, so we'll move forward."
Popular in Politics
- Officials on Benghazi: "We made mistakes, but without malice" 427 Comments
- Poll: Most think IRS targeting was deliberate 166 Comments
- Top IRS official to invoke 5th Amendment at congressional testimony 116 Comments
- Obama: "Full focus" is on recovery from Oklahoma tornado 82 Comments
- Former IRS chief: "I can't say" what led to IRS targeting
- Va. GOP candidate: Planned Parenthood "more lethal" for blacks than KKK 1172 Comments
- Senate committee approves immigration bill
- IRS scandal highlights leadership vacancies
you idiot...who cares what the Afghanis think about burning the Koran? Hmmmmm maybe the US TROOPS should care since they are the ones in harms way!!!! Its easy for you to sit back and say "who cares what they think" when you arent there and arent in harms way....of course we have to care what they think or else things like THIS will happen...God, you neo-cons are so narrow minded!
____________________________________________________________________
Easy there turbo. May aren't we excitable today. I think the point is that if someone is going to attack the troops, an apology from the POTUS is not going to change their mind. By saying that it has reduced the danger to troops, you are expressing a "hope" not a fact. Also, he could have handled it as Bush did and have someone express regret on his behalf. That's the chain of command.
None of the Obama apologists bring up the relevant fact that those books were being used to transmit communication between terrorists or that defacing a Quran is equal to burning it. So where is the muslim outrage directed at the terrorists for defacing their wonderful holy book? It's not there, which makes this more an expression of American Hatred, than a valid expression of outrage about supposed desecration of a Quran. Taking that into account, no apology was warranted here in my opinion. Maybe something from the theater commander or something, but definitely not our President. Lots of people think we should go around apologizing to everyone. I'm not one of them. I think Obama has lessened the Presidency or else he just doesn't understand the Office.
Their President is a gangster, appointed by Dumya, who is currently negotiating with the Taliban for a "political" settlement" once we leave.
It's been in all the papers, here on earth.
====================================================================================================================================
Fake Marines excuse for voting for Obama -
"BUT BUT BUT BUT BUSH" Fake marine can't tell us how great Obama is all he can say is "But Bush but Bush" did the same thing.
I guess comparing Obama to what the left calls "the worst president in the history of the country". Is designed to make people think Obama isn't the worst president in history.
Kind of funny if you think about it!
Not the first time a book has been destroyed.
Obama did the right thing...if he had not, it would have left the impression that this was intentional...leading to the breeding of more future terrorists...not to say that the apology will cure everything...but it most certainly cant hurt...conservatives are too stupid and full of hate to realize this.
I have news for you. The terrorist dont care what you think of them.
The situation has now become worse since you and Obama apoligized.
To update an old joke aimed at the archfiend Walter O'Mally, who took the Brooklyn Dodgers to LA...
You're locked in a room with three infamous Republican criminals...
One is Richard Nixon, a treasonous SOB who sabotaged the Paris Vietnam Peace talks...as a private citizen...in order to win election...at a cost of seven more years of war and 40,000 additional American lives...
The second is George W Bush...a chronic under-achiever who had the presidency purchased for him, and the man most responsible for wars based on lies faught to enrich his cronies and who presided over the largest transfer of wealth (theft) in the hhistory of the human race...among many other high crimes and misdemeanors...
The third is Newt Gingrich...
You have a pistol, but only two rounds of ammunition...
WHAT DO YOU DO...?
You shoot Gingrich twice!!!
As for all the hate-filled morons posting here...sorry for the lack of much-needed ammo...
Maybe later...
LOL!
(CBS/AP) KABUL, Afghanistan - Two U.S. troops were shot dead in southern Afghanistan when three assailants, two of whom were believed to be Afghan soldiers, turned their weapons against American troops on Thursday.
The sad part is the followers of Obama actually believe it.
You are letting you imagination run away with you and your selective memory as well.
Obama's surrender apology hasn't changed anything since he apologizes at the drop of a hat.
Bush's did help since he wasn't always apologizing.
You yourself need to stop apologizing for Obama because no one cares.
They spit on his weak president's apology.
He has apologized so much to everyone that it meaningless to anyone who receives one from him.
We are still waiting for their president or dictator to apologize to the US for murdering our soldiers.
'I'm sorry, so sorry' Boo Hoo!
Is that all you'll ever have is Bush as an excuse for OBozo's failures.
You'll be stuck in the past as the world or the "earth' leaves you behind.
Ha! Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!