'Blasphemous' balls anger Afghans (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Alastair Leithead
BBC News, Kabul

A demonstration has been held in south- east Afghanistan accusing US troops of insulting Islam after they distributed footballs bearing the name of Allah.

The balls showed the Saudi Arabian flag which features the Koranic declaration of faith.

The US military said the idea had been to give something for Afghan children to enjoy and they did not realise it would cause offence.

The footballs were dropped from a helicopter in Khost province.

Some displayed flags from countries all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, which features the shahada, one of the five pillars of Islam - the declaration of faith.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6964564.stm

[gatorboy]

1. Wah Wah Waaahhhhhhh.

[Chulanowa]

2. Wow... There's priorities for you, huh?

Apparently these hundred people have some free time on their hands. Must be nice.

[pingzing58]

3. And they wanted to be greeted as victors with flowers! Fools, they're ignorant of the culture.

[MiniMe]

4. If ones mind were in the gutter...

one could take that headline many ways. :evilgrin:

[Bluebear]

5. I hate those kind of balls,

[uppityperson]

6. Culturally ignorant. Kicking your faith around is not a good thing.

Get a clue, you who are trying to do public relations.

[The Straight Story]

7. A lesson worth learning here on the home front....

:)

[Warren DeMontague]

8. Hey, look, there's two of 'em!

Threads on this topic, I mean.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1666962

[eppur_se_muova]

9. Actually, looks like 4 or 5 ... but who can resist "blasphemous balls" ? nt

[broadcaster]

10. Basketballs with Jesus's picture is ok then...?

I have the feeling that Karen Hughes was involved in that
Afghan soccer ball deal...it strikes me as something she
would conceive of, given her total ignorance of ME culture.

[SoCalDem]

11. Gen. Les Nessman's idea, no doubt

Oh the humanity..

[eppur_se_muova]

12. LOL! next -- the greased pig contest! nt

[SoCalDem]

15. I was thinking of the helicopter turkey drop

:)

[eppur_se_muova]

16. A classic! "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!" nt

[Tinksrival]

13. Do I smell Karen Hughes

or is that big foot?

[soothsayer]

14. Allah's got HUGE balls. We'd better do Jesus basketballs or something

so our god can have bigger ones.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

17. Oh, SOCCER balls. I thought they wanted folks to toss around the ol' pigskin...