U.S.

EMBASSY – BAGHDAD
News Release
For Immediate Release September 8, 2010
2010/45

U.S. Embassy and U.S. Forces – Iraq Condemn Plans

To Burn Copies Of the Qu’ran

The threat by an individual in Florida to burn the Holy Qu’ran on September 11 is, as
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has stated, disrespectful, divisive, and
disgraceful. As the U.S. Ambassador in Iraq and the Commanding General of U.S.
Forces – Iraq, we are committed to President Obama’s vision of an enduring
partnership between the government of the United States and the Government of Iraq
and between our two peoples based on shared principles of democracy, tolerance and
mutual respect.

As Secretary Clinton also said, “Acts of disrespect, hate, and intolerance do not
represent the American way of life we support and defend, and do not reflect the
shared values and mutual respect that unite Americans and people of the Middle East.
Such provocative acts are an insult to the American tradition of religious tolerance,
serve only to fuel and incite violent extremism, and may place the lives of military
and civilian personnel serving in the region at greater risk.”

As this holy month of Ramadan comes to a close and Iraqis prepare to celebrate Eid
al-Fitr, we join with the citizens of Iraq and of every nation to repudiate religious
intolerance and to respect and defend the diversity of faiths of our fellow man.

Eid Mubarak.

Signed:

James F. Jeffrey, Ambassador of the United States of America

Lloyd J. Austin III, Commanding General of U.S. Forces – Iraq

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