“„Responding to an episode ripe with the potential to stoke unrest, the commander, Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, held a meeting Saturday with Iraqi leaders.
“„“I come before you here seeking your forgiveness,” General Hammond said at the meeting, in remarks carried by CNN. “In the most humble manner, I look in your eyes today and I say, please forgive me and my soldiers.”
“„General Hammond also read a letter of apology from the soldier, who was not identified. “I sincerely hope that my actions have not diminished the partnership that our two nations have developed together,” the general read from the letter.
“„Another American officer kissed a Koran and gave it to the tribal leaders, according to news agency reports.
“„We’re a long way from 2004, when we bombed a wedding party, killing over a dozen people, and our resident genius public affairs officer shrugged it off: “Hey, bad people can have parties too.” (That man is now a senior official in the Defense Department.) Abu Muqawama wonders, though, if junior soldiers understand this is the kind of shit that will lose a war — and not just failing to kill bad guys.