Whats with the Koran?

     It seems now that all the American media is interested in is a nut in Florida who wants to burn a Koran.  Our own government is also obsessed with this guy.  People fear that this man's actions will cause severe repercussions by offended Muslims, and the likes of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.  I think this man is a nut, but let me tell you, I see anti-American demonstrations about every other day here in Kabul-- Muslims chanting "death to America", at the same time their government is mad at us for not bailing out the Kabul Bank!  So if this guy burns the Koran, does that mean that I will see more demonstrations? 
     It seems that all these politically correct people do is apologize for our Constitution that allows us freedom of speech.  We call this guy "fanatical", but call the murderous Taliban  "insurgents".  What is wrong with us?  The government and media are afraid of offending our enemies-- they live in fear that if we burn their book, or make a cartoon of Muhammad they might do something to us.  Well, since I don't see the media talking much about casualties these days, let me bring you up to date: we have lost 5,696 Americans killed in action, and 39,168 wounded in action as of yesterday (not counting the civilian deaths on 9/11)!  What did they die for? 
     There is a new policy here in Afghanistan, called, "Afghanistan First".  It is "policy", meaning that our priorities are not the safety of our troops, or that they get their supplies on time, it means that we make sure that all our effort go towards "nation building", helping Afghanistan become a democracy, like ours.  I don't think anyone in Washington ever asked the Afghan people if they want a democracy.  So, we are suffering casualties almost daily pushing our democratic values (values that when exercised in a manner not acceptable to the White House or Hollywood, we apologize for) on a culture whose religion does not allow them to embrace.  And, we live in constant fear that we might offend the enemy if some American exercises his Constitutional rights. 
     To give you an example of "Afghanistan First", the British troops in the south were running out of food a couple of weeks ago due to the inefficiency of the Afghan Customs Department-- they would not release many containers of food until they had completed the correct paperwork (which they had had for weeks).  So the British soldiers went on combat rations (MREs) because we couldn't get the interest of our leadership.  As a matter of fact, it took several weeks for this issue to even be raised to the diplomatic and general officer level.  Yet, when Kabul Bank collapses, the US immediately released $300 million in "Afghan deposits" to aid the failing bank, because there wasn't money in the bank to pay their police, military, and teachers (where was the money?  the bank had lent hundreds of millions of dollars to the top 3 share holders, 2 of whom were related to top Afghan leaders). 
     What happened to the people that looked in the eye, of the most powerful Army and Navy on earth, and said, "give me liberty or give me death"?  Were those people afraid they might offend the British leaders or people?  Did they apologize to the King for their despairing remarks of his tyranny?  Is burning the Koran right-- of course not.  But lets put this in perspective-- it is an insignificant man in Florida doing something irresponsible and disrespectful.  Legal-- yes, the right thing to do-- no, and that's it!  Our soldiers die every day for guys like this little preacher in Florida, and we die every day for those who make good decisions.  The point is, that we are willing to die for the privilege to have choices!