Reuters -- Pulling for the Other Side

Reuters reports on President Karzai's condemnation of the burning of two Taliban bodies by U.S. soldiers:

Afghan President Hamid Karzai demanded a quick investigation on Friday after the release of video footage appearing to show U.S. soldiers burning the corpses of two Taliban fighters in Afghanistan

The U.S. military -- already under fire for the handling of Afghan detainees and desecration of the Koran in Guantanamo Bay, which provoked angry protests in Afghanistan -- has ordered an inquiry into the footage shown on Australian television.

"We in Afghanistan, in accordance with our religion and traditions and adherence to international law, are very unhappy and condemn the burning of two Taliban dead bodies," Karzai told reporters at the presidential palace.

It's hard not to recoil when reading a Reuters report of anything the U.S. military is doing as they try to blemish the U.S. military with yet another incident that like they are making a mountain out of molehill.

In the second paragraph bolded above, the reported angle is clear. However, they didn't further mention how the U.S. Military has responded to the incident. Here is the official statement from CENTCOM:

Recent media reports out of Afghanistan have alleged that U.S. forces were involved in an incident involving the desecration of the bodies of deceased enemy combatants.

Under no circumstances does U.S. Central Command condone the desecration, abuse or inappropriate treatment of enemy combatants. Such actions are contrary to U.S. policy as well as the Geneva Convention.

The Army Criminal Investigation Division has initiated an investigation into the alleged misconduct. Should that investigation uncover actions by U.S. personnel that were contrary to the Geneva Convention and U.S. policy, legal and disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

It looks to me as if the U.S. Military and President Karzai are on the same page. Furthering the investigation, CENTCOM continues:

The Army Criminal Investigation Division has initiated an investigation into alleged misconduct by U.S. service members, including the burning of dead enemy combatant bodies under inappropriate circumstances.

"This command takes all allegations of misconduct or inappropriate behavior seriously and has directed an investigation into circumstances surrounding this allegation," said Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya, Combined Joint Task Force-76 Commander. "If the allegation is substantiated, the appropriate course of action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and corrective action will be taken."

Service members are expected to abide by the highest standards of behavior and the law, he said.

"This command does not condone the mistreatment of enemy combatants or the desecration of their religious and cultural beliefs," Kamiya said.

"This alleged action is repugnant to our common values, is contrary to our commands approved tactical operating procedures, and is not sanctioned by this command. Our efforts to thoroughly investigate this allegation are a reflection of our commitment to the Government of Afghanistan and the Afghan people."

"We do not like such incidents and I hope such incidents will not occur again."

The footage was shot by an Australian network in the southern province of Kandahar, former bastion of the Taliban.

The report quoted the U.S. soldiers as saying they burned the bodies for reasons of hygiene. But the act could be deeply offensive to Muslims, whose faith prohibits cremation and demands respect for the dead.

The Reuters article makes it look as if the U.S. Military was acting in concert as a whole to create a situation that led to the burning and desecration of Muslim bodies. Apparently, Reuters was not interested in what CENTCOM had to say, or what they are actually doing. If they were, they might have found something that they didn't want to hear.