In a letter to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, President Obama has expressed regret and apologized for the burnings of Qurans by some U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan, the White House has confirmed.
Tommy Vietor, spokesman for the National Security Council, has released this statement:
"Following up on their Feb. 20 phone call, the president sent a letter to President Karzai to continue their discussion on a range of issues related to our long-term partnership. In the letter, delivered by Ambassador Crocker this afternoon in Kabul, the president also expressed our regret and apologies over the incident in which religious materials were unintentionally mishandled at Bagram Airbase."
As we reported earlier, there's also word today that two U.S. troops were apparently killed by a man dressed in an Afghan army uniform. Afghan officials are linking the killings to anger over the Quran burnings.
There have been protests in various parts of Afghanistan since word broke that some Islamic religious materials, including Qurans, were burned by international military personnel at the Bagram Air Field north of Kabul. The commander of international forces, American Gen. John Allen, has apologized, said the burnings were unintentional and that an investigation is underway.
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