The “training” US troops received on how to handle the Koran in Afghanistan closed with this bold-faced, 48-pt font quote on the last slide:

“We will hold sacred the beliefs held sacred by others.”

That was probably a typo, since under the US Constitution the United States officially holds no beliefs sacred; instead, it protects the rights of each citizen to “hold sacred” whatever beliefs they choose.  After all, how can the US government — in this case, the US military — equally “hold sacred” two sets of opposing beliefs?

Answering Muslims had an interesting analogy:

The U.S. Government would make a lousy parent. Imagine you’ve got two children. One is well behaved, the other is a spoiled brat. You go to the grocery store, and both kids ask for candy. You tell them both “No.” The good child accepts your decision and stands quietly. The other child throws himself on the floor, kicking and screaming, flailing around, breaking things, convulsing with rage.

Should you give the spoiled child what he demands? According to the Department of Defense, you should. Whoever throws the biggest tantrum gets whatever he wants. The message we’ve just sent the world is crystal clear: Go on a killing spree, and we will submit.