Update: A State Department spokesman has said the burn pit disposal “does not represent our values or our view of how the Quran ought to be treated.”  While it is understandable the US government would support a respectful treatment of religious articles, it is unclear why it holds unequal views of respect depending on the religion, as described below.  Protests continue.

NATO commander in Afghanistan Gen John Allen has reportedly called for a probe of the treatment of Korans and other religious items used by detainees at the American run Bagram Air Base:

Local Afghan leader, Ahmad Zaki Zahed, says U.S. military officials have given him about 30 Korans and other religious books that were used by detainees once incarcerated at the base.

He says some were burned, but others were retrieved from the trash before they were burned.

The response of the Afghans was typically reported: 

Police say more than 2,000 angry Afghans are protesting…The demonstrators are shouting “Die, die, foreigners!”

This is not the first time the US military has gone out of its way to defend the treatment of the Koran.  Some might be quick to note the US never investigated the military’s decision to toss privately owned Bibles in the trash, where they were likely incinerated — which is probably the same place the Korans went. (In fact, they may have gone precisely the same place, as the Bible-burning also occurred at Bagram Air Base.)  The MRFF even raised money off the al Jazeera linked incident with a chaplain’s sermon.  As noted by a local editorial at the time, Christians didn’t take to the streets saying “die!” either.