General David Patraeus, the commander of the US forces in Afghanistan, has warned a Florida-based evangelical Christian church against burning copies of Muslim holy books on September 11. That incomprehensible act will endanger US troops in Afghanistan and also put all Americans at risk all around the world.

You cannot fight fire with fire. The images of Muslims burning American flags are seen constantly around the world, but it not a wise action to fuel tension at this time. Tension is already high because of the issue of building an Islamic center near ground zero, and the approach of 9/11.

An offense against the second largest religion in the world — estimated to be 1.57 billion — is like poking an African beehive. The US cannot affort to play with fire; the consequences of such actions will be bad for US troops.

If Pastor Terry Jones is patriotic and supports US troops, he should stop that nonsense. As the Igbo of Nigeria  say, “Anyone who urinates in a stream should be warned because his relatives may drink from the water.”