Troops in Koran Burning to Be Punished, Not Charged

The US military will not recommend the US troops who burned Korans at an Afghanistan NATO base, sparking protests, face any criminal charges. Administrative punishments have been recommended instead, MSNBC reports. The punishment will likely involve a rank and pay drop, a letter of reprimand, or the assignment of additional duties; it has been recommended for as many as seven troops who were involved: soldiers in the US Army, including at least one officer, and at least one sailor in the US Navy.

The lack of any criminal charges is in keeping with the military's initial assertion that the incident, while regrettable, was a mistake. But it is likely to anger Afghans who were enraged by the burning, reports the AP. The military investigation is now complete, and has been turned over to service branch chiefs at the Pentagon for review. (More Koran stories.)