Americans troops have recently incited rage in Afghanistan. From the burning of the Quran, to the reckless killing of 16 civilians in the district of Panjwai, the Afghanistan government has become increasingly aggravated with the troops’ behavior.

The burning of the Quran appears to be justified.  It was alleged that the Qurans burned held writings which detailed future attacks on America. American troops burned the books out for the prevention of future attack, and out of respect for Islam, as the holy text was slandered.

The killing of nine children, three women and four men on Sunday, in the words of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, is “unforgivable”. While the Taliban has already threatened future attacks, the Afghanistan government demands justice, and the people are outraged.

The soldier who committed the fatal shootings remains unnamed, but “the suspect is from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, a military official said, adding the soldier is assigned to a Special Forces unit,” CNN reports. The soldier was spotted leaving the base at 3 am on Sunday morning. After the shootings, the suspect turned himself in according to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. His motives remain unknown and is currently being held in US custody.

World leaders have already expressed deep condolences. President Barack Obama, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany have released statements berating the acts of terror

“In a statement, President Obama said the U.S. military will “get the facts as quickly as possible and to hold accountable anyone responsible.” He said the attack “does not represent the exceptional character of our military and the respect that the United States has for the people of Afghanistan,’” according to CNN.

Our military has caused serious pain for the nation of Afghanistan, and that is clearly not our goal. We must take responsibility for these actions, and renew our focus on the true goal: achieving global safety.