Video of NATO Commander's Apology to Afghans for Disposal of Korans As my colleagues Alissa Rubin, Sharifullah Sahak and Sangar Rahimi report, the NATO commander in Afghanistan issued an apology on Tuesday after learning that foreign troops had "improperly disposed of a large number of Islamic religious materials, which included Korans." The commander, Gen. John R. Allen, spoke directly to the Afghan people in a recorded statement that was posted on YouTube by NATO's International Security Assistance Force. Rumors that copies of the Koran had been set on fire by NATO soldiers led to a protest outside the Bagram Air Base on Tuesday during which stones were thrown. Last year, after a copy of the Koran was burned by the pastor of a Florida church, enraged protesters overran a United Nations compound in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, killing at least 12 people. Here is a complete transcript of General Allen's statement, as posted on the Web site of the NATO mission in Afghanistan: To the noble people of Afghanistan - I have ordered an investigation into a report I received during the night that ISAF personnel at Bagram Air Base improperly disposed of a large number of Islamic religious materials which included Korans. I assure you - I promise you - this was NOT intentional in any way. I offer my sincere apologies for any offense this may have caused, to the president of Afghanistan, the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and most importantly, to the noble people of Afghanistan. I would like to thank the local Afghan people who helped us identify the error, and who worked with us to immediately take corrective action. Manana, Tashakur [Thank you]. While it might seem surprising that the American-led mission continues to have difficulty with ensuring that soldiers are sensitive to this aspect of local culture, it is true that burning revered items can mean something quite different to young men and women educated in the United States. For example, the part of the United States Code that deals with "Respect for the Flag" outlines a litany ways that it should not be displayed, and then concludes: "The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."