Congressman Coffman: "Burn a Koran Day" is a shameless publicity stunt

Colorado Congressman Mike Coffman, a Republican who served in Iraq with the Marines prior to being elected to Congress in 2008, believes the impending "Burn a Koran Day", organized by Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center, is a shameless publicity stunt that could have deadly consequences.

"I think he's gonna get a lot of money off this, but he's going to do it at the expense of our men and women serving in uniform, particularly in Afghanistan and in Iraq as well," Coffman told FOX 31 Wednesday. "This is blood money. This is at the expense of those who are fighting in defense of our freedom."

In Coffman's view, a view echoed by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Thursday, the image of an American setting fire the Muslim holy book will only enflame religious fanaticism and violence in the Arab world, where American forces are currently working to reduce violence and to win the hearts and minds of civilians there.    – More -