Pentagon Offical Apologizes to Area Muslims for Quran Burning

A senior Pentagon official apologized to Washington-area Muslims for the burning of Qurans at a military base in Afghanistan.
 
Peter Lavoy, acting assistant secretary of defense for Asia and Pacific security affairs, says the military is investigating and that all troops are being retrained in the handling of religious materials.
 
Lavoy's offered his apology Friday at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society in northern Virginia. They come after protests across Afghanistan over the burning of several Qurans at a U.S. military base. Military officials say 20 people have died in the protests, including two U.S. soldiers.
 
President Barack Obama has apologized for the burning, which authorities say was a mistake. But the protests continue.
 
The mosque's imam called on Muslims to respond peacefully and with tolerance.