Have we come to a turning point in America’s relationship with Afghanistan?

The violence that resulted in the deaths of five today – three civilians shot dead, and two senior Nato service men, a colonel and a major – certainly suggests so.

America’s occupation which was never accepted by a people who have never welcomed foreign armies on their soil is now even less secure following the burning of the copies of the Holy Quran in Bagram Airbase.

Even those who have been the allies of the Isaf will be unable to explain away the actions of the Americans who still don’t seemed to have grasped the enormity of their actions – pulling out personnel from Afghan buildings in the short-term will not solve the problem.

For the Nato soldiers killed in the violence that has resulted from the burning of the Holy Quran have been killed by members of the Afghan security forces – people who were supposed to be on their side.

And for the first time, the anger can not be explained away by pointing fingers at a single ethnic group.

A Sky News report described this anger as ‘blind rage’ –  it’s not that, it’s the anger felt when someone has just thrust a spear into something that is as precious to you as your heart.