Newsweek gets story wrong, People Die!

[DKW 86 7,441]

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Newsweek Apologizes; Afghans Want Action By STEPHEN GRAHAM, Associated Press Writer

2 hours, 27 minutes ago

Muslims in Afghanistan gave Washington three days to offer a response to a Newsweek story that claimed the Islamic holy book was desecrated at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, but the magazine apologized Sunday for the report, which prompted deadly riots across Afghanistan last week.

Reaction across the Islamic world has been strong, with daily demonstrations since the May 9 story came out. At least 15 people died in Afghanistan after protests broke out Tuesday following the report that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, placed Qurans in washrooms to unsettle suspects, and in one case "flushed a holy book down the toilet."

Many of the 520 inmates at Guantanamo are Muslims arrested during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. In both Afghanistan and Pakistan, insults to the Quran and Islam's prophet, Muhammad, are regarded as blasphemy and punishable by death.

"The American soldiers are known for disrespect to other religions. They do not take care of the sanctity of other religions," Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the Pakistani chief of a coalition of radical Islamic groups, said Sunday.

Ahmed's comments came a day after Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, both allies of Washington, demanded an investigation and punishment for those behind the reported desecration of the Quran.

In Afghanistan, Islamic scholars and tribal elders called for the punishment of anyone found to have abused the Quran, said Maulawi Abdul Wali Arshad, head of the religious affairs department in Badakhshan province.

Arshad and the provincial police chief said the scholars met in Faizabad, 310 miles northeast of the capital, Kabul, and demanded a "reaction" from U.S. authorities within three days.

But Newsweek apologized in an editor's note for Monday's edition and said they were re-examining the allegations.

"We regret that we got any part of our story wrong, and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the U.S. soldiers caught in its midst," Newsweek Editor Mark Whitaker wrote.

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Newsweek says Koran desecration report is wrong By David Morgan

Sun May 15, 7:37 PM ET

Newsweek magazine said on Sunday it erred in a May 9 report that U.S. interrogators desecrated the Koran at Guantanamo Bay, and apologized to the victims of deadly Muslim protests sparked by the article.

Editor Mark Whitaker said the magazine inaccurately reported that U.S. military investigators had confirmed that personnel at the detention facility in Cuba had flushed the Muslim holy book down the toilet.

The report sparked angry and violent protests across the Muslim world from Afghanistan, where 16 were killed and more than 100 injured, to Pakistan to Indonesia to Gaza. In the past week it was condemned in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and by the Arab League.

On Sunday, Afghan Muslim clerics threatened to call for a holy war against the United States.

"We regret that we got any part of our story wrong, and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the U.S. soldiers caught in its midst," Whitaker wrote in the magazine's latest issue, due to appear on U.S. newsstands on Monday.

The weekly news magazine said in its May 23 edition that the information had come from a "knowledgeable government source" who told Newsweek that a military report on abuse at Guantanamo Bay said interrogators flushed at least one copy of the Koran down a toilet in a bid to make detainees talk.

But Newsweek said the source later told the magazine he could not be certain he had seen an account of the Koran incident in the military report and that it might have been in other investigative documents or drafts.

Whitaker told Reuters that Newsweek did not know if the reported toilet incident involving the Koran ever occurred. "As to whether anything like this happened, we just don't know," he said in an interview. "We're not saying it absolutely happened but we can't say that it absolutely didn't happen either."

INCIDENT UNDER INVESTIGATION

The acknowledgment by the magazine came amid heightened scrutiny of the U.S. media, which has seen a rash of news organizations fire reporters and admit that stories were fabricated or plagiarized.

The Pentagon told the magazine the report was wrong last Friday, saying it had investigated earlier allegations of Koran desecration from detainees and found them "not credible."

Newsweek reported that Pentagon spokesman Lawrence DiRita reacted angrily when the magazine asked about the source's continued assertion that he had read about the Koran incident in an investigative report. "People are dead because of what this son of a bitch said. How could he be credible now?" DiRita told Newsweek.

The May 9 report, which appeared as a brief item by Michael Isikoff and John Barry in the magazine's "Periscope" section, had a huge international impact, sparking the protests from Muslims who consider the Koran the literal word of God and treat each book with deep reverence.

Desecration of the Koran is punishable by death in Afghanistan and Pakistan

More from MSNBC

By Evan Thomas

NewsweekMay 23 issue - By the end of the week, the rioting had spread from Afghanistan throughout much of the Muslim world, from Gaza to Indonesia. Mobs shouting "Protect our Holy Book!" burned down government buildings and ransacked the offices of relief organizations in several Afghan provinces. The violence cost at least 15 lives, injured scores of people and sent a shudder through Washington, where officials worried about the stability of moderate regimes in the region.

On Saturday, Isikoff spoke to his original source, the senior government official, who said that he clearly recalled reading investigative reports about mishandling the Qur'an, including a toilet incident. But the official, still speaking anonymously, could no longer be sure that these concerns had surfaced in the SouthCom report. Told of what the NEWSWEEK source said, DiRita exploded, "People are dead because of what this son of a bitch said. How could he be credible now?"

In the meantime, as part of his ongoing reporting on the detainee-abuse story, Isikoff had contacted a New York defense lawyer, Marc Falkoff, who is representing 13 Yemeni detainees at Guantánamo. According to Falkoff's declassified notes, a mass-suicide attempt—when 23 detainees tried to hang or strangle themselves in August 2003—was triggered by a guard's dropping a Qur'an and stomping on it. One of Falkoff's clients told him, "Another detainee tried to kill himself after the guard took his Qur'an and threw it in the toilet." A U.S. military spokesman, Army Col. Brad Blackner, dismissed the claims as unbelievable. "If you read the Al Qaeda training manual, they are trained to make allegations against the infidels," he said.

For fairness sake, isikoff was the newsweek Reporter that broke the Paula jones Story. Now both sides can hate him.

[CCTAU 3,348]

Don't we have laws against inciting to riot?

Time to arrest these pukes. This is not a first amendment right. This is inciting to riot.

[Auburn85 432]

It's a cover up by the Bush administration.

[AURaptor 1,126]

Let's not bicker and argue about who killed who.....

Just keep in mind that the Free Press is busy trying to make America and specifically W look as bad and evil as possible, even to the very fanaticals who want to murder us all.

[TrueBlue72 0]

A retraction by Newsweak is NOT sufficient!!! I'm not normally in favor of lawsuits, but a class action lawsuit on behalf of every US military person in the middle east might just be enough to put a stop to this sort of sensationalism and baiting by the news media.

Of course, there would be wailing by the entire media regarding the first amendment, but the first amendment does not protect false chages printed to sell magazines!

[Auburn85 432]

if they want to print fiction.. they should be in the fiction section , not a news mag.

And I do question the reasoning behind the story. What's next.... Bush is caught urinating on a Koran?

And if you make an allegation like this, you should be 300% sure before printing.

And it's too late to retract. Some of the afghan people will go to the grave thinking its true.

And here the US inmaking progress while others are determined to anything and everything to set us back.

And with this type of journalism, I think everyone in the human race could be considered a journalist.

[Tigermike 3,054]

Newsweek switch on Quran story pleases nobody

Muslims see a coverup for U.S.; White House demands full retraction

KABUL - The firestorm of anger continued Monday over Newsweek’s handling of a story that alleged U.S. interrogators desecrated the Quran as Muslim leaders and the Bush administration both blasted the magazine’s partial retraction of the piece.

Muslims in Afghanistan and Pakistan said that U.S. pressure was behind the magazine's shift while presidential spokesman Scott McClellan called it “puzzling” that “while Newsweek now acknowledges that they got the facts wrong, they refuse to retract the story.” U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the story “appalling”

The report in Newsweek’s May 9 issue said that investigators probing abuses at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay found that interrogators “had placed Qurans on toilets, and in at least one case flushed a holy book down the toilet.” It sparked protests across the Muslim world from Afghanistan, where 16 were killed and more than 100 injured, to Pakistan, India, Indonesia and Gaza.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7870840/?GT1=6542

[Jenny AU-92 0]

THIS kind of crap is why I let my (free) subscription to Newsweek lapse. Their layout is better and easier to read than US News, but I got so stinking tired of their one sided bull crap. They think that by letting George Will have the last page for an editorial every other week (as opposed to Anna Quindlen) makes them fair and balanced. They are HORRIBLE and they do not do anything to hide their disgust with and hatred of GWB and this Administration.

I never want to hear a libbie scream "Bush lied people died" again. GWB didn't lie, but Newsweek did, and people really DID die because of it. Now they are trying to do a Brittney "oops I did it again" - but too little, too late. The Muslim community will never beleive a retraction by an American media outlet - fat chance, pinkos.

[Auburn85 432]

I f Bush supposedly "created a justification for war", than Newsweek is crating a justification to remain at war.

[BamaGrad03 0]

This is like the guy who punches someone in the face, breaks their nose, and says...sorry man...i was just kidding. Dont hit me back. Dont get mad.

[Piglet 0]

What shoddy journalism! Where do they get off assuming that Guantanamo prison would have working indoor plumbing?

[MDM4AU 336]

Newsweek Told Koran Flush Story Was 'Slam Dunk'

by Scott Ott

(2005-05-16) -- An unnamed former top government official told a Newsweek magazine reporter that his story, about a U.S. military guard at Guantanamo prison flushing a Koran down a toilet, was "a slam dunk," according to the latest apology from Newsweek editor Mark Whitaker.

The magazine's uncorroborated, single-source, hearsay report of the Koran desecration sparked riots in several Muslim countries, killing at least 15 and injuring perhaps 100.

While the magazine has apologized publicly to the riot victims and their families, Mr. Whitaker told the New York Times, "We're not retracting anything. We don't know what the ultimate facts are."

For those unschooled in professional journalistic ethics, Mr. Whitaker explained that a retraction demands a higher standard of evidence than an ordinary news item.

"You don't just rush to press with a retraction until you nail down the facts," he added.

Newsweek reporter Michael Isikoff said his anonymous source is now unsure where he got the Koran-flushing information, which was broadcast across the Arab world by Al-Jazeera and others.

"If there's a bright side to this story," said Mr. Whitaker. "At least our anonymous sources are safe, unharmed. And of course, our advertisers now know that Newsweek has great credibility in the Arab world, despite the bad feelings that Muslims have about America in general."

In an effort to help in the grieving process, the magazine's publisher said that immediate family members of the dead would receive a free 90-day trial subscription to Newsweek.

"If they're done grieving after 90 days, they can write 'cancel' on the invoice and pay nothing," he said. "Otherwise we'll just bill their credit cards in three easy installments at a substantial savings off the newstand price."

ScrappleFace 

[CarolinaTiger 0]

"You don't just rush to press with a retraction until you nail down the facts," he added.

that's a classic and ironic line.

ct

[Piglet 0]

Three words: Downing Street Memo.

[Tigermike 3,054]

Five words, Newsweek lied and people died!

[TexasTiger 13,028]

Five words, Newsweek lied and people died!

159977[/snapback]

Those keeping score at home in the Hypocrisy Sweepstakes, Newsweek "lied", Bush just had "faulty information."

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Those keeping score at home in the Hypocrisy Sweepstakes, Newsweek "lied", Bush just had "faulty information."

159978[/snapback]

Given the alarmingly poor credibility of the US "mainstream" media with recent reporting blunders and flat out falsehoods, the score in your sweepstakes would be Lying Journalist Lemmings 20 - World Intel Services 1. President Bush acted on the same intel the rest of the worlds leaders had.....give it a rest already.

Back on the subject at hand, the performance of our media is not acceptable. The press in America has constitutional protection from government interference, but there needs to be some responsibility shown by these muck-rakers that they have the integrity to at least do some research before throwing out their tabloid pieces they call journalistic work. They need to hold themselves to a higher standard. There is a lot of competition now for fast breaking news and it’s important to get the story out there first. But it is absolutely imperative that the story is researched and correct above all else.

[AURaptor 1,126]

Those keeping score at home in the Hypocrisy Sweepstakes, Newsweek "lied", Bush just had "faulty information."

All you have to do is simply show us where Bush lied. That's all I've ever asked from the Libs who mindlessly repeat that mantra, over and over.

The fact that Newsweek not only apologized but retracted their story ( wow, that helped a bunch ) only goes to show how moronic your position is.

[AURainman 6]

Five words, Newsweek lied and people died!

159977[/snapback]

Those keeping score at home in the Hypocrisy Sweepstakes, Newsweek "lied", Bush just had "faulty information."

159978[/snapback]

Those keeping score. Bush's decision was made to protect America.

Newsweek's decision was made to create sensationalism, and CANNOT be viewed as protecting our troops. Regardless of intent.

Which seems MORE dangerous to you?

[TexasTiger 13,028]

Five words, Newsweek lied and people died!

159977[/snapback]

Those keeping score at home in the Hypocrisy Sweepstakes, Newsweek "lied", Bush just had "faulty information."

159978[/snapback]

Those keeping score. Bush's decision was made to protect America.

Newsweek's decision was made to create sensationalism, and CANNOT be viewed as protecting our troops. Regardless of intent.

Which seems MORE dangerous to you?

159984[/snapback]

The point is whether they "lied" or had inaccurate information. From WMD to Social Security, no one sensationalizes information more than the Bush administration. There is actually ample information available that supports that the practice they report, flushing the Koran, has happened. In fact, such reports have been in the press many times before:

http://corrente.blogspot.com/2005/05/flushing-newsweek.html

But to answer your question...

One who claims his purpose is to "protect the homeland", when it may be something else, is ultimately more dangerous. E.G.:

"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country." Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials

Actions of a government are most potentially dangerous, especially when that government has an unquestioning populace. True Conservatives know this. Those who just like the way the term sounds, don't.

[TrueBlue72 0]

TT, do you have to try and justify every act of treachery by the libbies and their media lackies with the lame, "but the conservatives did it too" exuse? At least come up with something original for a change!

[CarolinaTiger 0]

TT, do you have to try and justify every act of treachery by the libbies and their media lackies with the lame, "but the conservatives did it too" exuse?  At least come up with something original for a change!

159987[/snapback]

really...if you truly believe the 'bush knew bush knew...bush lied bush lied' stuff, how about being consistent and help us bash newsweak

as far as having ample evidence to go forth with the story... they don't rush into retractions without having the facts....

[TexasTiger 13,028]

TT, do you have to try and justify every act of treachery by the libbies and their media lackies with the lame, "but the conservatives did it too" exuse?  At least come up with something original for a change!

159987[/snapback]

Once again, I didn't defend Newsweek or justify anything. I pointed out the hypocrisy of calling their action a "lie" while bristling at the same characterization of Bush's actions. I didn't say "Bush lied," either. To understand that my post is not a "conservatives did it too" excuse would require at least some critical thinking skills on the reader's part.

Even more dangerous to democracy than a largely unquestioning populace is that segment of the population that quickly rises to attack those who might question. To quote a true Republican:

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." Theodore Roosevelt

[Tigermike 3,054]

Five words, Newsweek lied and people died!

159977[/snapback]

Those keeping score at home in the Hypocrisy Sweepstakes, Newsweek "lied", Bush just had "faulty information."

159978[/snapback]

For those keeping count of the number of times that TexasTiger will bring up President Bush in a negative way in a thread that never mentions W, the score is at 2220 + or - .

Those keeping score at home in the Hypocrisy Sweepstakes, Newsweek "lied", Bush just had "faulty information."

159978[/snapback]

Given the alarmingly poor credibility of the US "mainstream" media with recent reporting blunders and flat out falsehoods, the score in your sweepstakes would be Lying Journalist Lemmings 20 - World Intel Services 1. President Bush acted on the same intel the rest of the worlds leaders had.....give it a rest already.

Back on the subject at hand, the performance of our media is not acceptable. The press in America has constitutional protection from government interference, but there needs to be some responsibility shown by these muck-rakers that they have the integrity to at least do some research before throwing out their tabloid pieces they call journalistic work. They need to hold themselves to a higher standard. There is a lot of competition now for fast breaking news and it’s important to get the story out there first. But it is absolutely imperative that the story is researched and correct above all else.

159982[/snapback]

What he said!

[BamaGrad03 0]

Let's see...Bush took action based on:

Years of past history by Sadaam to support his claims

Years of defiance from Sadaam

HUNDREDS of people working with CIA, FBI etc

The support of congress/senate (including John F'in Kerry)

Newsweek took action based on ONE shaky source with an agenda. Had they even been able to ENSURE the source was reliable...Titan will tell you that a 2 source minimum exists for a reason. And if they had 2 sources...they should have gone through the proper military channels to make a difference...NOT incite rioting as they KNEW this would.

American media thrives on making america look bad. Because American media cares about money money money. Awfully convienent that this took place during sweeps week huh?