How a Fire Broke Out (NEWSWEEK source is now unsure)

Newsweek ^ | 05/15/05 | Evan Thomas

[Pikamax]

May 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.

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The spark was apparently lit at a press conference held on Friday, May 6, by Imran Khan, a Pakistani cricket legend and strident critic of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. Brandishing a copy of that week's NEWSWEEK (dated May 9), Khan read a report that U.S. interrogators at Guantánamo prison had placed the Qur'an on toilet seats and even flushed one. "This is what the U.S. is doing," exclaimed Khan, "desecrating the Qur'an." His remarks, as well as the outraged comments of Muslim clerics and Pakistani government of-ficials, were picked up on local radio and played throughout neighboring Afghani-stan. Radical Islamic foes of the U.S.-friendly regime of Hamid Karzai quickly exploited local discontent with a poor economy and the continued presence of U.S. forces, and riots began breaking out last week.

[ImpotentRage]

That's my feeling as well. When muslim countries allow freedom of religion then I will feel for them and their precious Koran. Until then...well, you get the picture.

[BayouCoyote]

That's my feeling as well. When muslim countries allow freedom of religion then I will feel for them and their precious Koran. Until then...well, you get the picture.

Won't happen. Infidel religions will never be allowed.

[auzerais]

I suggest that every Freeper go to their local supermarket newstand, take out every one of those [return postage prepaid] subscription cards and write NEWSWEEK LIED, PEOPLE DIED on them and then mail them back to Newsweek.

When they start getting hundreds of thousands of these back, perhaps they will begin to understand our outrage.

[auzerais]

What I cannot understand is that neither NewsWatch on FoxNews or Reliable Sources on CNN this weekend even bothered to address either this issue of Newsweek*s lies or that of CBS* own outrageous distortions of Ken Starr*s remarks concerning the so-called "nuclear option".

These two programs are supposedly on air to cover the media*s bias and lies, yet neither of these two very important items were even discussed in passing on their programs.

[Dilbert56]

Cuple of thoughts:

• Newspeak isn't required to protect the confindentiality of sources that give them bad information.
• Even if a dozen Korans were flushed, the flushers and the reporters aren't responsible for what these clerics have done. They have incited the riot. I doubt anyone in Afghanistan reads Newsweak.
• Time to stand up for Islam. Someone, needs to ask these "clerics" if the Gitmo prisoners are good Muslims. If they say they are, they damn an entire religion. If they're not good muslims, how would desecrating the Koran be an effective tactic? Why would if bother them at all?

[seawitch1261]

Newsweek Lied People Died

E-mail addresses fro Newsweek
Letters@newsweek.com
Editors@newsweek.com
WebEditors@newsweek.com

From Little Green Footballs comment section, list of current advertisors at Newsweek:

Nissan
Metlife
Microsoft
Walden University
Trend Micro
Discovery channel
Franklin Templeton Investments
Exxon Mobil
T Mobile
Sepracor
Harper Collins
Ford
Lever 2000
Thermacare
Transitions
Claritin
Nexium
Triscuit
Kashi
Phillip Morris
Dannon
Merck
GE
Toyota
MSNBC
Little Giant (ladders)
Seattles Best
Sleepright
Canon
Budweiser

[festus]

placed the Qur'an on toilet seats and even flushed one

This should have been the dead give away. Try this at home. Get a Koran or any decent novel sized paper back. Put it in your commode and flush. If you succeed in flushing it let me know. I predict it will not flush and remain in the bowl.

You cannot flush the Koran

(unless you shred it first).

[The Real Deal]

It's time for Isikoff to give up the source, or admit that there isn't one. I think that he made up the whole thing, and needs to pay the price.

[bray]

Isakook and the editor should both turn in their resignations immediately!! What's good for Enron is good for Snoozeweek!!

Pray for W and Our Troops

[doug from upland]

I am not taking this back.

MIDI - BOBBY'S GIRL

I know that he wants me bad…I know that he wants me bad

I'm only 8 years old…he's still got it, I'm told
In just one year I'm gonna be his

Although I still am flat...he'll call me pussy cat
That I'm too young is nobody's biz

I will be Mohammed's girl…I will be Mohammed's girl
That is what I really want to be
When I'm Mohammed's girl…I am Mohammed's girl
I know he will take good care of me

All of his wives are hags…they've turned into old bags
I am so fresh and very nubile

On me he's had his eye…he is my kind of guy
I'll be the next one he will defile

I will be Mohammed's girl…I will be Mohammed's girl
That is what I really want to be
When I'm Mohammed's girl…I am Mohammed's girl
I know he will take good care of me

[kellynla]

"Newsweak" lied and good men died!

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[mallardx]

Good post, livius. To me, the Evan Thomas article is not much of a retraction, more of a counter-point, a way to excuse them from their true cause, embarrassing the Bush Administration no matter what harm is done. I know an executive at NewsWeak, all the people in the firm are rabid lefties. Evan Thomas himself was in the Kerry camp.