Posted on 05/15/2005 3:29:47 PM PDT by MadIvan
THE incendiary account of US interrogators flushing a copy of the Koran down a toilet at Guantanamo Bay may not, after all, be true, the magazine behind the claim said.
The report in last week’s Newsweek sparked riots in Afghanistan that spread across the Muslim world, leading to the deaths of at least 14 people and injuries to more than 120.
In this week’s edition the magazine backtracks. “We regret that we got any part of our story wrong and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the US soldiers caught in its midst,” Mark Whitaker, the Editor, wrote in an editorial.
The report last week said that the claims about the Koran, which previously had been aired by other news organisations, would be validated by an inquiry report into the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. It was based on conversations with a senior American official who said that he had seen mention of the Koran incident in the report.
However, on checking with the source since publication, Newsweek said that the official no longer could be sure that they had remembered correctly.
When told of Newsweek’s new stance, Lawrence DiRita, the Pentagon spokesman, raged: “People are dead because of what this son of a bitch said.”
The Pentagon has been under mounting pressure to get to the bottom of the allegations as anti-American riots spread from Gaza to Kabul to Jakarta. The allegations also drew an official protest from Saudi Arabia, one of America’s most crucial allies in the Islamic world.
Yesterday, the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest opposition organisation, demanded that the US apologise, as did Islamic leaders in Bangladesh. In Beirut, Lebanon’s top Sunni Muslim cleric called for an international investigation.
The episode has threatened to give Washington its biggest headache overseas since the prisoner abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib.
Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, said that mistreatment of the Koran was “abhorrent” to right-thinking Americans.
Despite Newsweek’s about-turn, the Pentagon has yet to state officially that no mistreatment of the Koran by interrogators took place at Guantanamo Bay, where the US has held 600 detainees in legal limbo for more than three years.
General Richard Myers Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that no evidence has yet been found to support the claims. Such allegations had been raised before Newsweek’s report. A lawyer for some Guantanamo inmates has blamed the attempted suicide of 23 of them in August 2003 on a US guard stamping on the Koran.
Wasn't there a corrolary report that one of the Muslim prisoners had torn pages out of the Koran trying to stop up
the toilet?
I'm sure there was. What was this not part of the full story?
If they didn't know for absolute certainty that it was true why did they publish it?
Oh yeah I forgot the facts of the allegation don't matter only the seriousness of the charge.
So tell me Mr. Mark Whitaker, Newsweek Editor, have you stopped using illegal drugs yet.
Don't get angry! That's as equally valid an unverified charge as you made in you yellow-sheet scandal sheet.
Maybe we should negotiate reurning these prisoners to an Afghan jail.
Cue Roseanne Rosannadanna.
..and that's why these Ivory Tower/Limousine/Liberals said this, they didn't even care if it was a outright lie/fabrication and were people killed.they wanted the Headlines in the NYT/throughout the world, the truth was be damned...NEWSWEAK: "HEADLINES FOR BLOOD"
Dont expect an apology from Isikoff. You will be waiting a loooooong time. This idiot is responsible for the deaths of many people and he has set back Americas efforts at democracy at least a year. He is a happy man.
There is always an agenda and I keep that in mind.
I think that was the incident all along. As it first hit Isikoff's desk, it was a report that a Koran had been flushed. It was a leap to conclusion that a guard was doing the flushing.
From now on, deem them "Bloody" Newsweek. They've earned it.
muslims imagine they've been offended and go berserk?
—The U.S. ought to apologize.muslims kill over 3,000 Americans in cowardly sneak attacks?
—The U.S. ought to apologize.
Such stuff makes perfect sense...to morons muslims and their dhimmi enablers.
I'd also ask Michael Isikoff and friends which led to more deaths--Abu Grahbe or this screwup of theirs. Beyond the 15 dead, how many American soldiers died/will die because this LIE they spread?
I have now used up any residual bad feelings I had about the Abu Grahbe scandal. All gone. To be replaced by the utter hatred I have for these Democrat suckups, who couldn't care less the fallout from their "reporting", so eager are they to be first with an anti-war on terror story.
Newsweek; n., English-language word meaning "Al Jazeera"
It's not "abhorrent" to this Right-thinking American. I'd use it for toilet paper and then flush it down the tubes.
I hope this becomes the quote that was heard around the world!
"Don't know what all the brouhaha is about. They can put a crucifix in a jar of urine and call it art, but these knuckleheads get their panties in a bunch over some ALLEGED goings on....."
No one killed any other person or rioted because of Serrano's photograph PISS CHRIST! Tho' Congress killed funding to the National Arts Endowment which sponsored, sometimes very subrosa, homo-erotica and other "art for arts' sake" products unsuitable for public and family viewing.
Muslims' are pathologically insecure. For Muslims lopping off heads for minor infractions or engaging in terrorism is morally/theologically acceptable. But because of NewsWeek's irresponsibility, many were killed and many engaged in killing. Because of one false accusation, an unsubstantiated allegation, a dangerous "liberal"/anti-American propaganda missive like the one issued by NewsWeek (!) resulted in the massacre of innocents. Undoubtedly, there will be further insane retaliations by Muslim fanatics. NewsWeek should be held accountable - their apology isn't worth camel dung.
I am not Christian enough to forgive a phony patronizing apology from Newsweek.
I've never subscribed to stale and shallow hash-over rags like TIME and NewsWeek. Both publications are a waste of money.
And yes I know I spelled Abu Ghraib wrong about 6 times in that post, what can I say, I guess I don't give a rat's ass.
Before the 1960's it was common practice for news organizations to try to protect US interests, lives or sensitive military information.
Now we see deaths worldwide directly caused by their speculation and political opinions. Terrorism would not be effective without news organizations.
It's nice to see a PR officer who is willing to call a spade a bloody shovel.
I do agree.
I hope anyone that reads this blog will never spend a dime for Time and Newsweek.
If you can get a copy for a few seconds tear out the reorder card and send it back blank.It will cost them the postage.
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