Posted on 05/16/2005 10:19:56 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
In an apology to readers this week, Newsweek acknowledged errors in a story alleging U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay desecrated the Quran. The accusations, which the magazine vowed to re-examine, spawned protests in Afghanistan that left 15 dead and scores injured.
Responding to harsh criticism from Muslim leaders worldwide, the Pentagon promised to investigate the charges and pinned the deadly clashes on Newsweek for what it described as "irresponsible" reporting.
"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," Editor Mark Whitaker wrote in the apology.
The White House said Monday that Newsweek's response was insufficient.
"It's puzzling. While Newsweek now acknowledges that they got the facts wrong, they refuse to retract the story," said presidential spokesman Scott McClellan. "I think there's a certain journalistic standard that should be met. In this instance it was not.
"This was a report based on a single anonymous source that could not substantiate the allegation that was made," McClellan added. "The report has had serious consequences. People have lost their lives. The image of the United States abroad has been damaged. I just find it puzzling."
In its issue dated May 9, Newsweek had reported that U.S. military investigators had found evidence that interrogators placed copies of Islam's holy book in washrooms and had flushed one down the toilet to get inmates to talk.
Whitaker wrote that the magazine's information came from "a knowledgeable U.S. government source," and writers Michael Isikoff and John Barry had sought comment from two Defense Department officials. One declined to respond, and the other challenged another part of the story but did not dispute the Quran charge, Whitaker said.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...
I think a retraction of Newsweek is in order.
Not only a retraction, BUT A NEWS CONFERENCE!
"Newsweak" lied and good men died!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Who owns Newsweek?
Is it possible/feasible to sue them as well?
Are you sure that this story was in Newsweek? I thought I saw it on 60 minutes II. Another Dano special.
I really mean a retraction of Newsweek, exterminate them.
Washington Post
The Washington Post.
Yep - a simple quid pro quo.
It's the price of admission in DC.
This liberal rag is demonstrating the liberal belief that they aren't responsible for the consequences of their actions. Their desire to print negative things about their own country is bad enough. When it's not even true, doesn't this meet the standard for "providing aid and comfort" to our enemies?
What they really need to do is for the white house and DOD to revoke all newsweek reporters press credentials and pull any embedded reporters out of the battle zones.
Don't let them back either until they fire those two reporters and formally retract the story.
I think there will be a firing/resignation over this. Plus a retraction. I cannot remember how Newsweek handled the Rather situation but they cannot afford to have a double standard for their own publication.
Washington Post owns Newsweek. Heads should roll.
Exterminate them all.
Send 'em to GiTMO!
McClellan is asking for what we in the land of political non-correctness like to call "the truth"
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard Myers, in a U.S. State Dept.-issued press release on May 12, said the Newsweek story isn't a chief cause of the riots: " [H]e has been told that the Jalalabad, Afghanistan, rioting was related more to the ongoing political reconciliation process in Afghanistan than anything else."
Also, it should be noted that Newsweek's error was in reporting that the U.S. was prepared to admit to the desecration of the Quran. There are myriad sources that the desecration has occurred, and this is not seriously in dispute.
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