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White House Wants Retraction From Newsweek
AP ^ | May 16, 2005 | DINO HAZELL

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 ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: antiamericanism; bush; islam; koran; korandesecration; liberalmedia; muslim; newsweek; retraction; waronterror
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To: Armedanddangerous

Not all the blame goes to Newsweek although they certainly did sloppy work to start with and now are making it even worse by acting like Dan Rather. When somebody libels a celebrity they can sue... maybe the army should sue.

1. The people who riot and kill their own friends and neighbors because of a news report are to blame.

2. The abuse allegations in Afghanistan, guantanamo and Abu Gharib make stories like this more believable

3. Our "allies" Pakistan and Saudi Arabia did defend us at all. They could have said something like "wait for the facts" or "this isn't the way America does things"....

It's also worth noting that the Army isn't saying it didn't happen..only that it's not recorded in the interrogation logs.


21 posted on 05/16/2005 10:39:18 AM PDT by paul_fromatlanta (Paul from Atlanta)
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To: West Coast Conservative
This makes Rathergate look like a cakewalk! At least no one died as a result of Dan Rather reporting on forged documents!!!!!

I, for one, will NEVER read Newsweek, on dead tree or online, until a full and total retraction is issued.

22 posted on 05/16/2005 10:39:54 AM PDT by Dems_R_Losers (Barbara Boxer is deeply saddened......)
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To: West Coast Conservative
Yeah; they want a retraction. Newsweek will do so and the retraction will be delivered by dan rather!

That makes it all absolutely truthful and meaningful!

23 posted on 05/16/2005 10:41:06 AM PDT by LilDarlin (Being very feminine got me this far; it will get me the rest of the way, too!)
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To: West Coast Conservative

That's the thing about apologies-- they can't undo damage already done. Dead is dead.


24 posted on 05/16/2005 10:41:54 AM PDT by Clara Lou
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To: uberPatriot

If a house is leaking gas, which could kill in itself but didn't, is ignited because a drunk driver runs into it and kills the occupant, should the drunk driver be charged with murder?


25 posted on 05/16/2005 10:43:08 AM PDT by tobyhill (The war on terrorism is not for the weak!)
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To: uberPatriot

"There are myriad sources that the desecration has occurred, and this is not seriously in dispute."

Then present them please. I call BS.

Qwinn


26 posted on 05/16/2005 10:43:49 AM PDT by Qwinn
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To: West Coast Conservative
Every Freeper should gather up all the Newsweek subscription cards they can find at their local newsstands, etc and mail them back with the words:

NEWSWEEK LIED -- PEOPLE DIED!!

Newsweek will most likely simply delete the tons of angry emails they are getting, but they will have to pay the return postage on all those pre-paid cards. .

27 posted on 05/16/2005 10:43:57 AM PDT by auzerais
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To: West Coast Conservative

More "Shattered Glass"?


28 posted on 05/16/2005 10:44:13 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (This tagline will be destoyed to make way for a new Hyperspace bypass.)
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To: Dallas59

Washington Post


29 posted on 05/16/2005 10:46:37 AM PDT by JRjr (hMMM?)
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To: auzerais
I've been contacting the advertisers of Newsweek, WP and Newsweek. That gets more reaction than just e-mails.
30 posted on 05/16/2005 10:48:53 AM PDT by tobyhill (The war on terrorism is not for the weak!)
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To: West Coast Conservative

A retraction will not undue the damage and the danger they have willfully imposed on all U.S. and allied servicemen and women.


31 posted on 05/16/2005 10:48:59 AM PDT by FFIGHTER
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts

Oh well, any organization that will hire and print the drivel that comes out of that pig, Eleanor Clift has got to be suspect from the git go.


32 posted on 05/16/2005 10:49:08 AM PDT by JRjr (hMMM?)
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To: West Coast Conservative
Call the toll-free number at the bottom of the "Newsweek" contents page to

cancel your subscription and stop delivery.

You'll talk to a rep (eventually...I was on hold for about a minute) and

they'll ask you why your canceling and stopping delivery.
33 posted on 05/16/2005 10:49:10 AM PDT by CaptSkip
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To: Carling
No retraction, no White House press credentials.

Newsweak makes Jeff Gannon look like a pro.

34 posted on 05/16/2005 10:50:18 AM PDT by martin_fierro (A v v n c v l v s M a x i m v s)
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To: West Coast Conservative

Some multimillion dollar lawsuits should emerge too.


35 posted on 05/16/2005 10:51:14 AM PDT by lilylangtree (Veni, Vidi, Vici)
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To: Qwinn; uberPatriot

I call BS also. I'd like to see those sources too.

Immediately.


36 posted on 05/16/2005 10:52:04 AM PDT by Judith Anne (Thank you St. Jude for favors granted.)
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To: Clara Lou
That's the thing about apologies-- they can't undo damage already done. Dead is dead.

If the story is wrong and that makes newsweek to blame for the deaths...

Does that mean that the interrogator would be responsible for the deaths if the story was true? I don't buy that.

There is limit to how responsible we can be for what crazy people do.

I'm not excusing Newsweek - if they published a false story that damaged America's credibility there ought to be a penalty... but we don't want to get in the habit of blaming Americans for when Muslims decide Mohammad has been insulted and kill each other.

Remember this story?

The Reverend Jerry Falwell, the conservative American Baptist preacher, has apologised for calling the Prophet Mohammed a "terrorist". His original remarks, broadcast last week on the US television programme 60 Minutes, sparked outrage among many Muslims around the world and set off sectarian riots in India that left at least eight dead.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2323897.stm
37 posted on 05/16/2005 10:52:27 AM PDT by paul_fromatlanta (Paul from Atlanta)
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To: Lazamataz

I thought Newsweek was owned by AOLTimeWarnerCrosbyStillsNash&Young, or whatever the conglomerate is called now.


38 posted on 05/16/2005 10:53:18 AM PDT by fatnotlazy
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To: Carling

pull the creds.


39 posted on 05/16/2005 10:54:42 AM PDT by fooman (Get real with Kim Jung Mentally Ill about proliferation)
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To: uberPatriot
There are myriad sources that the desecration occurred...

Do any of these "myriad" sources have names? Can you identify any source for this assertion?

I won't be holding my breath.

40 posted on 05/16/2005 10:55:41 AM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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