Muslim Reaction to Newsweek Apology: Too Little, Too Late

ABC News ^ | 5.16.05

[ambrose]

Muslim Reaction to Newsweek Apology: Too Little, Too Late

Distrust Intensifies Following Koran Desecration Allegations

News Analysis by HODA ABDEL-HAMID

May. 16, 2005 - Newsweek magazine may have apologized, but to many in the Muslim world, it's too late and much too little.

Muslims brushed off an apology to readers that appeared in this week's edition of the newsweekly that acknowledged errors in a story alleging U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay desecrated the Koran, Islam's holy book. Interestingly enough, Newsweek has an Arabic issue but there was no mention of the apology in this week's issue. Critics called it a strategic move in the face of the overwhelming and violent reaction. The report sparked protests in Afghanistan, where at least 15 were killed and more than 100 injured.

Many Muslims believe Newsweek succumbed to pressure from the U.S. government to backtrack. Many believe that that whatever the truth may be, the harm has been done.

Saudi Arabia was the first country to officially react by asking for an investigation. It was followed by blanket condemnation and demands for investigation from all over the region by officially appointed mainstream clerics or governments.

In Egypt, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, the highest Sunni authority in the world, usually a subdued man, demanded immediate action. "The Koran's desecration is a great crime and should be dealt with at once," he said.

Reaction to the Newsweek article, which appeared in the May 9th issue, has been particularly virulent for a number of reasons.

In the Muslim world, Guantanamo has become the symbol of the confrontation between Islam and the U.S. The fact that this allegedly happened in Guantanamo makes things much worse. A member of the Muslim Brotherhood said perhaps if it had happened somewhere else, it would not have resonated so much.

Secondly, the Koran is part of the Muslim identity. By desecrating the Koran, one is desecrating the identity of all Muslims. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, desecration of the Koran is punishable by death, which explains the more violent reaction to the Newsweek story.

Many analysts believe this episode will just increase the level of distrust. The Arab world, especially the Middle East, is more likely to believe such reports after the prison scandal at Abu Ghraib in Iraq.

Moreover, many believe that a soldier or interrogator would not act without his or her superior's approval and say this episode is yet another reminder that the United States is at war against Islam.

One moderate cleric said, "the U.S. keeps on handing out reasons for extremists to become more ferocious. These stories are amazing recruiting tools and more young people will now join the fight."

The story has offended many non-Arab Muslims too. In Malaysia and in Nigeria, protesters chanted anti-American slogans and in Tajikistan, a Central Asian country abutting Afghanistan, a group of 300 clerics wrote a statement saying that, "if an investigation does not happen within three days, we will launch a jihad against America."

The so-called Jihadi Web sites are also full of calls for more killings of Americans.

Copyright © 2005 ABC News Internet Ventures

[combat_boots]

I am having a very hard time with dismissal of this issue by anyone's part. While we here in the US have Christian rights trampled, in the guise of separation yada yada yada, no one, NOT ONE PERSON in the US is supposed to dare to speak of the Koran or any muslim as anything else but with the utmost respect. Frankly, it doesn't matter what we think.

Well, folks, if these folks make a play to take over more than a small city in Michigan, do you want to support the stoning of adulterers and idolators? Most of us would say no. But, if we do not recognize that people of faith can get really deep about their beliefs, including Christians, we're going to pay a terrible price.

Whether or not a Koran is a book is not the issue; it's how the book represents the faith to the person. Ditto for the Bible.

[ValenB4]

Exactly right. This just goes to show where Muslim priorities are. Criticism of terrorism is tepid and cosmetic at best. There is silence in regard to honor killings and beheadings. There is no speaking out on behalf of the oppressed non-Muslim populations living in their countries. They didn't criticize the Taliban. If there are synchronized protests across the Muslim world over this, then we know that they can mobilize when they care about something - and the fact that they don't mobilize over their own internal problems means that they don't care about them.

Newsweek is apparently not backing off this story. Whether the story is entirely accurate or not isn't as important as the disproportionate spectacle the Muslim world is making out of this. I'm not going to get upset at Newsweek just because Muslims can't stop themselves from acting like barbarians. Yet no one of prominence among the political class can admit that the world's problems have anything to do with Islam.

[etcetera]

The Mohammedans won't believe any retraction. So just to piss 'em off, we should have a contest - Guiness Book of World Records - to see who can flush the most Korans in an hour.

[taxesareforever]

My brother mentioned something today that maybe, just maybe everyone should start doing. Own a pig and walk it like a dog.

[veronica]

Until they cut your head off, it's never enough.

[taxesareforever]

Purposefully defiling the Koran is considerd a direct attack on their religion, and they take that VERY seriously.

Unlike purposely defiling our American flag. That is offensive to me but I don't put out calls to kill the ones who do it. If Muslims want to live in this country they better learn to let the water roll off. Otherwise they are the ones who will pay a price for their radicalism.

[Netizen]

This is one of those rare times when they ought to reveal their source, since the source is ultimately responsible. jmo

[taxesareforever]

What I am upset about Newsweek about is their printing of something which appears to be false. This is one reason that I wouldn't spend a nickel on their magazine, ever. I could really care less that they upset the Muslim populace but I do care that they put our troops and civilian contractors in increased danger because of what appears to be a lie. People need to be aware that Islam is a radical religion and this article and reaction just goes to show how radical it is. Our government officials treat it like a ticking time bomb (hands off) and that certainly doesn't help matters. Pat Robertson is one man who isn't afraid of calling a spade a spade in regards to Islam and we should be attentive to what he has to say.

[mitchbert]

Newsweak Lied... and People Died...

Liberals don't give a hoot about peoples' lives when it gets in the way of their agenda.

It utterly disgusts me.

[nosofar]

He doesn't sound very moderate if he considers lies to be valid reasons for extremists to become more violent.

From the quote, I don't believe he said they were valid reasons (or invalid). He just said this was how these stories are used.

[Stellar Dendrite]

Oh come on now....they ONLY opened a pandora's box!!!

[Netizen]

The sad thing is that Newsweak fell for the same thing dan blather fell for. An uninvestigated story. They allowed their glee for a story that would damage this country and our president to get in the way of proper journalism.

With a little luck Newsweak wil fall by the wayside like blather. Their source should be outed for a couple of reasons. One there may not even be a souirce, 2 the source made up a story that any sane person knew was going to have deadly repercussions. And it did. If someone yelled fire i na theater when there wasn't one, and people died trying to get out, you can bet that person would be charged.

[Stellar Dendrite]

"And this time thier perversion of reality HAS COST LIVES!"

And many many many more will die as a result of it. This will just serve in the long line of justifications for their agression against the west.



"How far will these crazy morons go to REWRITE REALITY to suit their agenda??"

Until their Marxist vision is implemented?

[montag813]

"The Koran's desecration is a great crime and should be dealt with at once,"

The unholy Koran is a demented nightmare of pedophilia, genicode and Satanic evil. But I agree it should never be flushed down a toilet....IT SHOULD BE BURNED, for the entire community to celebrate!

Above: The Unholy Book being burned, along with a "gay" flag and a copy of Roe vs. Wade, Columbus, OH 2004

[2nd Amendment]

I'm getting sick and tired of this fetid religion and the pervert who started it. You can kill innocent women and children, behead, maim, watch nude dancers or do anything else in the name of Islam, but don't descecrate their holy scriptures! (unless its done by a muslim who wants to sabotage his cell!)

[goldstategop]

They'll kill Americans no matter what. Newsweek simply provided those disposed to hate America with yet another reason to assault and murder Americans. This libel is of course too little too late and what's more the insult is the newsmagazine's failure to apologize to our country for committing an act of defamation that could well cost American lives.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Newtoidaho]

NewsweeK: "Sorry, we got our facts wrong"
Muslims: "Don't bother us with facts, we're too busy killing people!"

[WVNan]

If I recall correctly, Saudi Arabia does not allow Bibles to be brought into their country.

[untrained skeptic]

"If Muslims want to live in this country they better learn to let the water roll off."

I don't think any of the deaths from riots weren't in this country.

I don't support the actions of the Muslims who rioted. I do however understand that defiling the Koran is asking for a fight, possibly a deadly fight. People representing our country defiling the Koran is asking for trouble we don't want or need.

"Otherwise they are the ones who will pay a price for their radicalism."

No, we'll all pay. 'We' may win in the end, but we'd be fighting a stupid battle.

The problem here is that people are telling lies to get Muslims mad at America. Some day the Muslims need to wake up and understand they are being lied to and used. Then they need to turn on those using them.

However, we don't need to make things worse by provoking them unnecessarily.

Treat them fairly, which in the case of terrorists means trying them and executing them. However, don't do things to help them justify their actions.

[taxesareforever]

No, we'll all pay. 'We' may win in the end, but we'd be fighting a stupid battle.

I disagree that it would be a stupid battle. It would be a battle for our survival. Islam considers anyone who doesn't believe as they do as imbeciles deserving of death. All a person needs to do is see what is happening in Europe due to Muslim immigration. Europe is starting to pay the price but it is only going to get worse. The same will happen here if the people and government keep kowtowing to the Muslims. History repeats itself, just go back to the time of the Crusades to envision what may just happen again.