Newsweek apologizes for getting Koran-Guantanamo Bay story wrong. (The Editor's Desk)

Newsweek ^ | 05/15/05 | The Editor's Desk

[Pikamax]

May 23 issue - Did a report in NEWSWEEK set off a wave of deadly anti-American riots in Afghanistan? That's what numerous news accounts suggested last week as angry Afghans took to the streets to protest reports, linked to us, that U.S. interrogators had desecrated the Qur'an while interrogating Muslim terror suspects. We were as alarmed as anyone to hear of the violence, which left at least 15 Afghans dead and scores injured. But I think it's important for the public to know exactly what we reported, why, and how subsequent events unfolded.

[texasbluebell]

Not surprising when you consider that Evan Thomas is Assistant Managing Editor of Newsweak.

The same Evan Thomas whose grandfather Norman Thomas was one of the ACLU's co-founders, not to mention Socialist candidate for President 6 times.

How far did the apple fall from that tree?

[etcetera]

Newsweek has NOT apologized! They "regret", but have not apologized. Same thing with Jane Fonda - she "regrets" having her picture taken while sitting on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun - but she hasn't apologized.

[veronica]

Their shoddy ass journalism got people killed.

Poppycock.

Newspapers issue retractions every day.

People were killed because Islam is part of another, unenlighted age.

[robertpaulsen]

"If I had my way, their shoddy ass journalists should be charged with murder."

What if the incident were true and it was reported, resulting in the same number of deaths? Should they still be charged?

And can you explain and justify your answer?

[nothingnew]

Interesting site. Thanks.

FMCDH(BITS)

[KC_for_Freedom]

Unfortunately no amount of apologizing or corrections will have any effect in Islamic countries. It's now an accepted fact there that we desecrated the Koran and any retractions will be explained away by the radicals as attempts by our govt to silence our media. The damage is done, and it's permanent.

Yes, this will join the list of tales told to Islamic children -- like the Jews using the blood of arab babies for their passover ceremony -- this tale of Amaericans desecrating the holy book will create generations of anti american feelings.

This hatred was predicted by the leading leftist media when we went into the Middle East with our military, and when they could not find enough of it to spread around, it looks like they fabricated the story and the "source". The media has an awsome power and Newsweek needs to pay for this deliberate political attack. Hope Elenor Clift is proud of her employeer. (Care to guess how this will be handled on McGlaughlin?)

[Bennett46]

"Let's face it, as long as there's Republicans in charge the MSM media will work overtime to damage the U.S. all they can."



Very true.

Consider this: back in 1998 Issikoff was given the whole ball of wax concerning the Clinton/Lewinsky affair..he wrote the article but Newsweek refused to print it.

The Drudge Report broke the story and as they say, the rest is history.

Issokoff, a few years later writes this story WITHOUT solid information/evidence...no wax at all, and Newsweek prints the story.

So, what's the difference?

Who would have been hurt in 1998 as opposed to who would be hurt in 2005?

Oh, not to mention 15 dead people of unknown political alliance...certainly not Democrats or Republicans.

Newsweek's collateral damage, I guess.

Certainly not of much significance to the editors at Newsweek.

[the Real fifi]

Here's mine:

---

The shoddy journalism beneath the phony Koran desecration story is matched only by the magazine's even shoddier explanation today which brazenly hints we can expect more of this, regardless of the insubstantiality of the claims and the consequence to innocent civilians and soldiers. At the moment more have been killed as a result of this fake story than were by the over-hyped abuses at Abu Ghraib and Gitmo.

The magazine's coverage of international affairs by the fourth rate thinkers on the Newsweek crew is risible. Its fake reportage (i.e. that Bush was delegated to the peanut gallery at the Pope's funeral when tens of millions could see live on TV broadcast throughout the world that that was false) is topped only by this example of irresponsible journalism.

Were I a public relations advisor, I'd suggest you make a stronger mea culpa immediately. But I'm not. I'm only a news watcher, increasingly enraged by your bias and incompetence. And I hope that like Rather, you continue down this path to extinction.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Someone needs to be fired at Newsweek...and quickly.

[OpusatFR]

They should be brought up on charges. I am so completely sick of MSM and agendized news, especially when it causes someone's death.

Newsweak needs to be brought up murder charges. How, who knows, but they are commpletely irresponsible and need to be taught a lesson.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

I had hoped to hear Walter Cronkite apologize for his distorted reporting that encouraged Hanoi and kept the war going -- thousands of U.S. troops and allies dead, thousands more wounded, hundreds of thousands of civilians dead and wounded, all because he wanted to help his Ho.

Do it, Walter. Your commie friends were not world federalists like you they truly were our (and your world government's) enemy.

[gogipper]

good!

[savedbygrace]

how can you be offended when you are dead?

I'd rather not know, but to humor you, how?

[Mortikhi]

bump for later

[Former Military Chick]

You know, frankly there are times I am ashamed to be an American. As I watched so many folks jump on the band wagon that our TROOPS flushed down the Koran I to was dismayed if in fact it were true. But I said clearly, I would hold off judgement as to the validity of the source and article.

Well, well, seems Newsweek is now offering an apology and regrets anyone who may have been killed by this erroneous reporting and to the troops here were caught in the cross hairs, they are again SORRY.

I know about Abu Ghraib, I see where folks seem to question our troops and that is alright, but hell, they should at least be open to the possibility that the story is not true, that the Pentagon said they would review ....

and now .... the source says he got it wrong.

Hey I want fair coverage. This accusation opened the flood gates to those who are fanatical and would take it out on our troops in a NY minute. Oh that is right, Newsweek does not look beyond the current issue or the aftermath of said article.

Had one of these guys flushed the Bible down the toilet I would be pissed but I to would wait for the truth to prevail before sliming anyone.

WTG, NEWSWEEK ... you stepped in bad stuff, you passed along bad stuff and all you think is the I AM SORRY card will work! NO NEVER not a cold day in hell.

Sorry if I am a bit upset and frankly on this subject if you do not agree with me than do not include my name in this discussion because there is nothing that anyone can say that would change my mind not now not NEVER.

Newsweek's actions are WRONG ... and the hardship placed on our troops over this article well (*^Y(*B(&*(GF**RV (T*&V &^CRV --- many many many bad words there). Did nobody learn a darn thing from the CBS mess?

TICKED OFF IN THE HEARTLAND

Our original source later said he couldn't be certain about reading of the alleged Qur'an incident in the report we cited, and said it might have been in other investigative documents or drafts.

[Dallas59]

NEWSWEEK LIED AND PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF IT

[daybreakcoming]

Last week when all of this came down - the word SUBVERSIVE came to mind. Now that they are retracting and apologizing - will this have the legs that the lies did? Nope.

Not only the blood of the Iraqis is on their hands but the future blood of our military and Iraqi civilians based on their charges. This story will not end with this little milquetoast apology - it will be carried to the ends of the earth and embellished as it goes by our enemy. Who needs Zarchawi when we've got media like Newsweak.

PS: I want names of those US officials they called sources.

[af_vet_1981]

This accusation opened the flood gates to those who are fanatical and would take it out on our troops in a NY minute.

The journalists and their editors were accessories to murder. They should be extradited to Afghanistan to face charges.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

What if the incident were true and it was reported,

I don't play hypotheticals. I stick to reality.

These shoddy ass journalists had an agenda and that agenda resulted in deaths. They should be held accountable.

[Dallas59]

Who's the CEO of Newsweek??