Posted on 05/15/2005 10:31:22 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
The first call was "Kill the infidels for flushing the Koran"
Now the call will be "Kill the infidels for lying to us and causing this mayhem."
Wait ... I think I hear that call here. Oh, nevermind. "The infidel heads" called for here is limited to Newsweek.
bookmark and tell Jim O'H
In many Muslim countries mere possession of a Bible is a serious offense.
The terrorist prisoners at Guantanamo are allowed to worship freely in ways Christians are not allowed to worship in many Muslim countries.
The hypocrisy is astounding. I have no love or pity for Newsweek but it's hard for me to have sympathy for rampaging Muslims who treat Christian believers like vermin in their own countries.
The White House, Pentagon, State Dept, etc. needs to direct all employees that they are not to ever comment to the Media verbally or Physically and if approached they must report it to their Supervisors. Anyone caught talking to the Media, except within the media relations dept, will be terminated and arrested for violation of national security in that part of this war on terrorism is public relations. The Media should be free to obtain some information and publish it but this BS anonymous sources must go. Everyone has the right to determine truth based partly on where the information comes from. I have worked for a couple government agencies and was in the military and I had to sign full nondisclosure agreements for as long as I worked for them and even after I left the military. Where's the enforcement with lying media and leaking sources? For all I know it could be the janitor?
We need action here from not only Freepers but posters to many sites . They should flood not only Newsweek with complaints but demand that Congress or the Pres at least say something about Newsweek's horrid, murderous error. I suggest that a Congressional inquiry be threatened. The MSM hates that when it is focused on them but as long as the Dems do it to Pubs, well everything is peachy. Enough is enough. Every Rightist in media should be on this story like ......Bloggers should denounce Newsweek and other MSM outlets that are forever being anti-American. I mean, hit them in the gut and ask for cancellations of the mag. and other sources that consistantly smear America, its military, and our culture!
Nevermind. I think I found the answer.
On October 23, 2002, the Michigan Court of Appeals reversed that 1999 decision of the Oakland County jury. The Court of Appeals ruled that the show's owner, Warner Bros., and its distributor, Telepictures had no liability in the death of Scott Amedure. While the court indicated that the "Jenny Jones Show" might be "regarded as the epitome of bad taste and sensationalism," that wasn't enough to make it liable. Attorney Geoffrey Fieger indicated there would be an appeal.http://talkshows.about.com/cs/jennyjones/a/secondverdict_2.htm
Do you work for Newsweek?
On an Official Declaration of War:
The Constitution does not define what constitutes an official declaration of war, does it? If it does, I haven't found it. We have precedent (WWI & WWII), but it doesn't exactly fit the present circumstances, does it?
Congress has (twice!) authorized hostilities against terrorist organizations and countries which harbor terrorist organizations. They haven't officially titled either a 'declaration of war', but what is it if not a war?
Lots of slippery room for both sides here. 'Spose that was an accident?
I don't know why congress doesn't declare war either. By not doing so, sure lets many liberal wall banger's off the hook.
Exactly!!!
"the families of the 15 dead should sue the pants off of Newsweek."
Can our government do any suing as well. Newsweek has certainly damaged our reputation and did considerable harm to our interests.
But your example illustrates the real issue -- Newsweek should not have printed the story, even if it were true. People were going to die because of the story, not the facts.
Newsweak lied. Afghans died.
Thanks for the ping!
I think the facts are the pages of the Koran were put down a toilet in an effort to cause it to back up and create a "flood."
The person who tore the pages out and deposited them in the toilet was a prisoner, not a guard. The original story didn't attribute the action to anybody. Newsweek jumped to the conclusion and published that it was a guard action
Makes no difference? Let's just say that it's irrelevant in this case.
The story killed those innocents, not the lie. If the story were true, they'd be just as dead.
The tragedy isn't the lie (though the lie compounds it). The tragedy is that the story (or non-story) was even published. That was irresponsible on Newsweek's part.
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