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.

[F.J. Mitchell]

NewsReek knew exactly what those lunatic Muslims would do after reading their little article. Newsreek is responsible for everything that happened.

I used to know a guy so ticklish that if he was standing in front of some one talking and someone goosed him, he would commence to beat h*ll out of whoever he was talking to. And many their were who sought an opportunity to pull this stunt on him and his unsuspecting conversee.

For every action there is a reaction-Newsreek knew exactly what the reaction to it's action would be. It was with sinister intent that this liberal bird cage liner publisher, printed this lethal lie.

[F.J. Mitchell]

And once the World Court has tried, convicted and strung up...........er....sentenced Newsreek-the World Court must be made as extinct as the dodo bird.

[JulieRNR21]

Thanks so much for providing the details & those links.

Apparently I must have heard it from Gen. Meyers when FNC showed a clip.....and not from Tony Snow.

[Diver Dave]

Haven't read the entire thread, but do remember the report from last week that y'all cited where the prisoners were the perps.

A number of years ago, I worked on a construction job with an sewer contractor. He told about being called out numerous times to the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla to clean out the drain lines as a result of the bad guys flushing whatever they could get ahold of down the toilets.

Now, being a retired plumber, I can attest to the fact that a plugged up toilet in one's space is gonna come right backatcha and bite ya in the butt.

The criminal mind is such a waste - perhaps flushing their minds might be the way to go. :)

[stop_fascism]

Does the name Abu Ghraib sound familiar. The only difference that "truth" would make is that the journalists could justify themselves by claiming, "Only doing our job." In this case, they can't even make that sorry excuse.

[Joy Angela]

Thanks for the ping!

[robertpaulsen]

True. But journalists need to understand that their freedom to "do their job" carries with it a certain level of responsibility. All freedom does.

Even if they can justify printing a story, it doesn't mean they should.

[robertpaulsen]

So if the story were true and Newsweek reported it (thereby resulting in the same number of deaths) this would be a non-issue with you. Which answers my question.

[leilani]

It would be a non-issue insofar as the appalling lack of due diligence applied by Mssrs Isikoff , Barry & Whittaker in publicizing a claim they couldn't confirm. It demonstrates a shockingly callous indifference to the consequences of their unethical actions. In using a non-denial by one lower level anonymus pentagonian who didn't even have access to the report as "confirmation" for their preconstructed "story", they have demonstrated reckless disregard for any adverse outcome. They should have known, or at least had every reason to expect given the Islamic reverence for the Koran, that their incendiary charge would have inflamed violent passions. Which, let's face it, is precisely why they printed the story with such shaky foundation. It was a killer "get" in more ways than one -who cared if it was true, it would generate a lot of heat for their celebrity 'journalists'.

So: if people die in a stampede when someone yells "fire", it is a tragedy regardless of whether there actually was a fire or not.Dead folks are just as dead no matter how they got that way. But if someone incites a stampede on false premises, and people die, the people advancing the bogus alarm need to be held accountable.Yes the rioters need to be held accountable, but the folks stoking the violence do as well. Dan Rather never got anybody offed. Isikoff did. Post/Newsweek has deep pockets, and I understand there are ambulance chasers here already lining up colleagues over there to troll for clients. No joke.

[leilani]

If what you are asking is would I be outraged if the story were true, I wouldn't be outraged at Michael Isikoff (again, a guy I used to have some respect for). I'd be outraged at the idiots in the US military who handed such prime propaganda on a silver platter over to the enemy, and I'd be outraged at the irrational muslims who use their religion as an excuse to commit gravely evil acts who did the actual killing. But since Newsweek has admitted that they didn't have any professionally responsible basis to print the charge, and pretty much breached every journalistic ethic in the book in order to do it, I (and others here) are just saying that Isikoff deserves whatever our good friends over at the American Trial Lawyers Association are currently planning for him. Heck, I like the guy, but Isikoff wouldn't want me in that jury box. Even I'd say: REAM him!

[ppaul]

Newsweek Lied, Muslims Died.

[robertpaulsen]

"If what you are asking is would I be outraged if the story were true, I wouldn't be outraged at Michael Isikoff"

I would be. The story, true or not, should never have been published.

On the "Atrocity" meter, the needle barely moves. But on the "Potential Harm To Innocents Abroad" meter, it's off the scale.

[Red6]

(I understand your logic)
You think this is just like all those Hollywood celebs who have a home made porno “accidentally” get out into the public as their career is fading or which brings them to stardom (Pamela Lee, Paris Hilton, etc). “Oh no, how did that “accidentally” leak into the media?”, as their face and name is all over TV, the tabloids and radio.

(But)
But how can Newsweek possibly profit from this? This will kill their reputation as a credible source for news. Look at CBS and their credibility and polls after the Rather ordeal. This ought to hurt Newsweek not benefit them twice since the readers buy this magazine to get what they believe to be accurate news.

Red6

[stop_fascism]

I couldn't agree with you more. As the old frog said, "Liberty is the freedom to do as you ought." Compare spiky's action in the Lewinsky story to the present case. In the former, he had to be dragged into publishing by Drudge, because he didn't want to embarrass Clinton. In the latter, he rushed to publish just so that he could embarrass Bush and consequences be damned.

[ChEng]

I formally issue a "fatwah" on Newsweek and staff..

[sheik yerbouty]

The Newsweek editors should get their heads flushed down the toilet..

[Bonaparte]

"Their shoddy ass journalism got people killed."

Ever notice how their "journalism" only gets this shoddy when they are casting George Bush, Bible-based Christians, the military or America in a bad light? The rest of the time, they seem to understand that charges must be substantiated, documented and sourced. Funny how they "forget" that so predictably, so selectively.