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.

[CFC__VRWC]

Bastards.

If anyone needed any further proof that this whole incident was nothing more than an attempt to manufacture another Abu Ghraib with which to flog the Bush Administration and the US military, this "apology" provides it. They've done their damage and traded their high-fives around the newsroom, and now it's time to cover their tracks.

"Oops, we got 16 people killed, and have inflamed an entire region of the world reporting rumors as facts. Sorry, our bad." (Snicker, snicker).

The next entirely predictable chapter in this drama - the grave comparisons to "fascism" and "McCarthyism", the wailing about "censorship" and "chilling effects on free speech" to be applied to anyone who demands any sort of accountability for what the people at Newsweek have done.

[Leo Carpathian]

They should change the name to "Weaknews" and close the doors and go out of business of reporting "news" like that. Heads should roll, (be sent to Whateveristan to "apologize").
Just keep pi$$ing people off, wait till next elections!

[F.J. Mitchell]

Newsweek got the story just they wanted to and the reaction it was seeking from beady eyed zealot Muslims.

Newsweek should be sued in the world court,and held financially libel for all damage, deaths and suffering caused by the riots-and criminally lible for printing a story that any reasonable person would realize beforehand, would incite riots and place every American abroad, especially our Military at unneccessary risk.

[e5man_r_u?]

"Their shoddy ass journalism got people killed"

More to follow if press reports are accurate. The ME street in general believes what they want to. This is all the excuse the extremists need to get a riot going.

[Enterprise]

"Newsweek apologises for getting story wrong."

[Dad yer funny]

Very well said ,... post #41

[TomGuy]

Newsweek lied, people died

Wanna bet how many Congresscritters will be calling for hearings and investigations into Newsweek next week? [I place my bet on zero].

Wanna bet how many Congresscritters were planning to call for hearings and investigations into the Newsweek allegations atainst the Pentagon before this retraction? [I place my bet on the entire HR Progressive Caucus and half the Dem Senators, with Boxer leading the charge.]

[starfish923]

Bears repeating (in bold letters), NEWSWEEK LIED.....
PEOPLE DIED.

Bears three-peating.

[Arrowhead1952]

I suggest Newsweak have a hugh and series meeting with these clerics.

Clerics threaten holy war over alleged Quran desecrations

[hgro]

Michael Isikoff and John Barry should be jailed until they divulge the name of the "high level Pentagon official who passed on the phony information. Then they should be indicted for sabotaging our fight against terror. They and Newsweak knew it would create problems for our country. It makes one wonder just whose side the MSM and their minions are on doesn't it.

[tiredoflaundry]

Their shoddy ass journalism got people killed.

Sorry isn't cutting it !

[starfish923]

I hear the sound of a toilet flush.
What COULD that be.?

[Tacis]

Isn't this the crappy "journal" that Eleanor Clift works for? It, like CBS, will do anything to make America and it's military look bad!

[CFC__VRWC]

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.

You're absolutely right, and the democrats will be all too eager to jump on the "Bush is trying to silence the media" bandwagon, thus giving this theory that much more credibility.

[fso301]

I need to read this later.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

"Infraction"? Of what, the UCMJ? Is this a false premise?

WTF is "Qur'an" (I know, I know) but just damn the multi-cultural political correctness. This is new s weak for zog's sake and not (yet) Al Jizz-era.

[EBH]

mark.whitaker@newsweek.com

Dear Mr. Whitaker,

One would think after the numerous times the media has 'gotten the story wrong,' that members of the media would take the time to get the facts correct. Your apology is woefully inadequate to both the Muslim and American world. Due to your reporters poor research into the allegations, essentially turning Newsweek in to a gossip monger tabloid, innocent people were injured and killed.

[F.J. Mitchell]

THat would make a great tag-line 0r bumper sticker.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

I'm gonna remember this, "Newsweak lied, people died." Right along with

GET US OUT OF UN
GET UN OUT OF US

[oldbrowser]

information came from a knowledgeable U.S. government source

All of this "unnamed, anonymous, reliable, officials" reporting has gotten way out of hand.

I now go by the theory that if they don't name their source, they are lying. If they name their source, it is misquote or taken out of context.