the media caught lying again (newsweek)

[Guest andymansavage]

Newsweek Apologizes for Quran Story Errors

By DINO HAZELL, Associated Press Writer

Mon May 16, 2:29 AM

Pakistani lawmaker and the chief of a coalition of ...

NEW YORK - In an apology to readers this week, Newsweek acknowledged errors in a story alleging U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay desecrated the Quran. The accusations, which the magazine vowed to re-examine, spawned protests in Afghanistan that left 15 dead and scores injured.

Responding to harsh criticism from Muslim leaders worldwide, the Pentagon promised to investigate the charges and pinned the deadly clashes on Newsweek for what it described as "irresponsible" reporting.

"We regret that we got any part of our story wrong, and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the U.S. soldiers caught in its midst," Editor Mark Whitaker wrote in the apology.

Newsweek reported that U.S. military investigators had found evidence that interrogators placed copies of Islam's holy book in washrooms and had flushed one down the toilet to get inmates to talk.

Whitaker wrote that the magazine's information came from "a knowledgeable U.S. government source," and writers Michael Isikoff and John Barry had sought comment from two Defense Department officials. One declined to respond, and the other challenged another part of the story but did not dispute the Quran charge, Whitaker said.

But on Friday, a top Pentagon spokesman told the magazine that a review of the military's investigation concluded "it was never meant to look into charges of Quran desecration. The spokesman also said the Pentagon had investigated other desecration charges by detainees and found them 'not credible.'"

Whitaker added that the magazine's original source later said he could not be sure he read about the alleged Quran incident in the report Newsweek cited, and that it might have been in another document.

"Top administration officials have promised to continue looking into the charges, and so will we," Whitaker wrote.

Newsweek Washington Bureau Chief Daniel Klaidman said the magazine believes it erred in reporting the allegation that a prison guard tried to flush the Quran down a toilet and that military investigators had confirmed the accusation.

"The issue here is to get the truth out, to acknowledge as quickly as possible what happened, and that's what we're trying to do," Klaidman told the "CBS Evening News" on Sunday.

Many of the 520 inmates at Guantanamo are Muslims arrested during the U.S.-led war against the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies in Afghanistan.

In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the original story was "demonstrably false" and "irresponsible," and "had significant consequences that reverberated throughout Muslim communities around the world."

"Newsweek hid behind anonymous sources, which by their own admission do not withstand scrutiny," Whitman said. "Unfortunately, they cannot retract the damage they have done to this nation or those that were viciously attacked by those false allegations."

After Newsweek published the story, demonstrations spread across Afghanistan and Muslims around the world decried the alleged desecration.

In Afghanistan, Islamic scholars and tribal elders called for the punishment of anyone found to have abused the Quran, said Maulawi Abdul Wali Arshad, head of the religious affairs department in Badakhshan province.

Arshad and the provincial police chief said the scholars met in Faizabad, 310 miles northeast of the capital, Kabul, and demanded a "reaction" from U.S. authorities within three days.

Lebanon's most senior Shiite Muslim cleric on Sunday said the reported desecration of the Quran is part of an American campaign aimed at disrespecting and smearing Islam.

In a statement faxed to The Associated Press, Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah called the alleged desecration a "brutal" form of torture and urged Muslims and international human rights organizations "to raise their voices loudly against the American behavior."

On Saturday, Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, both allies of Washington, demanded an investigation and punishment for those behind the reported desecration of the Quran.

The story also sparked protests in Pakistan, Yemen and the Gaza Strip. The 22-nation Arab League issued a statement saying if the allegations panned out, Washington should apologize to Muslims.

National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said in an interview for CNN's "Late Edition" that the allegations were being investigated "vigorously."

"If it turns out to be true, obviously we will take action against those responsible," he said.

Associated Press Writer Stephen Graham contributed to this report from Kabul, Afghanistan.

[TreeStandBowHunter]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

This makes me sick. The heck with them. I don't see them raising cain when peoples heads get chopped off. You want an apoligy, yeah, I am sorry we didn't flush all of them down the toliet . We wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for their crazy way of thinking in the first place.

As far as newsweek goes, we need to put them out of business then put them in uniform and give them a rifle and ammo and send them over to Western Iraq where the fighting and car bombings are at. Let them get a taste of the medias screwup.

[Guest Andrea]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

Amen TSBH!!!!!!!!!

[buckee]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

[ QUOTE ]

The accusations, which the magazine vowed to re-examine, spawned protests in Afghanistan that left 15 dead and scores injured.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know what the big hullabaloo is all about. If I was captured in a war and they flushed a few pages of the bible down the toilet on me, It wouldn't bother me in the least.

It's only a book, it's not God. They can't flush my faith, or my God down the toilet.

[ParrotHead]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

But Buckee - we're talking about Muslims here - they have no concept of right from wrong and will seek any reason to kill someone in the name of Alah.

You and I on the other hand are not brained washed into believing that there are 17 virgins waiting on the other side for us.

Newsweek lied - it caused riots and people died because of it. Even if Newsweek wouldn't have run the article, something else would have got their laundry in an uproar and caused a riot and people would have died.

To eliminate the problem you must eliminate the source.

[hutchies]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

the media caught lying again

Big Surprise there!!!! Made them some money and all they have to do is apologize. No big deal to them. They don't care who's reputation they tarnish.

[slugshooter]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

Unfortunately, the Quran, and the Muslim religion has been hijacked by radical muslims who selectively interpret passages from the Quran to support their radical agenda. It happens in every religion, there are radical christians that selectively interpret the bible to support their agenda of killing gays and abortion doctors. This garbage about virgins and wanting to kill everyone is part of the radical Islamic teachings from the 1930's. I'll pull out my notes from that terrorism conference I went to specifically the presentation about understanding the muslim religion and culture.

[ParrotHead]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

[ QUOTE ]

I'll pull out my notes from that terrorism conference I went to specifically the presentation about understanding the muslim religion and culture

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok this should be good. A redneck from the south explaining the Muslim religion.

Sluggo - not picking on you brother but if Muslims can't understand it and can't explain it then I'm not real sure you or myself can do any better.

The facts are in the past - history has shown us that Muslims hate American's or the majority of them. Muslims are responsible for 90+ percent of terrorism in the past. And the only thing that's been hi-jacked are Boeing Jumbo Jets!

If we don't learn from history it will surely repeat itself and my guess is that it will be some Muslim group at the helm.

[TreeStandBowHunter]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

[ QUOTE ]

Ok this should be good. A redneck from the south explaining the Muslim religion.

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG, LMBO you ought to be a stand-up PH

Hey seriously, I looked at a muslim book on the flight to Norway that the one Major had. I skimmed through it a little bit. It talked about how parents fondle their sons until they are like in their teens. They say it is there way of comforting them. No wonder most of them are gay

[fisherguy]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

Oh man, TSBH and Parothhead certainle can keep a thread hopping. lol We get from Newsweek printing lies to teh redneck comment(funny BTW), and fondling and most muslims apparently being gay. You certainly never know what you are gonna get when you enter this room, that is for sure.

[TreeStandBowHunter]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

Hey man, the book is here. I will go grab it and let you know the title. They do some weird things man. I won't read the whole book because then I would not feel right , but I will skimm through it and tell you some other things...things that are appropriate for this board anyway

[ParrotHead]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

Now there you go - we have one reason for American Male Agression - First - we had to fondle ourselves for most of our pre-teen years and a good portion of our teen years before we found someone willing to "give us a hand" with our problem!

And now to learn that Muslims are getting the ole "helping hand" from the get-go can cause anyone to blow a gasket!

Are some of you getting just a little ticked off with all the Muslium butt-kissing going on?

Reuters is reporting from Islamabad that the Pakistani government remains unhappy with Newsweek. Well, don't feel pregnant, Pakistan. But Pakistani Information Minister Sheikh Abba Dabba Do, or something like that pushes things just a bit with his statement that we need to work harder at understanding the sensitivities of the Islamic people. He says "The apology and retraction are not enough. "They (Newsweek) should understand the sentiments of Muslims and think 101 times before publishing news which hurt feelings of Muslims."

Sorry, I'm not buying it. I getting just a bit beyond the point where I'm all bent out of shape trying to understand Islamic sensitivities. If there is something about your religion that should make me feel badly about poor Muslims getting their feelings hurt, you had better get it out there on the table now. All I see is a religion that seems to take great pleasure in passing condemnations and "death sentences" on various people around the world for all sorts of meaningless infractions of some great system of Islamic law.

[TreeStandBowHunter]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

The book is called "The Arab Mind".

I will pick out some things and make a thread. I will be careful on what I put in there OK But they sell the book out on the market. I personaly won't read the WHOLE book because then it would go against everything I stand for but I think people ought to know just how sick these folks are. And it is the Muslim community too, not just the fanatical insurgents. This book is on the Muslim way of life and how they see things.

[stevebeilgard]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

where is the uproar from the main stream muslim community, condeming the radical muslims. their silence is deafening! fact is, they are all the same.

[slugshooter]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

[ QUOTE ]

where is the uproar from the main stream muslim community, condeming the radical muslims. their silence is deafening! fact is, they are all the same.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is an uproar, I posted a whole big list of responses from American Muslims condemning the 9/11 attacks. Probably before you started coming in here.

[slugshooter]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

[ QUOTE ]

Ok this should be good. A redneck from the south explaining the Muslim religion.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm about the furthest thing from a redneck in NC as you can be. I guess if I was originally from here then I would qualify, but since I am from Central Florida, I can't really claim the redneck title.

[TreeStandBowHunter]

Re: the media caught lying again (newsweek)

What you all fail to realize is yeah...maybe the radicals and insurgents are the ones killing folks but a muslim is a muslim and an arab are an arab. This book explains it very well. THEY ALL THINK ALIKE when it comes to the ARAB MIND....according to this book. The regular arab world or the muslim world may not go around killing people , but they do think the same when it comes to the basics.