Newsweek and Flushing the Koran
- Thread starter Changleen
- Start date
Irresponsible yellow journalism on Newsweek's (Wash Post) part.
"Do not blame the news media for this. Instead, all the effort needs to go into convincing the world that the abuse has stopped, and will never be allowed to start again."
Yes and no.
Yes we need to ensure prisoner abuse is stopped and never resurfaces. But, the media needs to actually report facts rather than running to print or broadcast with every tidbit of information that supports their agenda regardless of it's basis in fact.
The media has a level of culpability in this as well. However I sincerely doubt they will own up to it.
...and you are correct Chang' good article.
Yes and no.
Yes we need to ensure prisoner abuse is stopped and never resurfaces. But, the media needs to actually report facts rather than running to print or broadcast with every tidbit of information that supports their agenda regardless of it's basis in fact.
The media has a level of culpability in this as well. However I sincerely doubt they will own up to it.
...and you are correct Chang' good article.
Newsweek Investigating Quran Story Errors
DINO HAZELL, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Newsweek magazine, under fire for an article that prompted violent protests by mistakenly reporting that U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had desecrated the Quran, said Monday it was investigating the matter and would make other corrections or retractions if needed.
Newsweek acknowledged problems with the story and its editor, Mark Whitaker, apologized in an editor's note in this week's edition. The magazine had reported that a U.S. investigation had found that interrogators had flushed a copy of the Quran down a toilet in an attempt to shake up detainees. The accusations 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," Whitaker wrote in an editor's note.
The White House said Monday that Newsweek's response was insufficient.
"It's puzzling. While Newsweek now acknowledges that they got the facts wrong, they refuse to retract the story," said presidential spokesman Scott McClellan. "I think there's a certain journalistic standard that should be met. In this instance it was not.
"This was a report based on a single anonymous source that could not substantiate the allegation that was made," McClellan added. "The report has had serious consequences. People have lost their lives. The image of the United States abroad has been damaged. I just find it puzzling."
Ken Weine, a spokesman for Newsweek, said: "We have already apologized for making an error in saying that the Southern Command investigation had turned up evidence of Quran abuse. And we have expressed our deep regret for any role our reporting may have played in the violence. We are continuing to report, and if we have more to correct or retract we will do that."
In its issue dated May 9, Newsweek had 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.
Newsweek is owned by The Washington Post Co.
DINO HAZELL, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Newsweek magazine, under fire for an article that prompted violent protests by mistakenly reporting that U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had desecrated the Quran, said Monday it was investigating the matter and would make other corrections or retractions if needed.
Newsweek acknowledged problems with the story and its editor, Mark Whitaker, apologized in an editor's note in this week's edition. The magazine had reported that a U.S. investigation had found that interrogators had flushed a copy of the Quran down a toilet in an attempt to shake up detainees. The accusations 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," Whitaker wrote in an editor's note.
The White House said Monday that Newsweek's response was insufficient.
"It's puzzling. While Newsweek now acknowledges that they got the facts wrong, they refuse to retract the story," said presidential spokesman Scott McClellan. "I think there's a certain journalistic standard that should be met. In this instance it was not.
"This was a report based on a single anonymous source that could not substantiate the allegation that was made," McClellan added. "The report has had serious consequences. People have lost their lives. The image of the United States abroad has been damaged. I just find it puzzling."
Ken Weine, a spokesman for Newsweek, said: "We have already apologized for making an error in saying that the Southern Command investigation had turned up evidence of Quran abuse. And we have expressed our deep regret for any role our reporting may have played in the violence. We are continuing to report, and if we have more to correct or retract we will do that."
In its issue dated May 9, Newsweek had 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.
Newsweek is owned by The Washington Post Co.
Except that it appears that the Koran did get to see the blue fish. Just because Newsweek happened to uncover this whilst 'officially' researching something else doesn't make it 'irresponsible'. Seriously N8, if the abuses of prisoners at Gitmo and Abu-Ghirab hasn't happened, if US handling of prisoners wasn't an issue, if the US chose to abide by the Geneva convention like everyone told them to in the first place, none of this would have happened, and you wouldn't have a whole bunch more Arabs declaring Holy war against you. You reap what you sow. What's it going to take for people like you to realise that killing and abusing people isn't going to help? I think a lot of people can quite legitimatley now turn around to the Bush administration and say 'Told you so!'.N8 said:
ThanksDamn True said:
I'd say that Newsweek were fairly pro-Bush on the whole though. As Simpson said, I don't think Newsweek thought these allegations were a) new (they have been reported before apparantly) or b) going to cause this kind of uproar. Now it's happened, the White House are trying to play it as though there is actually no truth in the allegation and the whole thing is a fabrication of Newsweek -washing their hands of the issue. Just read the language they use. But if you read the various reporting of the story, it appears that it probably did happen.
I am wating for "some trueth" to come out. No one knows what happened is true....especially the Newsweek people.
If it turns out the accusation is utterly false, Newsweek has already done it's job and the damage is done. No amount of retraction will correct what they did. They did induce riots....whether they should be held accountable for them is another thing.
The "abuse" at Gitmo and Abu-Ghirab (debated to what extent) has already scarred anything the US does GOOD or bad in the future. This just might be an outright lie and Newsweek will hide behind the 1st ammendment or something. They have the responsibility to report on how f'd up a news agency is to screw up like they have. A whole issue devoted to spelling out the mistakes Newsweek made might be in order, and an appology to the Muslims for letting thier greed to report a sensationalized story got the best of them. That should be the minimum of their response, if found to have reported a lie. Oops simply won't cut it....they rush to report something with no backup led to massive uprising of people already pissed off at the US. Irrisponsible is a nice word to discribe it.
Who will bow down and kiss the US's ass if the accusation (because it is not even close to being corroberated yet) is found to be false? Should the whole world that is so ready to shake their finger pucker up? I don't know Changleen...is it OK since past events happend to report lies?
If it turns out the accusation is utterly false, Newsweek has already done it's job and the damage is done. No amount of retraction will correct what they did. They did induce riots....whether they should be held accountable for them is another thing.
The "abuse" at Gitmo and Abu-Ghirab (debated to what extent) has already scarred anything the US does GOOD or bad in the future. This just might be an outright lie and Newsweek will hide behind the 1st ammendment or something. They have the responsibility to report on how f'd up a news agency is to screw up like they have. A whole issue devoted to spelling out the mistakes Newsweek made might be in order, and an appology to the Muslims for letting thier greed to report a sensationalized story got the best of them. That should be the minimum of their response, if found to have reported a lie. Oops simply won't cut it....they rush to report something with no backup led to massive uprising of people already pissed off at the US. Irrisponsible is a nice word to discribe it.
Who will bow down and kiss the US's ass if the accusation (because it is not even close to being corroberated yet) is found to be false? Should the whole world that is so ready to shake their finger pucker up? I don't know Changleen...is it OK since past events happend to report lies?
So multiple reports of suspicion is fact? It must be OK when Newsweek does it, but the US error on WMD (if there indeed was an errorChangleen said:Thanks
I'd say that Newsweek were fairly pro-Bush on the whole though. As Simpson said, I don't think Newsweek thought these allegations were a) new (they have been reported before apparantly) or b) going to cause this kind of uproar. Now it's happened, the White House are trying to play it as though there is actually no truth in the allegation and the whole thing is a fabrication of Newsweek -washing their hands of the issue. Just read the language they use. But if you read the various reporting of the story, it appears that it probably did happen.
) is terrible.Multiple stories all leading to the same conclusion....Hmmmmm No matter what evidence pointing to them having no clue after acting on the information.
"his original source, the senior government official, who said that he clearly recalled reading investigative reports about mishandling the Koran, including a toilet incident".
But then after it blew up:
"But the official, still speaking anonymously, could no longer be sure that these concerns had surfaced"
Aside from the apparant multiple references to this happening in the FBI emails, several of the ex-prisoners have also made these allegations as part of the list of alleged abuses. Yes, it may or may not 'true' but considering what we've seen photos of actually occuring, it doesn't seem much of a stretch of the imagination does it? Personally if I was a Muslim I'd be more pissed about the head shaving, but hey, I'm not a Muslim...
But then after it blew up:
"But the official, still speaking anonymously, could no longer be sure that these concerns had surfaced"
Aside from the apparant multiple references to this happening in the FBI emails, several of the ex-prisoners have also made these allegations as part of the list of alleged abuses. Yes, it may or may not 'true' but considering what we've seen photos of actually occuring, it doesn't seem much of a stretch of the imagination does it? Personally if I was a Muslim I'd be more pissed about the head shaving, but hey, I'm not a Muslim...
I flush bibles and korans!
Like yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater? But what if there is a fire?N8 said:
Interesting question: When should the media sit on a story due to the social ramifications? Hmmmmm.
Gah, shouldn't have bothered looking for myself - GNN has a nice selcetion of links regarding previous reporting/allegations of this type:
http://www.guerrillanews.com/headlines/2883/Newsweek_Got_Gitmo_Right
http://www.guerrillanews.com/headlines/2883/Newsweek_Got_Gitmo_Right
BuddhaRoadkill said:
How about when it's not true?
I am more ashamed at the bolded statement than anything else.Changleen said:
By that logic....
Iraq was a just war (It walked and talked like a duck...so it must have been a duck) No appologies by the US then...I don't think that is what you are trying to say but the logic is the same)
All black men are murders (I mean some are...so they all must be...no stretch of the imagination and all) (even if a man was found guilty of murder in a previous case, that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to have the facts of the new case reviewed....I mean he did it in the past right?)
I know you WANT it to be true but I feal you are hoping a little to hard on this one and didn't care to look at anything else than what you wanted to see. We can all eb guilty of that...I know I have.
Just saying you jumped the gun on this one...maybe?
If the fire is real then you are not inciting a riot. Youa re warning people. If you smell smoke and yell fire....when it is the pop corn popper burning some kernals than you are guilty of inciting a riot. If you just want to see people step on each other for kicks....that is inciting a riot.BuddhaRoadkill said:
Intention might have a bearing on to what extent the punishment would be.
But it sounds like Newsweek barely got a wiff of a burnt kernal.....and yelled fire.
Were their intentions good? Well since they are a news agency and not a time intense situation. They did have opportunity to verify and research if such accusations held merrit. They were neglectful in doing so to earn a dollar so intention would not seem like a likely defense.....for me anyways.
Rhino
In the Wash. Post: Whitaker (Newsweek Editor) said Pentagon officials offered no objection to the story for 11 days after it was published. Basically the administration had no problem with the story until all this **** kicked off. The process Newsweek followed to obtain the details for their story, which happened to include these allegations, is one that is as old as the hills. Anonymous sources have been used since forever. Most of the time theyve told the truth.RhinofromWA said:If the fire is real then you are not inciting a riot. Youa re warning people. If you smell smoke and yell fire....when it is the pop corn popper burning some kernals than you are guilty of inciting a riot. If you just want to see people step on each other for kicks....that is inciting a riot.
Intention might have a bearing on to what extent the punishment would be.
But it sounds like Newsweek barely got a wiff of a burnt kernal.....and yelled fire.
for me anyways.
Rhino
Like I said earlier, the Koran flushing thing was actually only a small part of Newsweeks article. They hadnt really considered or anticipated that this particular aspect of the story would be so inflammatory. Remember that because it puts a different spin on the whole thing, especially compared with how it is being presented now.
Secondly, see my previous posts. There has been a long history of detainees and other organisations detailing abuses that have occurred at A.G and Gitmo and these have often included claims about the treatment of the Koran. These are not new allegations.
But you are right, there is no way to know 100% that the claims are true. It just seems, considering all the other evidence, that they are.
