WAR: Newsweek May Have Erred in Koran Desecration Report

Newsweek magazine says that it may have erred in the reporting of a story alleging that U.S. troops desecrated an Islamic Koran at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. The report was not properly sourced and the incident may never have happened. The story incited violence in the Middle East that led to deaths.



The people writing things like this should realize the consequences of their reporting, and be damned sure that what they're saying is true before they print it. If this report was false or misleading, it needlessly cost many lives as well as goodwill value the U.S. is trying to build with the Afghans, Iraqis, and Muslims in general.

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
WAR: Wave of Anti-U.S. Protests in Afghanistan; Sparks Riots


[edit on 5/15/2005 by djohnsto77]

Splendid! 16 people die because Newsweek makes up a story that incites absolute rage across the globe.

Those responsible should at the least be sacked.

Zip



[edit on 15-5-2005 by Zipdot]

Just another case of the press doing more damage than good.

What needs to be created is a governing body for the press, they cannot control what the press print, but must control the validity of the stories. All members of the press/organisations must become a member of this organisation, and will be more respected for being a member and be counted as a reliable and valid member of the press for being so. If they are found to be broadcasting or printing things that are untrue, they get a strike against them. So many strikes and they are removed from the organisation, named and shamed, or whatever, I’m speaking hypothetically.

That’s just me trying to strike a balance though. Personally I think information is a dangerous thing, more than is needed is too much; as were living in the information age, I think that one can gather my true thoughts about our society.

Going slightly off topic, a little rant: my view is that all celebrity related press should be banned, as well as the magazines that talk about them. Its pointless, and very damaging to the individuals and society.

Newsweeks Editors, Reporters responsible for this yellow journalism meant to incite ill will towards western countries should be required to go to each and every Islamic nation and explain themselves.

Yellow Journalists = Yellow of Courage

I know it isnt going to happen - but just once................it'd be the right thing.

There is also the possibility that what they wrote was true, but that they were forced into "correcting" the story by the powers-that-be because of everything that has happened and what still might happen.
Somebody thought that it is better to blame the media then to admit everything that is going on at Guantanamo Bay...

Even if "Newsweek" is guilty of sloppy reporting or even if they are guilty of publishing a flagrantly falsified story, it still doesn't justify the outrageous response by Afghani muslims. It's time the rest of the world stopped kissing these people's posteriors and started holding them responsible for not only their actions, but their philosophy that can justify such deadly acts of utter stupidity.

No one can discount the possibly of pressure from the US government to make-up a retraction, considering how bad of a reaction the original report has recieved. Consider the great lengths the US went to keep the Abu Gharib scandel under wraps.

EDIT: Oops, for some reason I didn't see that paperclip said the same thing before me.

[edit on 15-5-2005 by curme]

Agree with Grady on this one. Regardless of truth or error, the behavior of the Afghani Muslims is reprehensible. It is almost as if they are looking for a reason, any reason at all, to blow themselves and each other up.

On the other hand, I have a hard time accepting that Newsweek is able to be bent to pressure to accept responsibility for an error they didn't make. Fortunately, there are still enough Gonzo Journalists out there to make something like that pretty hard to do, even if it does take 6 months to a year to uncover. I suspect that it would be nearly impossible to do with any hope of impunity.

I think this scandal could way overshadow the CBS Rathergate affair of last year, expect major fireworks later in the week as more information comes to light. I for one will never buy or rely on any Newsweek product ever again for news.

[edit on 5/15/2005 by djohnsto77]

Newsweek should be held accountable if this was erroneously reported. But how many people in here think that Newsweek is the only newspaper that once in a while makes erroneous articles because of their own bias?

I agree with the other member who mentioned that there should be a group of people who should be making sure all the reports given by the press are real, and have no bias which affects the real story being reported in the article.... But i think we all know that this is not possible... most news media have a bias, and will present the story one way or the other because of that bias.

I just have to wonder about something. We all know that the American flag and even bibles have been burned in some countries, but i have never seen Christians/Catholics or Americans resort to violence because of this....

How is it exactly that it is alright for people in other countries to burn the American flag and even bibles and that there are no violent outbreaks because of this in the US, yet one rumor makes it to the middle east of the koran possibly being desecrated, and all hell breaks lose.



[edit on 15-5-2005 by Muaddib]

What I think is that the media are arrogant and that they think that a lie here and there doesn't have terrible consequences unless someone gets caught. In this case, there were horrible consequences and "Newsweek" had to fess up.

Of course, such lies by the media cost thousands of American lives in Vietnam, lost a war, and caused the slaughter of millions of innocent southeast Asians, enslaved a nation, but what they hey, they managed to pull it off and come out smelling like a rose.

Maybe this time, someone will be held accountable. I have heard that there will be major fallout from this and there has yet to be even a hint to how bad it will be. I think we can expect congressional hearings ad nauseum over this.


[edit on 05/5/15 by GradyPhilpott]

I don't remember all of this indignation towards the press during Bush's rush to war, when the mainstream meda failed to scrutinize an action that led the US to invade a nation. Where are the cries for accountability now? When the half-truths and lies of the Iraq invasion and occupation are common knowledge? Why do people pick and choose when they want to start complaining about the press? I think some need to explore thier anger at a lazy press. Are they angry about the lies? Or just the lies they don't believe?

How many other made up stories go unnoticed, or half truths half lies, propaganda crank has broke off!

do these folks in the MiddleEast feel stupid for being manipulated so easy?

oh dearest nwo, come and enslave us already, religious nuts are unruly.

Oh bull#, newsweek were probably right on the nose.
The difference is that now the Muslims are rioting they are trying to calm the situation.

I didn't see Christians shooting themselves when christians were massacred in indonesia and torn bibles were lying in puddles after the attacks.

Sometimes islamic medieval mentality can be overbearing....

Why are there "detainees" still at Guantanamo Bay? What's the point in incarcerating people so long without due process so far from their home and so close to ours?

Isn't this what the ME folks are really mad about?

First it is occupation then captivity. Is the ME even close to being as unreasonable as we are?

Thats right, captivity, read it and weep, we have captivity in the 21st century.

Its clearly tragic but talk about butterflies causing cyclones on the other side of th globe.
Check this - google news hits for the search "quran and desecration or abuse or protests
5/05/2005 0
6/05/2005 4
7/05/2005 4
8/05/2005 5
9/05/2005 6
10/05/2005 81
11/05/2005 455
12/05/2005 349
13/05/2005 424
14/05/2005 314
15/05/2005 664 - Newsweek retracts story accuracy

You just cannot tell which grain of sand dropped on a pile will cause an avalanche. You never know what spark will cause a small blaze or wipe out a forrest. You can't tell what piece of news will sweep the globe in a storm.

The Newsweek retraction is the first attempt at fighting the fire.

What do you mean "May Have Erred"?

He maybe saw it, but maybe he didnt?

WTF?

There are People dead, and this guys "May Have Erred"?

The other possibility is, that they did not "Erred" - but that they got the Heat from the Army, forcing them into saying "Hey, We May Have Erred!", so that they keep Clean hands, and the Media takes the blame.

Perhaps "NewsWEAK" should be sued out of existence, or maybe the planet should stop "subscribing" to such ignorance.........

Well, either Newsweek printed a story that it shouldn't have becuase it wasn't based on facts....or it printed a story that they now realize shouldn't have been printed.
And, well, we're all here, and we are wondering which one it is. I think it is safe to say that the damage has already been done. And, well, just like some of us are leaning towards the idea that the government bullied them into retracting the story, most of the radical moslems are also...what the heck, try convincing them that Isreal and the US didn't bring down the towers. most believe that's who did it... just like some of us do.

If they were ever to set up a committe to ensure the factual basis for news stories, it definately should in no way be connected to the government. maybe the committee members should be voted in by the people, from the ranks of the top journalists of the country or something, and paid by a combination of government funding, the media, and small donations from individuals. SO the committe isn't overly beholding to one group.

But, the answer to the problem would lie in the journalists themselves. They have an obligation to check and recheck the facts, and well, consider the results of the stories. If those results aren't acceptable, well, maybe they should just send their investigation and results to a few of their elected representives and suggest that it be dealt with a little more quietly than the mass media would be able to?

I agree with the previous poster ...

'MAY' have erred? Of course it did. Newsweek admitted it did.
Those who wish the story were true are now hanging on to it
and making excuses. Hey guys, Newsweek screwed up and
they are admitting it. It's just the way it is.