Newsweek Apology

Reprinted without the permissiions of ABCnews.com
Muslim Reaction to Newsweek Apology: Too Little, Too Late
Distrust Intensifies Following Koran Desecration Allegations
News Analysis by HODA ABDEL-HAMID
May. 16, 2005 - Newsweek magazine may have apologized, but to many in the Muslim world, it's too late and much too little.
Muslims brushed off an apology to readers that appeared in this week's edition of the newsweekly that acknowledged errors in a story alleging U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay desecrated the Koran, Islam's holy book. Interestingly enough, Newsweek has an Arabic issue but there was no mention of the apology in this week's issue. Critics called it a strategic move in the face of the overwhelming and violent reaction. The report sparked protests in Afghanistan, where at least 15 were killed and more than 100 injured.
Many Muslims believe Newsweek succumbed to pressure from the U.S. government to backtrack. Many believe that that whatever the truth may be, the harm has been done.
Saudi Arabia was the first country to officially react by asking for an investigation. It was followed by blanket condemnation and demands for investigation from all over the region by officially appointed mainstream clerics or governments.
In Egypt, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, the highest Sunni authority in the world, usually a subdued man, demanded immediate action. "The Koran's desecration is a great crime and should be dealt with at once," he said.
Reaction to the Newsweek article, which appeared in the May 9th issue, has been particularly virulent for a number of reasons.
In the Muslim world, Guantanamo has become the symbol of the confrontation between Islam and the U.S. The fact that this allegedly happened in Guantanamo makes things much worse. A member of the Muslim Brotherhood said perhaps if it had happened somewhere else, it would not have resonated so much.
Secondly, the Koran is part of the Muslim identity. By desecrating the Koran, one is desecrating the identity of all Muslims. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, desecration of the Koran is punishable by death, which explains the more violent reaction to the Newsweek story.
Many analysts believe this episode will just increase the level of distrust. The Arab world, especially the Middle East, is more likely to believe such reports after the prison scandal at Abu Ghraib in Iraq.
Moreover, many believe that a soldier or interrogator would not act without his or her superior's approval and say this episode is yet another reminder that the United States is at war against Islam.
One moderate cleric said, "the U.S. keeps on handing out reasons for extremists to become more ferocious. These stories are amazing recruiting tools and more young people will now join the fight."
The story has offended many non-Arab Muslims too. In Malaysia and in Nigeria, protesters chanted anti-American slogans and in Tajikistan, a Central Asian country abutting Afghanistan, a group of 300 clerics wrote a statement saying that, "if an investigation does not happen within three days, we will launch a jihad against America."
The so-called Jihadi Web sites are also full of calls for more killings of Americans.
Commentary: So, apparently Newsweek publishes an article alleging that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba desecrated the Koran as part of their interrorgations. Of course, all the muslims went nuts and rioted in Afghanistan and other places. And someone in Egypt thinks "The Koran's desecration is a great crime and should be dealt with at once". Look I understand that the Koran is very symbolic in Islam, but uh, when was the last time we demanded you fockers investigated the burning of our flag!?!?!?!?! :mad:

Not that I don't agree with the analogy of the flag burning but the desecration of a religious symbol that is very sacred to the Islamic faith by presumably US forces or interrogators working for the US Government NEEDS to be investigated. We can't be a "higher moral plateau" example when we do the same crap as the dirtbags do. I personally don't believe that an employee (civilian) interrogators or US military personnel actually did that but then again look at what happened at Abu Ghraib. We, as a country, need to stand up to the bullies of the world and also set an example for the rest of the spineless a$$holes.

{pp}We, as a country, need to stand up to the bullies of the world and also set an example for the rest of the spineless a$$holes.
Here Here!
Newsweak (spelling intentional) in an effort to save face trickled down an appology along with an admonishment that it was the Governments fault for thier un-substatiated hyperbole. If the Government had just said "Why no Newsweek, we certainly did not flush the holiest document of the most radical religous sect in the entire world down a toilet" then all would have been ok, but, and can you imagine the nerve, some Governement official declined to comment. That bastard, it's his fault.
The media has become all too motivated by the exclusive scandal. They're not content to report the facts, they must invent and reinvent the news to suit thier marketing departments on a daily basis. There used to be ethics in journalism, but that was way before Rathergate.
IMO the editor and the reporter of the piece should be charged for the deaths of those protesters. They shouldn't be found guilty, but culpable at any rate, and a few days in the slammer wouldn't do them any harm for that "little" mixup.
Scream

Newsweek is cupable for the victims of the violence.....
but since they said "sorry"" most mind-numb people will just forget about it and it will be swept under the rug...
to bad, so sad.

Here Here!
Newsweak (spelling intentional)with an admonishment that it was the Governments fault for thier un-substatiated hyperbole.
IMO the editor and the reporter of the piece should be charged for the deaths of those protesters. They shouldn't be found guilty, but culpable at any rate, and a few days in the slammer wouldn't do them any harm for that "little" mixup.
Scream
OOPS sorry we screamed FIRE in the world theater... not our fault, it is that darn Fire Department's...