Newsweek's Koran gaffe not sole cause of riots
JOHN SHOVELAN: ... was it just the Newsweek story that had caused the violence?
Or could it be that the Newsweek story was part of a believable narrative in the Muslim world?
The frequent reports of mistreatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay by those who have been released helped to convince Muslims the desecration had occurred.
Along with FBI memos alleging torture, a recent book by a former Guantanamo Bay guard questioning interrogation techniques, internal government documents showing the administration had discussed methods in breach of Geneva Convention, and the constant controversy surrounding the camp placed in Cuba to avoid American law, the Newsweek story, however inaccurate, seemed perhaps as just another consistent chapter.
Among those condemning the Newsweek article was the Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
DONALD RUMSFELD: I think it was Mark Twain who said that something that's not true can speed around the world three or four times in a matter of seconds, and while truth is still trying to put their boots on.
And people have said, "My goodness, why does it take so long for someone to come back and have the actual facts?" Well it takes a long time to be truthful, to be responsible, it takes a long time to review 25,000 documents, which is what they have had to do.
And the only other thing I'd say about it is people lost their lives, people are dead, and that's unfortunate. And people need to be very careful about what they say, just as people need to be careful about what they do.
JOHN SHOVELAN: But after Abu Ghraib and all the allegations about Guantanamo, the Department of Defence continues to investigate itself, and the result is that only a few low ranking soldiers have been punished.
So it's not any wonder when Newsweek, however slowly, declared its error that the Muslim world didn't believe it.
It did nothing to stop the rampant anti-Americanism.
The fact is allegations of religious desecration at Guantanamo such as those reported by Newsweek are common among ex-prisoners.
So not only must the magazine step up and try to reverse the damage its report caused to American interests, but the White House must accept the responsibility it has in creating the circumstances where the erroneous report is seen as completely believable.
John Shovelan, Washington.
Source: Correspondents' Report
Or could it be that the Newsweek story was part of a believable narrative in the Muslim world?
The frequent reports of mistreatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay by those who have been released helped to convince Muslims the desecration had occurred.
Along with FBI memos alleging torture, a recent book by a former Guantanamo Bay guard questioning interrogation techniques, internal government documents showing the administration had discussed methods in breach of Geneva Convention, and the constant controversy surrounding the camp placed in Cuba to avoid American law, the Newsweek story, however inaccurate, seemed perhaps as just another consistent chapter.
Among those condemning the Newsweek article was the Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
DONALD RUMSFELD: I think it was Mark Twain who said that something that's not true can speed around the world three or four times in a matter of seconds, and while truth is still trying to put their boots on.
And people have said, "My goodness, why does it take so long for someone to come back and have the actual facts?" Well it takes a long time to be truthful, to be responsible, it takes a long time to review 25,000 documents, which is what they have had to do.
And the only other thing I'd say about it is people lost their lives, people are dead, and that's unfortunate. And people need to be very careful about what they say, just as people need to be careful about what they do.
JOHN SHOVELAN: But after Abu Ghraib and all the allegations about Guantanamo, the Department of Defence continues to investigate itself, and the result is that only a few low ranking soldiers have been punished.
So it's not any wonder when Newsweek, however slowly, declared its error that the Muslim world didn't believe it.
It did nothing to stop the rampant anti-Americanism.
The fact is allegations of religious desecration at Guantanamo such as those reported by Newsweek are common among ex-prisoners.
So not only must the magazine step up and try to reverse the damage its report caused to American interests, but the White House must accept the responsibility it has in creating the circumstances where the erroneous report is seen as completely believable.
John Shovelan, Washington.
Source: Correspondents' Report
Pip Wilson posted item above at 7:14 PM | Permalink
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