John -
Isikoff certainly could be charged with obstruction of justice by refusing to reveal his source. If I were him, though, I would be more worried about a congressional subpeona than a DOJ investigation. We're talking broad investigatory powers and a broad statute that encompasses a slew of activities. Because of the media coverage (driven as much by the Blogosphere as anything), this is starting to sound more like something that politicians would be interested in investing some time and capital. In my opinion, Newsweek would have been better off saying that they made the whole thing up. They could avoid charges and suits (no such thing as journalistic malpractice, really), fire Isikoff, and only their credibility takes a hit. Just my two-cents. Of course, this is all Tom DeLay's doing, his way of wagging the dog... 
Cheers,
Rob
The problem is not that Newsweek reported it. The problem is: Koran destructions HAVE occurred. Only now, everyone knows it - and not just through Newsweek, but from detainee testimony as well. This is yet another example where killing the messenger just doesn't cut it. Kinda like attacking a soverign nation under false pretenses (WMD's) doesn't cut it. Or, planning the Iraq invasion long before 9-11 doesn't cut it (Downing Street Report.) Indeed, someone is to blame here (Any ideas?) ... but it's NOT Newsweek. Next, we'll read we need censorship. Going to fall for it? Lose even more critical freedom? Here's the real question on this issue (no pun intended): Who's zooming who?
Pavane -
Exactly how critical a service does a biased, fictitious media report serve? There are civil remedies for libel, slander, and other forms of speech, so why not here, where lies lead to American deaths?
Cheers,
Rob
Rob, check this out from Americablog:
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No, New York Times, Newsweek did NOT retract account of Koran abuse
by Michael in New York - 5/18/2005 07:50:00 PM
Isn't the New York Times (and perhaps the rest of the media) failing to accurately report what happened? Newsweek has not stated that abuse of the Koran did not occur by US military forces. What its very carefully worded retraction said was that it was retracting the claim that "an internal military investigation had uncovered Koran abuse at Guantanamo Bay." That's very different from the headline the NYT is using: "Newsweek Retracts Account of Koran Abuse By US Military." One says they couldn't back up the claim that an internal investigation had made the abuse official. The other one says no abuse occurred I can see the White House trying to smudge the difference. But shouldn't the rest of the media be aware of what Newsweek actually did and report it more accurately?
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Meanwhile, I've read some first hand accounts of Koran destruction from detainee testamony who claimed GB guards threw the holy books in the toilet and so on. From what I understand, NW first sent this article to the Pentagon for review and printing only took place upon approval. Evidently now, NW is under pressure from the administration to backtrack; that this disrespectful behavior was not implemented by MILITARY personnel. If the US is to lead the world in human rights by example, this kind of thing only further underscores the plague of hipocrisy so prevalent in the whole Iraq debacle ... that being, a situation gone worse to even more worse. I certainly can understand why Bush wants NW stopped, smeared and shamed. To maintain a positive position, it's essential you DON'T remember we attacked Iraq on false pretenses, that you DON'T remember the abuses, torture, deaths and in some circumstances, indefinite internment w/o due process that have and are taking place, humilating to US reputation as they are. But I remember it, and attribute these recent deaths to just more of the same old lies. So while I don't think NW reported falsely, I do think they buckled under from some serious arm twisting.
Cheers to you too -
Pavane, seems you're pretty firmly in the Newsweek/Dan Rather camp. Both were so eager to discredit the country and the President that they were willing to do whatever was necessary. Rather used fake documents, then insisted the story was correct. On what evidence? Newsweek published a very serious charge based on the unconfirmed statement of one anonymous source. To Newsweek's credit, I haven't heard them claim the story is true, but you have. Based on what? Complaints of detainees and their sympathizers, usually lawyers. Can you not even conceive of the idea that you might give your government's word at least equal credence with the word of prisoners and their lawyers? Then, if it should turn out that the prisoners were right, to whatever extent, you can be outraged. But why not hold your outrage in abeyance until you know what happened? Just asking.
Hey Tom,
Just acknowledging your post. Got a kick-ass company presentation in the morning and MUST go to bed. Don't WANT to go to bed, but if I screw up, we'll lose our biggest client, the company will go bankrupt, millions of people will lose their jobs, I'll end up homeless and probably lose my little dog too. In the event I survive all this, I'll get back to you. Meanwhile, have a good one. May it be more serene than mine. (I wish I were going fishing instead.)
Tom,
I have great respect for the Red Cross and Human Rights Watch. Both have notified the Pentagon of complaints of Koran abuse. For more information, google: 'KORAN ABUSES' ... there is much to read there. And Tom, keep in mind, a detainee is a person with rights. Because one is detained isn't indicative of certain guilt. Many have been imprisioned without knowledge of the charges against them.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/2...059&
partner=AOL
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... Accounts of abuses at the actual American detention center at Guantánamo Bay, including Newsweek magazine's now-retracted article on the desecration of the Koran, ricochet around the world, instilling ideas about American power and justice, and sowing distrust of the United States. Even more than the written accounts are the images that flash on television screens throughout the Muslim world: caged men, in orange prison jumpsuits, on their knees.
For many Muslims, Guantánamo stands as a confirmation of the low regard in which they believe the United States holds them. For many non-Muslims, regardless of their feelings toward the United States, it has emerged as a symbol of American hypocrisy.
The Bush administration's response to the Newsweek article - a general condemnation of prison abuses, coupled with an attack on the magazine - apparently did little to allay the concerns of many Muslims. Then on Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross issued a report detailing the many complaints from detainees at Guantánamo about desecrations of the Koran between early 2002 and mid-2003.
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Meanwhile, the Newsweek 'debacle' has already has faded from front page ... there's more fun with Saddam in his underwear and, where have the BCP Afganistan detainee death reports gone? If you haven't read of the taxi driver hung from the ceiling, dying from his legs being pulpified ... check it out. His name is Mr. Dilawar.
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http://www.dailykos.com/story/20...5/20/0831/
58379
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The story of Mr. Dilawar's brutal death at the Bagram Collection Point -and that of another detainee, Habibullah, who died there six days earlier in December 2002 - emerge from a nearly 2,000-page confidential file of the Army's criminal investigation into the case, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times.
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My point, Tom, is that Mr Dilawar, as a typical detainee without rights, was hideously tortured (legs bashed, shackled, suspended from ceiling) and killed ... even as he was considered innocent. Oh boy. What are we doing ....
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