Newsweek: Treason, libel against our troops and a CBS reputation with one article – BRAVO

by: Steve Yuhas

In irony usually reserved for Hollywood: on the same night that former and shamed CBS newsman Dan Rather and used-to-be producer Mary Mapes were receiving the most coveted award in journalism in New York, the Peabody, for their 60 Minutes coverage of Abu Ghraib.  Another magazine joined the heap of news organizations that care more about committing treason against America and igniting the spark in the Middle East all the while putting American troops in harms way: Newsweek.

There can be no mincing of words over what Newsweek did because they proudly admitted it in a rare retraction, "Based on what we know now, we are retracting our original story that an internal military investigation had uncovered Koran abuse at Guantánamo Bay." 

The problem for Newsweek, not unlike when CBS made up a story about President Bush’s National Guard service that was based on fraudulent documents, is that the damage has been done and people died over their reporting.

Mark Whitaker, the editor of Newsweek who reportedly told the author of the piece, Michael Isacoff, that his resignation would not be accepted over this matter, artfully worded the retraction to make read as if it was a simple typing mistake instead of treason and libel against our troops.

The damage, though, goes far beyond the misspelling of an arrogant twit’s name or some businessman’s egotistical building design; rather, Newsweek published, without adequately investigating, a claim that Americans were desecrating the Qur’an in order to torture people at Guantánamo Bay. 

That accusation alone did what the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were unable to do – ignite the Arab street against the United States.  From the Gaza Strip to Indonesia; Kabul to Tehran rioting and anti-American demonstrations were taking place while Whitaker was lunching at posh New York restaurants trying to figure out how to save his magazine and their “ace reporter.”

It made no difference while sitting for tea and crumpets that people were dying because of what Newsweek published or that American forces not only protected the embedded reporters from the same publication and were now the focus of the rage of the Arab world; Whitaker and his cronies in the iconic world of “news” joined the heap of news coverage that most of the United States already believes it to be.  An anti-American liberal bunch of wanna be award winners who would do anything to bring down President Bush and the Republican Party - even if it meant treason against America and libel against our troops.

Whitaker also gave a little view into his soul and reasoning of his mea culpa when he contrasted his damage control prowess with that of CBS after the fake memos came to light, “Unlike CBS, we felt we were being extremely forthcoming by publishing all the details and publishing the Pentagon's denials and saying we committed an error. But then it seemed that people felt like we weren't apologizing. In order for people to understand we had made an error, we had to say 'retraction' because that's the word they were looking for."

We did it for the people – thank you Mr. Whitaker; I’m sure the troops can’t wait to protect a Newsweek reporter embedded in their unit.  Frankly, I hope they’re pulled from wherever they are and that no servicemen uses his or her body to shield them from the bullets that should be aimed at them.

What a great way to decide how to determine whether or not your story is true: base the retraction and apology on how another news organization was treated when they got caught making something up.

The real problem here is that although the CBS story may have ignited controversy over President Bush’s National Guard service for the thousandth time; in this case people are dying and American troops are the target for punishment by people over coverage and events they had no hand in. 

If ever there were an act of treason it is publishing a story that causes your own country to be damaged and targeted in a time of war and if ever there were cause for libel there is one here when Newsweek decided to libel every serviceman at Guantánamo Bay and in doing so every serviceman across the globe.

As Newsweek and CBS join the stack of rubbish in the news and publishing world there is good news to come from this.  The American people finally know, without a doubt, that the news they receive on television and in print is questionable at best and an outright fabrication at worse; it cannot be trusted and the motives of television and print journalists, which used to be honorable and decent, is forever tarnished by hit pieces against our President and our troops.

Congratulations Newsweek and the Dan Rather & Mary Mapes team: the latter received their Peabody and a standing ovation from their colleagues for bashing American troops because of the actions of a few bad apples.  We’ll have to wait to see if next year there will be a Peabody for Newsweek for the egregious act of treason and libel committed during a time of war.

There is no doubt in my mind that if that award were ever given, Newsweek would proudly accept it and the author of the article, currently hiding under the desks at the magazine’s headquarters, Michael Isikoff, would receive a standing ovation from his equally deserving peers.

Steve Yuhas is a columnist and radio talk show host on KOGO AM 600 out of San Diego.  He may be reached at steve@steveyuhas.com or www.steveyuhas.com