When the White House “encouraged” Newsweek to help repair the damage to America’s image caused by Newsweek’s false Koran-in-a-commode story, I don’t think this is what they had in mind.

Newsweek’s Washington Bureau Chief Daniel Klaidman appeared on Al Jazeera TV on May 19, and told the Arab world that, despite their retraction, Newsweek is “neutral” on whether any of this happened.

Klaidman: And so, based on the fact that he could not be as precise as he was when we first talked to him and that he could not be sure about some of the information he provided us, and also the denials from the Defense Department, which, of course, we factored in, we concluded that we did not have the information that we needed to make the assertion that we did in this item – that this had happened.

Host: But there is no proof that it did not happen either...

Klaidman: We are neutral on whether any form of Koran desecration took place. There are allegations out there, but the allegations have not been subjected to the kind of scrutiny or legal processes that normally are… you need before you can establish whether they are true and we certainly know that the military has not confirmed any of these allegations, and so what we are saying is we did not have the information we needed to go forward with this story and we are also saying that this specific act of Koran desecration was not confirmed by the US military investigators, and that is what we reported. As to whether these things happened or not, we are, like the rest of the people out there and news organizations - we don’t know. We have heard the allegations, we continue to report, and the US military and other entities are investigating, and as I said, we are neutral on whether any of this ever happened.

(Video courtesy of MEMRI TV.)  Tuesday, May 24, 2005

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ISIKOFF: DEADLY MISTAKE WILL BE A "BLIP"

Michael Isikoff appeared on the Charlie Rose show last night to discuss his now-discredited story about flushed Qu'rans at Guantanamo Bay. According to the AP, he acknowledged that his report had some role in the rioting that killed almost twenty people in the Middle East, but then predicted that the incident would just be a historical footnote:

Michael Isikoff, addressing the furor in an interview broadcast Monday night on "The Charlie Rose Show," said he regretted the possibility that his article, which has been blamed for violent protests in Muslim countries, may have spurred riots.

"It was terrible what happened," he told Rose. "Even if it was just a little bit that we contributed to the violence that went on over there, that was awful, terrible." ...

Isikoff said that he thought the error had harmed the magazine. "I think it has clearly done some temporary damage," he said. "It's thrown us off our game for a little bit," he said. "I think this will end up being a blip."

Isikoff doesn't sound terribly remorseful, at least not from Desmond Butler's report for the AP. He continued to blame the Pentagon for not stopping the report or objecting to it, and complained about the tightening of controls for anonymous sourcing that his false report generated at Newsweek:

He said that the reporters had provided the article in full to a senior Defense Department official. The official asked for a change of wording on a separate issue, but said nothing about the details concerning the Quran. ...

In its edition published Monday, Newsweek outlined new policies for the use of anonymous sources. Isikoff said that changes will include a push to get more material from sources put on the record.

"I got to tell you, as somebody who has reported for a long time on the intelligence and law enforcement field, that's going to be tough," he told Rose. "Some of the best stories that I've gotten, that others have written about this administration, about the previous administration, you have to rely on anonymous sources."

It's a good thing that Newsweek keeps issuing apologies while Isikoff keeps insisting that he did nothing wrong. Otherwise, people might get the idea that nothing really has changed with the mainstream media or that they haven't learned any lesson from their highly-publicized incidents of false reporting, like the Killian memos, Eason Jordan's accusations of military assassinations of journalists, or the desecration of Qu'rans.

If Newsweek sincerely meant what it has repeatedly said in its apologies and explanations, why is Isikoff not on board and still shifting blame to everyone but himself? Shouldn't these statements get him fired at some point, even if running false stories obviously doesn't get that result?  Tuesday, May 24, 2005

www.captainsquartersblog.com

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REMEMBERING THE FALLEN - MSM-STYLE 

One year since honoring the American service men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ted Koppel and ABC News "Nightline" will again pay tribute to the fallen by devoting an extended broadcast to reading the names and showing the photographs of more than 900 service members who have been killed in those countries over the last year. Entitled "The Fallen," the special "Nightline" broadcast will air Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, 2005 at 11:35 p.m. ET on the ABC Television Network. ABC News Radio will air excerpts of the program.

www.chrenkoff.blogspot.com

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WHAT ANTI-MILITARY MEDIA BIAS?

www.michellemalkin.com

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ORIANA FALLACI TO BE TRIED FOR THOUGHT CRIMES

The Italian city of Bergamo is going to put author Oriana Fallaci on trial—for defaming Islam. (Hat tip: SoCalJustice.)

(AGI) - L’Aquila, Italy, May 24 - In Oriana Fallaci’s book “The Force of Reason” there are expressions that are “unequivocally offensive to Islam and Muslims,” said the Bergamo preliminary investigative judge, Armando Grasso, who accepting the Adel Smith’s opposition to filing away the trial proposed by the prosecutor, ordered the prosecution to formulate the charge “according to article 406 of article 403 of the criminal code,” for defamation of Islam. The well known author, therefore, will be put on trial. Adel Smith, president of the Italian Muslim Union, sued the writer on April 8, 2004, after “also in other writings Oriana Fallaci had propagated hate against Islam and Muslims, distorting real historical facts and inventing others, lying, offending, and defaming Muslims around the world. For the rest, ever since ”Anger and Pride“ the writer has injured Islam and Muslims, writing expressions such as ‘f*cking sons of Allah’,” said Smith. The Bergamo Prosecution is taking on the trial, since the book was published in the city, and now has ten days to come up with a charge. The preliminary hearing judge will set the trial date. Matteo Nicoli of Verona will represent Adel Smith.

Adel Smith is a well-known Italian Muslim activist who (among other specious lawsuits) tried to have all crucifixes removed from Italian schools.  Tuesday, May 24, 2005

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VIVA ORIANA!

If someone writes a real "Profiles in Courage" for our difficult times, few deserve a better place in it than Oriana Fallaci - author of such powerful works as Man and Letter to a Child Never Born. Now she is being sued by the Muslim Union of Italy for her book The Force of Reason. What an outrageous assault on open expression and the flow of ideas. Time for the Mainstream Media to stand up in her defense. Newsweek? New York Times? Let's see those editorials in favor of free speech by one of the great journalists of our era. We're waiting.  Tuesday, May 24, 2005

www.rogerlsimon.com

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INFILTRATING THE IRAQI TERRORISTS

There are no significant follow up reports on the military operations south and west of Baghdad conducted over the past two days. Omar from Iraq The Model provides some detail from Al-Iraqia TV broadcasts. According to Omar, Operation Squeeze Play was executed primarily by Iraqi forces and was highly successful, with the number of terrorists arrested at 450 (note: this could not be verified via an alternative source). The real coup appears to be the penetration of the terrorists by Iraqi security forces by the Wolf's Brigade of the Special Police Commandos.

According to Al-Iraqia TV, the Wolf brigade's intelligence elements successfully infiltrated the terrorist groups in the Abu Ghraib region and the information gathered this way paved the way for the latest operation which was done in two waves; the 1st raid was accomplished yesterday while the 2nd one started at 5 in the morning today and has just ended as Al-Iraqia reporter at the scene in Abu Ghraib said.

The successful raids which represent the largest operation performed by Iraqi forces so far had resulted in arresting 450 suspected terrorists. The brigade depended mainly on its intelligence personnel who recognized the suspects' faces and pointed them out one by one. The Wolf brigade did almost all the job with the multinational forces providing backup when needed.

Among the detainees was an "Amir" i.e. someone who beheaded at least 10 Iraqis. Also it's believed that the terrorist who lead the latest large attack on the prison in Abu Ghraib was also among those detained.

Obviously a good deal of intelligence information available to the Iraqi and Coalition forces executing Squeeze Play. Also, a high degree of operational security was maintained among the Iraqi troops involved. It is highly unlikely an operation this size could net over 450 terrorists while taking no casualties if the terrorists were aware of this assault.

Some of the detainees were not your run-of-the-mill dead end Baathists, local resistance, unemployed Sunnis or advantageous criminals. Al Qaeda operatives were in the company of those captured, as the detention of the head-chopper and the commander of the failed Abu Ghraib mass assault demonstrate.

Last April there were reports that an agent was active within al Qaeda in Iraq's network, and had provided information that allowed Task Force 626 to come close to nabbing Zarqawi. The Iraqi Special Police Commandos appears to have duplicated this feat.

Iraq is yielding another asset crucial to winning the War on Terror: a friendly Arab intelligence service that is highly motivated to destroy al Qaeda. Iraqi agents, trained in the culture and languages of the Middle East, have a much better chance than Americans at infiltrating al Qaeda's network and providing valuable intelligence on its membership, communications and operations.

Update: This article in the Telegraph states a "car bomb factory" was discovered; "They found sufficient bombs for 70 cars, a production line if you like," said Mr Jaafari's spokesman, Laith Kubba. "It was either the factory or one of the two factories that has caused the carnage in Baghdad."

ZARQAWI WOUNDED, REVISITED

Rumors that al Qaeda’s Commander in Iraq Abu Musab al Zarqawi has been wounded prior to and during Operation Matador are beginning to resurface. When Zarqawi’s lap top was seized, it was believed he was taking painkillers while recovering "from a wound to his stomach." A week ago Zarqawi was reported to have visited a hospital in Ramadi with a serious stomach wound. The doctor on the scene was interviewed by US intelligence and reportedly a DNA test was requested.

Today an al Qaeda linked website has called for prays for Zarqawi (the purported speaker is Abu Maysarah al-Iraqi, the Director of al Qaeda in Iraq’s Media Wing and senior advisor to Zarqawi, certainly a man in the know) :

A statement on the website of the Al-Qa'eda Organistion for Holy War called on followers to pray for Zarqawi's recovery. The statement, posted by the group's media coordinator, Abu Maysarah al-Iraqi, said: "Let the near and far know that the injury of our leader is an honor, and a cause to close in on the enemies of God, and a reason to increase the attacks against them."

Athena from Terrorism Unveiled believes Zarqawi is indeed wounded (I concur) and postulates the release was issued to buck up the morale of the jihadis and their global supporters:

In my opinion, Zarqawi could actually be dying. After the initial report that Zarqawi had been wounded, a website released a letter praising Zarqawi, ending with, “By Allah, I love al-Zarqawi.”

It seems like it could be the case that Zarqawi was badly wounded in the al-Qaim assault near the Syrian border, was shuffled to Ramadi, (which is on the road to Baghdad, and part of the Sunni triangle) quickly left, and is now in serious condition with his wounds.

This most recent posting, could actually be an attempt to rally the Muslims, so if he does recover, the people can argue it was because of the prayers of the Muslim people.

Time will tell whether Zarqawi is indeed dead, and we are best off waiting for confirmation before dancing on his grave. Zarqawi is al Qaeda’s most dangerous operator. He has a long history, including some plots on a incredible scale. He is a rising star in al Qaeda, and a senior member; his demise would be a strategic victory for the Coalition and the Iraqi people. While al Qaeda stresses the organization and cause over the value of the individual, ruthless and competent operatives and leaders such as Zarqawi are a valuable asset and are difficult to replace.  Tuesday, May 24, 2005

www.windsofchange.net

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SENATOR AL FRANKEN?

KERRY SIGNS SF-180 FORM

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THE POLITICAL FALL-OUT

There's lots of speculation about what The Deal means for various potential presidential contenders on the Republican side. Here's mine. First, I think that if a single nominee is denied an up or down vote, all seven Republicans who entered into the deal are eliminated. Under that circumstance, Senator Hagel, who seemed to be aligned with the seven, is virtually eliminated. The same for Senator Frist. In his case, I think that result is unfair, but inevitable. He can't justly be blamed for the defections. But he will have no easy answer to the facile question, if you can't keep Lindsey Graham and Mike DeWine in line, how are you going to fare with Putin.

As a general matter, I think that the deal helps show why no sitting U.S. Senator has been elected president since 1960. Senators value arcane and democracy-curbing traditions. They come across as members of a secret club or cult. They pride themsevles in being less pragmatic than other public officials. They pride themselves, period. Usually, none of this plays very well outside of Washington and other MSM strongholds.

This deal will confirm the perception that Senators are clubby, timid, and self-congratulatory. In fact, most Senators on both sides weren't clubby or timid this time. But I don't think that will matter.  Wednesday, May 25, 2005 

www.powerlineblog.com

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EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES

From The New York Times: Text of Senate Compromise on Nominations of Judges:

A. Future Nominations. Signatories will exercise their responsibilities under the advice and consent clause of the United States Constitution in good faith. Nominees should only be filibustered under extraordinary circumstances, and each signatory must use his or her own discretion and judgment in determining whether such circumstances exist.  Tuesday, May 24, 2005

www.coxandforkum.com

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NO FILIBUSTER ON BOLTON

In a report on the continuing opposition of George Voinovich to John Bolton for his confirmation as UN ambassador, the New York Times reports that the Democrats will remove the hold on his nomination and apparently will not start an expected filibuster:

One Democrat, Senator Barbara Boxer of California, had sought to block a Senate vote on Mr. Bolton, saying she would oppose any vote until the State Department provided documents related to the nomination that the department has so far refused to hand over.

On Tuesday afternoon, however, a spokeswoman for Ms. Boxer said she had decided to lift a hold on Mr. Bolton's nomination. Ms. Boxer's spokeswoman said she would join with Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware in agreeing to a Republican plan to move toward a vote on Mr. Bolton after allowing up to 40 hours of debate.

It appeared unlikely that any Senate Democrat would try to use a filibuster to block a vote, Senate Democratic officials said.

This comes as a surprise, given the weakness of Bolton among the GOP caucus. A filibuster would have been almost impossible to beat. This development may point to a secret by-agreement among the centrist Senators who imposed their settlement on judicial nominations on the majority yesterday. Barbara Boxer was not among them -- in fact, she voted against cloture on Priscilla Owen earlier today -- but she may have been persuaded to allow Bolton to pass to a full vote in exchange for the agreement on judges from the GOP faction.

Beyond that, Voinovich's continued offensive against Bolton will rankle the base, especially in light of fellow Ohioan Mike DeWine's participation in the confirmation agreement. Voinovich made his decision to abandon Bolton without bothering to show up to the committee hearings. He refused to meet personally with Bolton afterwards. Now with all of the shenanigans going on in the Senate, the last thing the GOP caucus needs is another "maverick" showing up the leadership and the White House.

Ohioans should add Voinovich to DeWine for the Not One Dime campaign. His intransigence should be a lesson to the GOP caucus that Bill Frist does not have what it takes to put the majority we fought so hard to elect to any good use at all.  Tuesday, May 24, 2005

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AYAAN HIRSI ALI ON THE 'LEFT' AND 'MULTICULTURALISM'

At Transatlantic Intelligencer, John Rosenthal has translated part of an interview in French with Somali-born Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali, on why she broke with the Dutch multicultural left.

Because the left is exactly like the Muslims! I wanted to give priority to the defense of immigrant women who are victims of domestic violence. They said to me: “No, that’s not a priority! The problem will take care of itself when the immigrants have jobs and are integrated.” It is exactly what the Imams say who demand that we accept oppression and slavery today because tomorrow, in Heaven, God will give us dates and raisins ... . I think we need first to defend the individual. The left is afraid of everything. But fear of giving offense leads to injustice and suffering. The sexual revolution, the affirmation of individual rights, improving the living conditions of immigrants – these were once the great causes of the Dutch left. In their eyes, the simple fact of belong to a minority gives one the right to do anything. This multiculturalism is a disaster. All one has to do is scream “discrimination” and all doors are open to you! Scream ‘racism’ and your opponents shut up! But multiculturalism is an inconsistent theory. If one wants to let communities preserve their traditions, what happens when these traditions work to the detriment of women or homosexuals? The logic of multiculturalism amounts to accepting the subordination of women. Nonetheless, the defenders of multiculturalism do not want to admit it.

US SHARI'A WATCH

Here is the text of the resolution proposed to Congress by US Representative John Conyers, Jr., a Detroit Democrat, taking a first tentative step toward a blasphemy law in the United States: Text of My Resolution Regarding Relgious [sic] Intolerance. (Hat tip: many LGF readers.)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives condemning bigotry and religious intolerance, and recognizing that holy books of every religion should be treated with dignity and respect.

Whereas believers of all religions, including the Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, should be treated with respect and dignity;

Whereas the word Islam comes from the Arabic root word meaning “peace” and “submission”;

Whereas there are an estimated 7,000,000 Muslims in America, from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds, forming an integral part of the social fabric of America;

Whereas the Quran is the holy book for Muslims who recite passages from it in prayer and learn valuable lessons about peace, humanity and spirituality;
Whereas it should never be official policy of the United States Government to disparage the Quran, Islam, or any religion in any way, shape, or form;

Whereas mistreatment of prisoners and disrespect toward the holy book of any religion is unacceptable and against civilized humanity;

Whereas the infringement of an individual’s right to freedom of religion violates the Constitution and laws of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives–

(1) condemns bigotry, acts of violence, and intolerance against any religious group, including our friends, neighbors, and citizens of the Islamic faith;

(2) declares that the civil rights and civil liberties of all individuals, including those of the Islamic faith, should be protected;

(3) recognizes that the Quran, the holy book of Islam, as any other holy book of any religion, should be treated with dignity and respect; and

(4) calls upon local, State, and Federal authorities to work to prevent bias-motivated crimes and acts against all individuals, including those of the Islamic faith.

HOLY WARRIORS BOMB GIRLS' SCHOOL

These are the people the reactionary left calls “Minutemen” and “freedom fighters”—gangs of barbaric savages: Deadly Car Bomb Explodes Near Iraq School.

Residents called police about a suspicious-looking car parked opposite the Dijlah Junior High School for Girls in Alwiyah, near eastern Baghdad’s well-known Withaq Square, a Christian neighborhood. As bomb disposal experts approached the vehicle, it exploded and killed six bystanders, said police Capt. Husham Ismael.

Three civilians and one policeman also were injured. No students were believed to be among the casualties.

“May God seek revenge for those who were killed or injured!” an elderly woman screamed outside a hospital where casualties were brought. “We hope that such killers be killed or perished as they kill our youth. Those killers are against homeland, against Islam.”  Tuesday, May 24, 2005

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog

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RISING NATIONALISM WILL BE CHINA'S UNDOING

By Bill Rice

I read with interest "Sino-Japanese relations slip into deep freeze" in the Financial Times today.  China's Vice Premier Wu Yi was to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi yesterday, however he snubbed the Japanese leader at the last minute.  This particular row was in response to Mr. Koizumi's annual visit to a Japanese shrine of war dead including war criminals. 

Relations between China and Japan are at their lowest in recent memory.  Japan's desire for a UN Security Council seat may be the catalyst for the toughening Chinese stance with Japan from the anti-Japanese protests and rallies in China against Japan last month to this diplomatic snub. 

China is building up a nationalistic response internally to Japan within their country, stirring memories of the Second World War.  All of this seems confusing, given that Japan on the whole is a rather pacifist society.  Given that China has had double digit growth in defense spending for the past decade and spends an estimated $65 billion plus on defense one would think they would be concerned what their well healed neighbors think of their growth. 

Japan is a pacifist country by any international standard in stark contrast to its early 20th century role from 1905-1945.  If the RAND study above puts Chinese defense spending at 2.8% of GDP (a conservative figure in my opinion) then Japan's recent 1.0% of GDP on defense is a significantly smaller burden.  Stoking internal radical anti-Japanese expressions in China may only fuel a Japanese reciprocal response to become more nationalistic and thereby more defense spending driven.  Given China's desire to reach some form of parity in the region and to expand its perceived power, encouraging Japan to spend more on high-end naval, missile and air force capability is foolish.

Japan expanded upon its security agreement with the US to include the defense of Taiwan recently as Willy Lam of the Jamestown Foundation writes:

"The U.S.-Japan statement referred to the looming threat of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and, most irksome for Beijing, it cited for the first time the maintenance of peace in the Taiwan Strait as a 'common strategic objective' of the allies.. '[The] meeting may mark the end of the extended Beijing-Washington honeymoon which came about because of 9/11,' the source said. 'Even now, of course, Washington requires Chinese help or acquiescence in its dealings with countries, including Iran and North Korea. But Bush seems to have picked up his pre-9/11 agenda of containing China, or at least slowing down its progress toward quasi-superpower status.'  And the Chinese are well aware that Rice, who had advised President George H.W. Bush on ways to sink the Soviet Empire, was instrumental in shaping then-presidential candidate Bush's relatively hostile posture toward China."

Japan also is making major moves with India in concert with the US, including $4 billion in economic assistance.  Even Singapore and Malaysia recently reversed their positions and are now allowing the US navy to patrol the Malacca Strait where 25% of the world's oil passes through and a good portion of China's fuel. 

China's radicalism and its stoking the embers of nationalism can only scare neighboring countries.  China's recent moves, including the threatening of "non-peaceful means" to reunify Taiwan, can only be seen with a sense of wariness in Tokyo, New Delhi, Canberra and Seoul.  All of these democratic nations can afford and are expanding their military capabilities.  China would be well advised to walk with a softer footprint.

The question then is "Why is China making poor long-term diplomatic choices?" The answer I believe is to keep domestic pressure away from the current government and focused elsewhere.  Tuesday, May 24, 2005 

http://billroggio.com