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Newsweek’s lie about Koran-flushing at Gitmo continues to bear fruit

By see-dubya  •  May 9, 2008 01:55 AM

For what it’s worth, the New York Times reports that the U.S.’s designated new commander in Pakistan, General James Hood, has not been allowed to take up his new job. He had served as commander of Gitmo, and although he actually did away with some of the roughest forms of interrogation there and won some (grudging) praise from human rights groups, his legacy in the Middle East is tainted by Newsweek’s lie:

General Hood, who took command of the detention center at Guantánamo Bay in March 2004, shortly before the Abu Ghraib scandal in Iraq broke, sought to put a more human face on it. He was credited by lawyers for the prisoners and human rights groups with having improved the treatment of detainees, and it was soon after he took over that some of the most severe interrogation methods were curtailed.

But he also had to deal with the fallout of a report in Newsweek asserting that a military inquiry was expected to find that a Koran had been flushed down a toilet at the detention center. The magazine later retracted the article, but the military inquiry concluded that a soldier had inadvertently splashed urine on a Koran. The magazine’s original assertion led to riots in Pakistan and Afghanistan that left at least 17 people dead.

Besides that, some of the worst crimes alleged at Gitmo in this article are…force-feeding hunger-striking detainees so they don’t die. But the symbolism of Gitmo, you see, that’s enough to inflame Pakistani sentiments, and force the Pentagon to pull General Hood from his appointment there.

I hope the New York Times is proud of itself; it never misses a chance to propagate precisely that symbolism. Most recently was here, where Nicholas Kristoff uncritically regurgitates the terrorist propaganda about “unlubricated” feeding tubes for Gitmo inmates.

I’ve got a former psych nurse at Gitmo who was there that says that’s BS, by the way (see the update). I tend to trust him over a hunger-striking Al-Jazeera enemy combatant. More at this comment.

But even if it were true…that’s not exactly Dachau, now, is it?

______________________

{Post by See-Dubya}

Posted in: Gitmo

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Comments

  1. #1
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:06 am, BrianNY said:

    “unlubricated” feeding tubes for Gitmo inmates??

    They’re lucky I’m not the cafeteria lady, or it would be granola suppositories on Mon, Wed, Fri and pu pu platter (not the Chinese kind)on Tue and Thur.

  2. #2
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:07 am, PBoilermaker said:

    We need to execute people for treason.

    Seriously.

    War is an abstract concept to these “people” and they neither appreciate nor care about the real world impacts of their treachery.

  3. #3
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:12 am, Christian Soldier said:

    of Gitmo, you see, that’s enough to inflame Pakistani sentiments, and force the Pentagon to pull General Hood from his appointment there.

    It bothers me that the leaders of our militay -in the Pentagon- are bowing to Islamic “RAGE”. Have they gone totally dhimmi? I don’t care what the Pakistanis think.

  4. #4
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:31 am, love2rumba said:

    Ita about time Fidel Castro spent time in Gitmo too…

  5. #5
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:32 am, PBoilermaker said:

    (praying that a majority of America reaches a breaking point with this PC BS soon)

  6. #6
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:34 am, puhiawa said:

    These jackasses flush God’s commandments down the toilets every day.Muslims as a whole are the most illiterate people on Earth(that is true). Intentionally, no doubt. A real book might make them implode.

  7. #7
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:35 am, Stashiu3 said:

    If (and this is a BIG if) I were convicted of a crime and had the choice to go to Gitmo or a Federal Penitentiary here in the U.S., I’d pick Gitmo in a heartbeat. No question.

  8. #8
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:35 am, puhiawa said:

    If any of you saw McInsane tonight…….we are screwed. Do not vote for that man.

  9. #9
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:36 am, Stashiu3 said:

    And thank you again for the mention See-Dubya. :)

  10. #10
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:43 am, WarTip said:

    No need to worry really! Juanito McCain’t will shut it down anyhow, putting all these terrorists on American soil and giving them the Rights that American’s DON’T have!

    I wish I could believe I was being sarcastic.

  11. #11
    On May 9th, 2008 at 4:34 am, scottthong said:
  12. #12
    On May 9th, 2008 at 7:14 am, Craig said:

    The magazine’s original assertion led to riots in Pakistan and Afghanistan that left at least 17 people dead.

    The law of unintended consequences strikes again. Gotta love those moonbats.

  13. #13
    On May 9th, 2008 at 7:51 am, undrseige247 said:

    They still print Newsweek?

  14. #14
    On May 9th, 2008 at 8:10 am, abstractmind said:

    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:34 am, puhiawa said:
    These jackasses flush God’s commandments down the toilets every day.Muslims as a whole are the most illiterate people on Earth(that is true). Intentionally, no doubt. A real book might make them implode.

    Had it been a Muslim jail flushing a Bible, I doubt there would be people getting killed over it.

    A crucifix was placed -in- a jar of urine, and yet, I dont remember riots in the streets and people dying over it.

    I also didnt see liberals comdemn that..but there was (and apparently still is) media coverage on this, with plenty of liberal condemnation over us not being “sensitive”.

    Go figure.

  15. #15
    On May 9th, 2008 at 8:11 am, Dimsdale said:

    On May 9th, 2008 at 7:14 am, Craig said:

    The magazine’s original assertion led to riots in Pakistan and Afghanistan that left at least 17 people dead.

    The law of unintended consequences strikes again. Gotta love those moonbats.

    Plausible deniability does not equal unintended consequences.

    And the correct spelling is “Newsweak.”

    ;-)

  16. #16
    On May 9th, 2008 at 8:17 am, DogBreath said:

    New York Crimes? Newsleak? Weren’t those 19th century, communist propaganda publications?

  17. #17
    On May 9th, 2008 at 8:22 am, abstractmind said:

    On May 9th, 2008 at 8:17 am, DogBreath said:
    New York Crimes? Newsleak? Weren’t those 19th21st century, communist propaganda publications?

    There, fixed it :)

  18. #18
    On May 9th, 2008 at 8:50 am, tre said:

    I think we should take Newsweak’s and the New York Slimes publishers and flush THEM down the toilet.

    But, the toilet would probably vomit them back up.

  19. #19
    On May 9th, 2008 at 8:58 am, abstractmind said:

    no no no tre, you’ve got it wrong ;)

    You keep those, AND the koran BY the toilet. Just in case the Charmin runs out.

    ;)

  20. #20
    On May 9th, 2008 at 9:06 am, Member-VRWC said:

    Read an issue of Newsweek and lose 20 IQ points.

    Subscribe to Newsweek and become permanently stuck on stupid.

    Insert [name of any MSM publication] for the same results.

  21. #21
    On May 9th, 2008 at 9:19 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    The magazine’s original assertion led to riots in Pakistan and Afghanistan that left at least 17 people dead.

    That still blows me away to this day. That was a crime and people paid with their lives.

    If I had an opportunity, I would flush Newsweak down the toilet.

    /lgm a$$hat on

    “but it was mostly true”

    /lgm a$$hat off

    My brain hurts after that one.

  22. #22
    On May 9th, 2008 at 9:36 am, Boomer said:

    It must be Friday the day the muslims always seethe. If I had my way every one of these unlawful enemy combatants would have already fed the sharks in Guantanamo Bay in accordance with the Law of Armed Combat (LOAC). The enemy has murdered every prisoner they have taken under the LOAC we can too. Unlike the idiots in the current Administration calling this a “Religion of Peace” this old retired GI understands the level of the threat we face from this death cult and how they only understand and respect strength.

  23. #23
    On May 9th, 2008 at 9:43 am, mchristian said:

    Interesting, isn’t it, that the Newsweek article is always mentioned. Despite the patently false statement and the subsequent disclaimer that it was proved to be false, they always bring it up. I guess they are hoping to gin up a few more riots, kill a few more people and then endlessly condemn Guantanamo for its evilness.

  24. #24
    On May 9th, 2008 at 10:02 am, sbw999 said:

    Thank you for another dispatch from nutville; that is America 2008, where we force feed enemies of our country so they dont starve. Let them die if that is what they want for pete’s sake. As a matter of fact drop them in the freakin ocean for all I care. If only the leftwing nuts in this country cared about american citizens, inclusing those that protect us daily in the armed services, as much as they care about scumbag enemies of this country. As far as the NYT and Newsweek is concerned, those rags are good for parakeet cages these days, along with the Kill-ran.

  25. #25
    On May 9th, 2008 at 10:36 am, spo-con said:

    I’d like to know why Jihady dip$*#!s always believe the Times and CNN. They are American news organizations. Remember ? All Americans LIE !! If the military comes out with solid proof these things never happened, they NEVER believe it. CNN was created by Ted Turner, an American. It is still based in America, yet the Rage Boys believe every word THEY print, but nothing the govment’ says in rebuttal. And Western news org’s keep fanning the flames because they KNOW the boys can be counted on for a good bloody riot to cover and blame it all on GWB. Film at 11:00……

  26. #26
    On May 9th, 2008 at 10:38 am, lgm said:

    It is hard to know which specific allegations are true, but all human rights organizations believe there have been some. For example, wikepedia reports

    Detainees are kept in isolation most of the day, are blindfolded when moving within the camp and are forbidden to talk in groups of more than three. United States doctrine in dealing with prisoners of war states that isolation and silence are effective means in breaking down the will to resist interrogation. Red Cross inspectors and released detainees have alleged acts of torture[14] [15], including sleep deprivation, the use of so-called truth drugs[citation needed], beatings and locking in confined and cold cells. Human rights groups argue that indefinite detention constitutes torture.

    Gitmo may keep some terrorists locked up, but the human rights violations there recruit even more.

  27. #27
    On May 9th, 2008 at 10:47 am, pueblo1032 said:

    Just remember ” there are many religions in this world, but only one RELIGION OF PEACE”.

  28. #28
    On May 9th, 2008 at 10:47 am, sbw999 said:

    Gitmo may keep some terrorists locked up, but the human rights violations there recruit even more.

    yawnnnnnnnnnnnnn…yep, lets worry about what how defending ourselves by detaining enemy combatants offends Muslims and causes more of them to want to kill us. Killing our enemy tends to p**s them off too. Perhaps we shouldnt do that either…BTW, I just cant seem to find the outrage expressed by “humans rights watchers” when 2 of our soldiers were captured and butchered by al queda last year. “Butchered” means having theirs ears and nose cut off their faces while alive; genitals stuffed in their mouths and dragged behind a car by the ankles. Get it????? Now lets compare that to “hideous” sleep deprivation. Give me a *bleeping* break already.

  29. #29
    On May 9th, 2008 at 10:56 am, mchristian said:

    I’d like to know why Jihady dip$*#!s always believe the Times and CNN.

    Because it is fits the jihady agenda.

  30. #30
    On May 9th, 2008 at 10:58 am, in_awe said:

    For example, wikepedia reports…

    Well that resolves the argument right there - because we all know the folks scripting wikipedia have no agenda!

    Thanks for my morning chuckle lgm!

    “Please tell me you have more than the wikipedia as evidence. Tell me I didn’t have to fly …” Oops! Channeling the Jack Nicholson character again…

  31. #31
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:00 am, Stashiu3 said:

    lgm,

    Detainees are kept in isolation most of the day, are blindfolded when moving within the camp and are forbidden to talk in groups of more than three.

    Three lies for the price of one. Detainees are not kept in isolation. I never saw a single detainee blindfolded while being moved, although I understand that was sometimes true at Camp X-ray (now closed). I can’t say from personal knowledge what happened then, but it doesn’t happen now. They are usually driven on Gators and wave to other detainees in other camps. And Camp IV is a communal living area with a large rec area where they can have soccer games, which has been reported on several times in the media (quietly, but it’s there if you look).

    The rest of the rhetoric you cite has similar truth. As in distorted or none.

  32. #32
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:03 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    *claps for sbw999

    Nice job! :)

  33. #33
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:04 am, spo-con said:

    #29, yes your right. I forget about the self perpetuating news cycles of the western press.And they really DO support the troops./sarc…….

  34. #34
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:05 am, Member-VRWC said:

    Wikipedia — not a reliable news source.

    And human rights organizations have an agenda to paint the very act of incarceration as torture.

    The above comment is newsweak (the sort one would be likely to find in Newsweek).

  35. #35
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:05 am, BrianNY said:

    #14 abstract said:

    Had it been a Muslim jail flushing a Bible, I doubt there would be people getting killed over it.

    More likely, it would have been funded by a Nat. Endowment of the Arts grant.

  36. #36
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:20 am, abstractmind said:

    lgm,

    i would point out something else you neglected in your wiki posting:

    As of May 2008, according to the US Military at least 10 detainees who have been subsequently released from Guantanamo had gone on to commit terrorist attacks, including one suicide-bombing in Iraq.

    Woops. Must have tortured them too much, eh?

    These people consider anything other than being free to continue their terrorist activities as torture. Having a plate of pork chops in front of them is considered torture. A woman asking them qusetions? Torture? not being able to talk to other prisoners? Torture.

    There are reasons for the way these people are treated the way they are. You wouldnt accept the reasons regardless, but its for the sake of security, and for making sure inmates arent sharing stories, working together to share information, etc.

    Might have to research it, but was there not a story where inmates there were throwing urine, feces, and other bodily fluids at soldiers there. That’s awful nice of them.

    These detainees who are guilty of attacking us and carrying out terrorist acts deserve neither our mercy or our sympathy. And as SBW pointed out earlier, they don’t give our troops, contractors, and the people of Iraq the same courtesy of being allowed to LIVE.

  37. #37
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:20 am, sbw999 said:

    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:03 am, On-my-soap-box said:
    *claps for sbw999

    Why thanks! I enjoy your posts as well.

  38. #38
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:25 am, Stashiu3 said:

    Might have to research it, but was there not a story where inmates there were throwing urine, feces, and other bodily fluids at soldiers there. That’s awful nice of them.

    Sadly true. Witnessed and experienced, it happened frequently.

  39. #39
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:28 am, kurthanson said:

    Why doesn’t someone flush Newsweek down the toilet?

  40. #40
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:29 am, abstractmind said:

    I figured as much, stash. Havent had time to reference the sources online, but i’ll take eye witness account anytime over that! :)

    lgm and his ilk, however, dont accept that. we cant let eye witnesses get in the way, now can we?

    And btw…my favorite quote (might not be exact, but its really close), from Major Payne:

    “You want my sympathy? Look in the dictionary between $h!t and syphallis, that’s where you’ll find sympathy.”

  41. #41
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:32 am, kurthanson said:

    Never mind “unlubricated” feeding tubes. What the terrorists in Gitmo need to be treated to is a rusty hacksaw, a pair of pliers and a blowtorch.

  42. #42
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:40 am, mchristian said:

    Why doesn’t someone flush Newsweek down the toilet?

    I have more respect for my toilet than that.

  43. #43
    On May 9th, 2008 at 12:27 pm, valleygreaser said:

    …locking in confined and cold cells…

    Where can you find cold cells in Cuba?

  44. #44
    On May 9th, 2008 at 12:27 pm, Tantor said:

    As Lenin said, a lie repeated often enough becomes the truth.

    And really, we shouldn’t concern ourselves with actions taken against us based on lies. Were it not a Koran-flushing lie or a pee-on-the-Koran lie (not that there’s anything wrong with that) it would be another lie. The Muslim world swims in lies. They think America created dinosaurs to eat Muslims. They think we are harvesting organs from dead Iraqis to transplant into Jews back home. They think we are on a Crusade to impose Christianity upon them. Muslims are so stupid they will believe anything as long as it slanders non-Muslims.

    We certainly should not be driven by the lies of our enemies. We should remember that many of these lies are meant to control us, to mitigate our behavior to something that favors the enemy, to make us submit to their will. In this information war, as in the military war, we should take the battle to them.

  45. #45
    On May 9th, 2008 at 12:36 pm, Mohawk said:

    No red blooded American would do that to an American Standard toilet!

    hehe

  46. #46
    On May 9th, 2008 at 12:38 pm, sbw999 said:

    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:32 am, kurthanson said:
    Never mind “unlubricated” feeding tubes. What the terrorists in Gitmo need to be treated to is a rusty hacksaw, a pair of pliers and a blowtorch.

    Now THAT’S entertainment….

  47. #47
    On May 9th, 2008 at 12:48 pm, abstractmind said:

    On May 9th, 2008 at 12:38 pm, sbw999 said:
    On May 9th, 2008 at 11:32 am, kurthanson said:
    Never mind “unlubricated” feeding tubes. What the terrorists in Gitmo need to be treated to is a rusty hacksaw, a pair of pliers and a blowtorch.
    Now THAT’S entertainment….

    I’m wanting it on pay per view :)

  48. #48
    On May 9th, 2008 at 2:48 pm, JohnS said:

    Why does the military care about this? It would seem to me that Hood’s reign at Gitmo is yet ANOTHER reason to put him in the position that they wanted. Who cares if Muslims or our press are upset by it. That just means that the guy is the right guy for the job!

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