[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 64 (Monday, May 16, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H3269]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CALLING ON ISIKOFF AND WHITAKER TO ISSUE FULL RETRACTION AND APOLOGY 
                           FOR NEWSWEEK STORY

  (Mr. NEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, today I stand as co-chair of the Afghan Caucus 
with the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
  Newsweek reporter Michael Isikoff fabricated an incident at 
Guantanamo Bay where American soldiers allegedly desecrated a copy of 
the Quran. Yesterday, Newsweek editor Mark Whitaker announced that 
Newsweek may have ``inaccurately reported'' the incident; yet he 
refuses to run a retraction.
  Isikoff inaccurately reported an incident that led to riots 
throughout the Muslim world. Isikoff inaccurately reported an incident 
that led to the death of 17 innocent people. Isikoff inaccurately 
reported an incident that resulted in the international condemnation of 
the American military.
  Newsweek's behavior is not merely unfortunate. It is criminal. 
Journalists wield considerable power, and therefore, must exercise 
responsibility. Though Isikoff's actions resulted in the death of 
innocent people, he is evidently accountable to no one. His Newsweek 
editor, Mark Whitaker, even refuses to run a retraction.
  Michael Isikoff and Mark Whitaker's fraud explains why the Gallup 
poll says that media credibility is at its lowest point in 30 years.
  I call on Michael Isikoff and Mark Whitaker to take responsibility by 
issuing a full retraction of their fabricated story and an apology to 
the Nation and to the Afghanis. America's troops are in enough danger 
without self-righteous, yellow journalists like Michael Isikoff 
defaming them for a cheap headline.

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