It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

So Newsweek magazine publishes a story that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, had tried to break Muslim detainees by flushing a Koran down the toilet. The story was blamed for inciting riots in the Muslim world and 17 people were killed in the violence. Now Newsweek is said to have apologized and retracted the story and the White House, sensing a Dan Rather-like deja vu opportunity has claimed Newsweek should do more. Like what? Perhaps the entire editorial staff can kiss pinky rings over at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And by the way, Newsweek only retracted, "our original story that an internal military investigation had uncovered Koran abuse at Guantanamo Bay," and that it would be reported in a forthcoming military report. It did not retract that the incident or incidents of such Koran abuse actually took place.

It goes without saying that in the aftermath of Abu Ghraib, "Koran abuse" doesn't seem like a stretch. If you abuse people why wouldn't you abuse a book? They make dog collars for chihuahaus names Tinkerbell which might fit nicely around a book. What is another example of creating reality is that the White House, which invaded Iraq based on completely false stories of imminent danger from weapons of mass destruction, is complaining about a news story that has been retracted and apologized for but which at its core might actually be true.

Take a bow Mr. President.