MR McClellan apparently finds it puzzling that Newsweek acknowledges
that "the facts were wrong", but are not retracting the story.

Many of us are still puzzled that the USA and its "Coalition of the
Willing" partners invaded Iraq in the basis of "facts" that were
wrong, inaccurate reports & dubious "sources" and are not withdrawing 
their forces.

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Area : WHITEHOUSE

Date : Mon May 16, 23:39                                                       
From : Whitehouse Press                                        1:3634/12
To   : all                                 
Subj : Press Release (0505162) for Mon, 2005 May 16                          

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Press Gaggle by Scott McClellan
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 16, 2005

Press Gaggle by Scott McClellan
Virginia BioDiesel Refinery
West Point, Virginia

11:23 A.M. EDT

Q -- (inaudible) -- what's the White House --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I find it puzzling that Newsweek now acknowledges that
the facts were wrong, and they refuse to offer a retraction. There is a
certain journalistic standard that should be met, and in this case it was
not met. The report was not accurate, and it was based on a single
anonymous source who cannot personally substantiate the report, so the --
so they cannot verify the accuracy of the report.

Q Scott, is the White House demanding a retraction --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm just saying --

Q -- or are you satisfied with the statement Newsweek has made --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm just saying that I find it puzzling that the
reporter got it wrong, yet said they're not retracting the story.

Q -- a retraction, or --

MR. McCLELLAN: Actually, if you look at the comments from the editor in
this morning's papers he said, we're not retracting the story, we don't
know the facts. I don't think that's a standard that we're talking about
here.

Q So, Scott, you find it puzzling, but you're not asking for a retraction?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's correct.

Q Why would you not ask --

MR. McCLELLAN: I mean, it's -- this report has had serious consequences. 
It has caused damage to the image of the United States abroad. It has --
people have lost their lives. It has certainly caused damage to the
credibility of the media, as well, and Newsweek, itself.

Q Can you 100 percent say for sure that it is wrong, that there were no
incidents of American interrogators putting Korans in the toilets?

MR. McCLELLAN: I know of no such incidents. And the Department of Defense
said last week that they could find no credible evidence of it either. They
have looked into it. And obviously, we would take something like that very,
seriously, because we've made it clear that that is simply not -- that does
not represent the values of the United States of America. The United States
of America values the religious freedom of all. And, in fact, at
Guantanamo, we have made sure that the detainees are able to worship
freely, and that they are provided copies of the holy Koran.

Q Has the President expressed his personal views on this?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm going to stop in a minute, the President is starting to
speak. I think I'm expressing our views.

END 11:25 A.M. EDT

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Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050516-2.html

Cheers, Steve..

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