I listened to the editor of Newsweek on NPR in the car today. I’m afraid, I’m growing squishy on the whole thing. I still think it was a major screw up. But unless the editor (I can’t remember his name) was b.s.ing than I think their position is defensible. Essentially, they aren’t opposed to retracting, but since the story partly unravelled the night before they went to print, they want to investigate it further. They vetted the piece before it went to press and the Administration source(s) they showed it to didn’t object to the Koran aspect. There have been numerous reports in other news outlets from freed detainees claiming they witnessed such acts. So, I think their position is that they want to research the whole thing more before they say unequivocally that it never happened. Obviously, researching this better beforehand would have been the preferable way to go. And I agree Newsweek screwed up, but there’s blame to go around. The Pentagon never commented on the item when given the opportunity — according to Newsweek — and only denied it 11 days after it ran — i.e. after the riots took place. I just don’t think this is akin to the CBS/Dan Rather stonewall.