Demolish the idea of a press independent of political parties by way of discouraging scrutiny of conservative politicians in power

WorkingForChange-Power 101: "E.J. Dionne, Jr. | Washington Post Writers Group | 05.27.05 | Power 101 | Newsweek flap offers lesson in conservative ethics

WASHINGTON -- So now it turns out that the FBI has documents showing that detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, complained about the mistreatment of the Koran and that many said they were severely beaten.

The documents specifically include an allegation from a prisoner that guards had "flushed a Koran in the toilet."

What, then, is one to make about the Bush administration's furious assault against Newsweek magazine for bringing allegations about the abuse of the Koran to popular attention?

Let's be clear: Newsweek originally reported that an internal military investigation had "confirmed" infractions alleged in "internal FBI e-mails," including the Koran incident. The new documents made public Wednesday include only an allegation from a prisoner. And the Pentagon insisted that the same prisoner, reinterviewed on May 14, "did not corroborate" his earlier claim about the Koran in the toilet.
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But this particular anti-press campaign is not about Journalism 101. It is about Power 101. It is a sophisticated effort to demolish the idea of a press independent of political parties by way of discouraging scrutiny of conservative politicians in power.