(1) In its May 9 “Periscope” item, Newsweek claimed that “sources tell Newsweek” that “interrogators, in an attempt to rattle suspects, flushed a Qu’ran down a toilet. . . .” In its May 23 “The Editor’s Desk” note, editor Mark Whitaker explains that Michael Isikoff’s and John Barry’s “information came from a knowledgeable U.S. government source. . . .” If there was only one source for the “information,” why did Newsweek originally claim there was more than one source?

(2) In the May 23 issue, Evan Thomas provides an account of the original story, the rioting that followed, and some of Newsweek‘s subsequent exchanges with the Defense Department. Here is the penultimate paragraph of Thomas’ article: