Der Spiegel responds to CentCom and stands by the story

[kpete]

UPDATE: Der Speiegel stands firm: "Der SPIEGEL bleibt jedoch bei seiner Darstellung." Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that means that they are standing behind the translation.
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,566888,00.html

.......................

Obama is pleased, but McCain certainly is not. In an interview with SPIEGEL, Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki expressed support for Obama's troop withdrawal plans. Despite a half-hearted retraction, the comments have stirred up the US presidential campaign. SPIEGEL stands by its version of the conversation....

In the interview, Maliki expressed support of Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. "That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of changes."

Maliki was quick to back away from an outright endorsement of Obama, saying "who they choose as their president is the Americans' business." But he then went on to say: "But it's the business of Iraqis to say what they want. And that's where the people and the government are in general agreement: The tenure of the coalition troops in Iraq should be limited."

A Baghdad government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said in a statement that SPIEGEL had "misunderstood and mistranslated" the Iraqi prime minister, but didn't point to where the misunderstanding or mistranslation might have occurred. Al-Dabbagh said Maliki's comments "should not be understood as support to any US presidential candidates." The statement was sent out by the press desk of the US-led Multinational Force in Iraq.

................................

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,566888,00.html

Late Update: CNN plays it pretty straightforwardly as a mistranslation. Considerably more credulous than the Times.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/7/19/224359/002/167/554100

TRANSCRIPT:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,566852,00.html

[OregonBlue]

1. So let them release the tape of the interview and let the public decide for themselves.

[Kansas Wyatt]

4. As soon as they are done manufacturing a tape showing....

Obama with bin Laden talking about withdrawing troops and smoking pot together.

[ck4829]

2. Maliki's "retraction" is one of the lamest things I have ever heard him say

How would anyone misconstrue what he said and turn it around?

Cheney must have roughed up Maliki pretty good or something.

[Jim__]

3. It's such a shame that this stomps all over McSame's claims of expertise on Iraq.

Poor old guy. He can't buy a break. :sarcasm:

[LiberalFighter]

5. It was the US occupation forces that issued the retraction.