Italy: Another Example of Why the Angry Euro Left has Lost Credibility

(By Ray D.)

The recent shooting incident that tragically left one Italian security official dead and three others wounded, including journalist Giuliana Sgrena, is predictably being shamelessly exploited by the Angry Left in Europe to score political points and to put their political opponents under pressure. Never mind that the shooting was likely a tragic accident. Never mind that, according to US sources, the Italian vehicle sped towards a US checkpoint and failed to stop despite repeated warnings. Never mind the bloodthirsty terrorists who kidnapped Ms. Sgrena, making the hectic rescue necessary in the first place. Never mind the fact that the US military is the largest force in Iraq fighting the very same breed of terrorists who are also responsible for the brutal and cowardly murders of thousands of innocent Iraqis. Never mind that Ms. Sgrena, who works for an anti-American left-wing propaganda rag of a newspaper, managed to get herself kidnapped in the first place.

This same newspaper took full advantage of the tragedy to attack the Iraq conflict as "an absurd war in which we all risk losing ourselves." Exactly. How absurd it was to depose a mass murderer responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands. How absurd it was to introduce democracy to the Middle East. How absurd it was to put an end to decades of oppression of millions of Iraqis in prisons, rape rooms and torture chambers. How absurd it was to rid the world of a sponsor of Palestinian suicide bombers who used chemical weapons on innocent women and children and would have certainly done the same again had he been given the chance. How absurd it was to put an end to the mass starvation forced upon Iraqi children by a corrupt regime. How absurd it was to give millions of Iraqi women the franchise for the first time in decades. How absurd!

No ladies and gentlemen. The circumstances of the tragedy are of no consequence to the Angry Left. No matter what really happened, this is all the fault of the evil United States and George W. Bush. Haven't you gotten it yet folks? In Euro snob country EVERYTHING is ALWAYS the fault of the United States. Some Italian newspapers, including Ms. Sgrena's "Il Manifesto," are even saying the US troops "murdered" or "assassinated" Nicola Calipari with absolutely no evidence to back up such inflammatory rhetoric. If that isn't violent anti-American hate-mongering, then I don't know what is.

George Bush should never have apologized to the angry Euro crowd who will now rush to demonstrate against the liberation of 25 million human beings. They could care less that millions of Iraqis now have enough to eat and a democratic future minus a mass murdering tyranny. No apology would ever be enough for them. President Bush could have gotten down on hands and knees and it would not have been enough for the enraged Left. They have a simple goal: To attain political power through the demonization of the United States and the destruction of transatlantic relations. They want to see the United States humiliated and defeated no matter what the cost in human life and freedom and no matter what the facts. Deep down most of them could care less about the life and tragic death of the heroic Italian security agent Nicola Calipari. They are driven by emotion and an overwhelming urge to seize the moral high ground and there is no rational, logical basis for argument with them. Americans should see those rushing onto Italian streets to judge and condemn the United States for what they truly are: Enemies.

NOTE: You can email the editors of "Il Manifesto" with your opinions at: [email protected]

Update Not surprisingly, the word "assassinate" is conspicuously absent from the title of "Il Manifesto's" English translation of its original article in Italian. It would appear they have also adopted the two-faced approach so often used in Middle Eastern media and politics. Yassir Arafat was a particularly notorious practitioner of this approach.

New Update: Now Sgrena and her boyfriend are saying the incident was a US ambush and that the US soldiers didn´t want Sgrena to get out alive. OK...so why didn´t they kill her then? The US troops fired dozens of rounds into the vehicle to stop it, certainly it would have been easy to take out all of the passengers and completely destroy the vehicle had that been the American´s intent...And if the US wanted her dead, why didn´t they kill her in the US military hospital where she was treated after the shooting or at the airport? The sad part of this all...the German media is uncritically reporting this incredible, lunatic, conspiracy-theory nonsense. Just reading it must be an insult to the intelligence of any thinking person.

Comments

Your article is much more embarassing than the actual incident. And BTW: Your "English translation" is a statement from the editor of Il Manifesto. It has nothing to do with the "original article in Italian". I think you're due for a reality check

[condi]

Never mind that the Italian vehicle sped towards a US checkpoint and failed to stop despite repeated warnings

Not that anyone here cares, but Giuliana Sgrena has disputed both elements of this statement.

[Ray D.]

So what are you trying to say exactly? That US soldiers were intentionally trying to assassinate/murder Ms. Sgrena? That they shot up her car for absolutely no reason? That they were out to kill her? Do you honestly buy that? I think you are the one who is in dire need of a reality check my friend. That is just sick.

---Ray D.

[Ray D.]

OK. They use the word assassinate in Italian. Why don't they use the same word in their English statements? Obviously the Italian is very different from the English and it is not an exact translation. That was my point. So why are they holding back in English? Why won't they call US troops assassins in the English version? I'd love to know...

---Ray D.

[condi]

Did I say that? I am only reporting what one of the victims has told the press. Presumably she would not lie about her own circumstances. As far as I know, the driver survived as well. Let's hear what he has to say.

[Ray D.]

This is from CNN:

"Giuliana Sgrena, she is free," said the headline in Italy's leftist, anti-war Il Manifesto newspaper, where Sgrena works, but U.S. troops "assassinated her liberator." (...)

"In a written statement, the U.S.-led Multi-National Forces said the shootings occurred when the vehicle carrying Sgrena, traveling at high speeds, "refused to stop at a checkpoint."

"About 9 p.m. (1800 GMT), a patrol in western Baghdad observed the vehicle speeding towards their checkpoint and attempted to warn the driver to stop by hand and arm signals, flashing white lights, and firing warning shots in front of the car. When the driver didn't stop, the soldiers shot into the engine block which stopped the vehicle, killing one."

Where did anyone dispute this version of events? Your source?

---Ray D.

[mCrane]

condi:
"Giuliana Sgrena has disputed both elements of this statement."

I hadn't heard this, please post link of this report. I'd love to see it. That's why I love the internet, links to original sources!

thanks

[Ray D.]

So condi,

Are you saying that the American witnesses who made the above statements are liars? If we don't know for sure either way what exactly the facts are, how can a respectable journalistic publication conclude at this early point that Mr. Calipari was "assassinated" by US troops?

If anything is absurd in all of this, that has got to be it.

Face it: This is nothing more than exploitative anti-American hate-mongering in the wake of a tragedy and just another chunk of emotional red-meat being thrown to the angry leftist mob by Il Manifesto.

---Ray D.

[FlorianSchwab]

According to SPON (yes, bad source...) GS said in a phone-interview that the car was not driving particularly fast but, as we know, that's very relative and I don't think that the car's speed was her main worry in that moment.

GS seems not to have changed since her kidnapping. She still hates America more then she hates the terrorists. Quite a sad example of how incredibly stubborn human beings can be.

Even more sadly we will have to counter a lot of stupid conspiracy theories. Well, if America had wanted to kill SG it would have succeeded. GS was operated - not killed! - in a US-hospital after being unjured...

[Unwichtig]

If a car with two secret service agents in it is not capable of recognizing a US check point, how do you expect normal people to do so?

[EuroNeuzeit]

The leftists and the media forget why US-soldiers are afraid when a car is driving into their direction. It could be a suicide bomber like countless others before. While Italian leftist politician Piero Fassino says it was absurd to be killed in Iraq by those who are there to protect people, never a word about how absurd it is to blow yourself up to kill US-troops and Iraqi citizen, which is the root of all other things.

[Unwichtig]

The US is replete with warning experts:
A label on a baby stroller warns: "Remove child before folding."
A household iron warns users: "Never iron clothes while they are being worn."
A cartridge for a laser printer warns, "Do not eat toner."
A can of self-defense pepper spray warns users: "May irritate eyes."
A smoke detector warns: "Do not use the Silence Feature in emergency situations. It will not extinguish a fire."

Can't the US military hire one of those warning experts to teach them how to set up road blocks properly?

[Wired]

So, who do I believe here, the ultra-leftwing reporter who's been against the occupation all the time, or the US servicemen who simply did their job. That's a tough question, you know... Wait, actually it isn't.

Sad thing that guy died - even though I would not have shed a single tear if the reporter had been killed by the 'insurgents' (or is it the more recently used term 'militants'?), but even if they informed the Americans that they were coming, that
a) does not mean they are given a carte blanche to simply wade through each and every checkpoint (you know, there's a reason those things are called *checkpoints* after all), and
b) it does not mean the US troops know just out of nowhere that these cares specifically were the Italians. Even if they were given a fabricate, they still don't know if some terrorist could not use the same one.

Bloody Italians. Get some discipline into your servicemen, then accidents like this one won't happen...

[thad lucken]

Sometimes the worst thing you can do to someone is leave them alone in their whatever. Its sad that Europeans can't get it but we're powerless over opinions that are usually from blabbermouths.
Does Florian really think that those checkpoint guards get off looking at that little boy crying against a wall after the car he was sleeping in just got shot up? What kind of psychopath would think that? A recent college graduate probably..
But my point is that there are thousands of Davids over in Europe and to dignify these cowards with painting the rest of Europe as the same just because they can make the pretty letters on their laptops is just wrong. DMK is a hero and there are zillions of them over the pond. His best point is that the agent was killed by the commie getting kidnapped and italian politics, not a .223 round. What arrogant, childish cowardice though...but no matter what I will not be "pleased that the wicked shall perish". In Detroit we say "open your mouth and lose all of your friends", I will always have a beer for DMK and hisw crew.

[Del Hoeft]

Note to self; Do not speed toward military checkpoints in combat zones. Demand to walk last 1,000 yards to check point in skivies, arms raised, reciting Pledge of Allegiance. When safe, offer to buy soldiers a beer and praise the Lord.

[Huan]

not sure what the big deal is. Violation at a check point will be handled in the usual manner. Makes me wonder why the italian agent didn't tell the driver or himself if he was driving, slow down.
shrugs. there are always unfortunate incidents when the law is violated.

[Unwichtig]

Bloody Italians? Abso-fucking-lutely! Not to mention the retarded Canadians, the looney Kurds and the bleeding British.

[Wired]

@Unwichtig

Ohhh, how sorry I am...
If they don't comply with the rules, they have to life with the results. So yes, 'bloody Italians'.

[Huan]

blue on blue is nothing new in a war zone. and there are rules to minimize such events, but such events will still occur regardless because in a war zone, most would rather kill than be killed. imagine that!

[Unwichtig]

Do you really believe the Italians intentionally ignored warnings although everyone knows that this is tantamount to suicide? Nobody in this right mind can believe that.

[Unwichtig]

I leave deconstructing Niko as an exercise to the others.

[Walter E. Wallis]

The primary killer of american soldiers is car bombs. Someone convince me this was not a stunt designed to embarass us.

[Ray D.]

«Giuliana hatte bestimmte Informationen, und die amerikanischen Militärs wollten nicht, dass sie da lebend herauskommt»

If this is true, why didn't they just finish her off then or at the hospital or at the airport, etc., etc.? What a load of bull shit. This is exactly the sort of warped conspiracy theory lunacy that plagues the Angry European Left. It is absolutely sick and it is deeply rooted in hatred of America and all things American. We can count on one thing in this and all other cases: Americans are guilty until proven innocent.

@ Unwichtig:

What evidence do you have to suggest the roadblock was set up improperly? For that matter, what evidence of intentional American wrongdoing (that this was something more than a tragic accident) do you have at all?

---Ray D.

[Wired]

If they really would have been after her, does anybody actually believe such a half-assed effort to kill her would have been all?

A roadside bomb plus some disguised attackers using AKs and RPGs. This way it was the 'insurgents' that killed her.

[Wahldeutscher]

I have another take on this.
I don't think this MSM campaign is aimed at Bush directly (although that is certainly a factor). Il Manifesto and the at best parrot media are trying to undermine Berlusconi's support of US policy in Iraq. This is an attack designed to reduce support of the italian population for their conservative government by discrediting its allies.
One way or another, it makes me sick that people play politics with tragic events like this one.

[Captain Analog]

Obviously if this woman had been targeted for assasination, she would be, as the saying goes, as dead as fried chicken right now.

This event will be forgotten along with all the other occurences the left has tried to seize upon as a source of leverage against the U.S.

Just one more flea on the elephant's ass.

[Pato]

Let me get this straight- a writer for a communist news paper from italy is kidnapped by members of a religion she was fascinated with.
Italian agents meet with captors, exchange cash(a payoff once again)est. at 1.3 million dollars.
They speed off on the way to the airport down the most attacked road in Iraq acting as if they were transporting the goddess of Turin and fail to yield at a check point despite warnings, concrete barriers and signs. Rounds are fired, commie victim is wounded, financial bagman for the italian govt is killed.
It may have been best for them to have been stopped prior to paying off the kidnapers, who no doubt can make many car bombs with a million in cash. If the Italians had nothing to hide in their dealings with the jihadi freaks, they would not have avoided telling US troops of their route to ensure a way out., or acted as irrationally knowing that car bombs are almost the sole source of US deaths. To spin this any other way is insane.

[Mamapajamas]

Unwichtig: Do you really believe the Italians intentionally ignored warnings although everyone knows that this is tantamount to suicide? Nobody in this right mind can believe that."

Yes. There are people in the world, especially arrogant left-wing reporters, who honestly believe that the entire world revolves around them, and that everone knows who they are and will give way to them when they approach.

This is, of course, pure arrogant snobbery on their part to believe that they would be recognized on sight, and allowed to pass without stopping.

In my book, that's the most likely scenario.

[WhatDoIKnow]

Unwichtig of the jo/unwichtig/matthesar team is finally back, at least he is back under the name of Unwichtig. As some might remember, he was gone for a long and blessed time, but now fun is over... Everything good comes to an end eventually, and no blabber idiot is known to have ever given up. I know, my commentary is OT big times, but that's just the way truth is sometimes. (I also know I should get in touch with my inner child when dealing with blabber idiots, the only thing is that Unwichtig is not here to discuss intelligently. He has a looooong way until he'll be able to do that, if ever...).

[Unwichtig]

@Ray: "... what evidence of intentional American wrongdoing ..."

I never said I believed it was intentional, why do you say that? Of course it wasn't intentional. But I wonder how difficult it can be to set a roadblock in a way that innocent people don't get killed?

Why do I believe the roadblock wasn't set up properly? Because many innocent people have died in the past at US checkpoints. Because the secret agent who was killed in the car had already accomplished other rescue missions in Iraq. Because the Italians had already passed other checkpoints on their way to the airport without problems. Because you can assume that one US checkpoint warns the next one of an approaching allied car.

[VIK]

i guess we all have to wait for results from military communication records first because it's too early to make any stupid statements about it.

it was also very stupid from "italians lefties" to give an early statements on this accident.

@ condi

das die euro-presse so einen fall ausschlachtet ist einigen vollkommen klar.
dazu folgendes:
jeder der im irak ein fahrzeug hat weiss haargenau wie er sich an check-points zu verhalten hat.d.h. weder mit hoher geschwindigkeit noch als unerkennbar fahren oder durch sein fahrverhalten aufzufallen.

ich denke nicht das der italienische geheimdienst bei der befreiung der geisel voll und ganz ohne die hilfe der us-army vor ort ausgekommen ist.also bestand sicher zu jeder zeit ein kontakt.es ist gut moeglich das man einiges dabei nicht beachtet hat,aber die aufgabe der soldaten vor ort ist es nunmal alle verdaechtigen fahrzeuge zu stoppen und da koennte selbst george w. bush drin sitzen.

ich finde die stellungnahme der verwandten der geisel nahezu lachhaft und vollkommen ueberzogen.
diesem "unfall" als einen "mord" an einem italienischen geheimdienstoffizier darzustellen entspricht einem emotionalen verhalten,aber keinesfalls der wahrheit.

[VIK]

da "il manifesto" 05 March 2005
Life and Death

Gabriele Polo

A few minutes, that is how long our joy lasted. The time which goes from a phone call to another: the one telling us of Giuliana’s freedom and the one which throws us into the killing of the person who more than anybody else worked to free her. Fifteen, maximum twenty minutes, the time to save one life and lose another.

Within the absurdity of a war in which we all risk to get lost.

Sure, we are happy to be able to soon hug Giuliana, to be able to have her back with us, to go back and listen to and read her stories of peace. We owe it to what we have done in this very long month. All of us: we of il manifesto, the colleagues who helped us keep the attention on this abduction alive, the many people who with a phone call, a letter, or by coming to the streets kept the presence of our comrade alive even while she was forced to be silent. But we also owe it to those who worked night and day to find a contact with the kidnappers, to reach an agreement. People who are different from us, who speak a different language and uses different means. Yet with some of them we have been united with a common aim: to bring home a woman deprived of her freedom and to do it though a negotiation, not through those weapons which are the root of evil which for thirty days has taken Giuliana away from us. After those 15, 20 minutes of joy, last night we fell into a live drama. We are journalists and we must tell the story, but do not ask of us to be detached as a reporter should be.
It is not possible. Just as it was not possible to coldly separate the duty to report and comment from the worry for Giuliana’s fate, from the fear she had fear, she was hungry, cold. When that second phone call arrived in a palace with high ceilings and wide spaces - so different from our daily working place -, we were there. And we will never be able to forget the pain of the colleagues of Nicola Calipari, how Gianni Letta was upset, even how the Prime Minister - whom we saw there and then for the first time - could not believe the news. We will never be able to forget the hectic calls, the chaos, the feeling of being lost by a place of power dealing with a power absolute and uncontrollable, the power of was, of who makes it and directs it. «Nicola died, Giuliana is wounded»: a bit crying, a bit asking for more details of the wound of Giuliana, knowing she was there, with the American guns pointing at her, bleeding who knows how, asking she would be brought immediately to the hospital. Then we heard the wound was not serious, only superficial on the shoulder, because the bullet which could have killed her had first gone through the body of Nicola Calipari. Who saved her. For the second time.
In those chaotic minutes, made of callls among ministries, generals, ambassadors - calls which all seemed pointless -- we witnessed impotence going on stage, the performance of war killing politics, chalking democracy. All our reasons - those of Giuliana - were confirmed. Yet we wanted it to be different. We wish we could hear another call, telling us it was all a mistake, nobody had died, Nicola magically had got up, maybe a bit hurt and together with our Giuliana he was going to the airport, to come back home. We would have hug them both and all that we had just witnessed would only have been a bad dream.
But no. That call never arrived. There has been another one, confirming everything: Nicola died, Giuliana and other two secret agents in the hospital. At that point, the only thing left to do was to leave, go back to the newspaper, tell everything to the comrades, explain that the joy was lost.
They taught us to be cold, to analyze the events, not to get involved too much, in order to understand what happens. And try to change it. Right. But he world is made of people. Facts, even history, are our product: at the end they are the product of bodies, flesh and blood. It all depends on us, on what we do. On what Giuliana Sgrena has done and will don, on what Nicola Calipari had done but will never be able to do. We got a comrade back. We lost someone who would have become our friend.

"We got a comrade back.We lost someone who would have become our friend."

ROFL

Act 2 pleaaaaseeeee !!!!!!

@Comrade Giuliana

if you have some "anti-us informations" that needs us-army to kill you,so let us know now!!!!

if you had these "anti-us informations" since months,why the "iraqi resistance" keep you as a hostage?

Comrade Giuliana,what do you think about the iraqi elections?
what are your gentle "kidnappers" think about ?

[Jason Frank]

The fact that only one occupant of the car was killed tends to lend support to the soldiers story of firing into the engine block. If they had attempted to destroy the car or kill the occupants there would have been no survivors. Maybe the Italian military is ineffectual but the US military is not (at least not since Jimmy Carter was voted out).

[Huan]

the road block on that road was not new. certainly thousands of non-western iraqi are able to make it pass in safety through blood thirsty islam hating infidel american GIs.
if there is a conspiracy, i'd say the journalist orchestrated the whole incidence for her "captors".

[Doughnut Boy Andy]

I have to agree with those who feel that if the USA had wanted to kill the all then they could have done it. The word "assassinate" is certainly wrong here, after all why would they have killed the security service soldier and not all or just the journalist. But conspiracy theories are known for making sense.... thats not what they are about. This looks like a conspiracy to me as its factually flawed and emotionally loaded in order to put the blame firmly at the Americans. Who is at fault for what is surely just an accident will no doubt be found out at in inquiry. Until then its premature to comment.

I was in Italy last summer and didnt really notice a great deal of anti-Americanism there, not compared to Germany or France at least. Whether Italian troops take part in the war was debated a bit by the people I met but as I dont speak Italian i didnt manage to discuss this too much. From those on the "left" I spoke to I found an anti-war sentiment but this seemed very much to be an anti- Berlusconi viewpoint. They felt annoyed that a media mogul had got to power seemingly just to stop himself from going to court. Taking part in the war was the straw that broke the camels back for them but the vast majority of those against the war and anti-USA in this sense seemed to be Catholics strongly influenced by the Pope and the church. The reaction to this accident seems to be a change in that pattern.

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=1000174&tw=wn_wire_story

" Although Italy has denied paying kidnappers in past hostage releases, Agriculture Minister Gianni Alemanno told the Corriere that "very probably" a large ransom had been paid in this case.

Italian newspapers have speculated that anything up to 8 million euros ($10 million) may have been paid.

"We need to get the guilty punished and an apology from the Americans," Alemanno said. "We are trustworthy allies but we must not give the impression of being subordinates."

Italy's minister for parliamentary relations, Carlo Giovanardi, has also said he did not believe the U.S. version of events.

A national outpouring of grief and anger put pressure on Berlusconi, an ardent supporter of Bush and his war on terror, to get answers from Washington on what went wrong.

"All 57 million Italians who were united in the anticipation of Giuliana Sgrena's liberation have the right to know what happened," said Romano Prodi, the former prime minister and leader of Italy's center-left opposition.

Berlusconi summoned the U.S. ambassador immediately after the event and will need to present some answers from Washington when he addresses parliament Wednesday.

He led Italy into the conflict in Iraq where it has some 3,000 soldiers, a decision opposed by a majority of Italians and the opposition which is seeking to unseat him at a general election next year and weaken him at regional polls next month. "

Perhaps other Medienkritiker can fill us in on the situation in Italy as this is just my impressions from talking to Italians in english whilst on holiday for a few weeks and I certainly dont claim that this is how it is. I would be interested in others´views....

[Pato]

I feel strongly that this "secret service" ransom paying imbecile should have been shot long before he was able to fund and pay off the jihadi freaks once again.
If that neanderthal thinking commie fool hadn't of been prancing around baghdad, she wouldn't have been kidnapped by those whom she admired and was trying to interview.
This "reporter", and her newspaper's ideologies have killed millions and millions over the last 70 years and is responsible for a large majority of current political enslavement in todays world, is the one fully responsible for her bagman/payoff man/security guy's death.
And the cash monies paid by the Italians, and the thin-spined filipino's as reward for jiahdis returning their wandering and errant citizens have killed countless US troops.
Imagine the captors today counting out their 1.3 million in cash and determining who will be the first to be blown up with their new stash.
So to hell with the pathetic current italian show of drama. NO ONE who pays off a kidnapper deserves some god damn medal of honor.
Since when is the paying of a ransom to kidnappers a heroic act or one deserving of "honor"? I would expect this from the spanish government perhaps.
But is this a trend in europe once again? .. the appeasement and paying off of those who will kill you at first chance?
What in the hell is going on in europe when a communist daily still has an audience in today's world?

[Pato]

No mention from the Italians(as noted below)about the ransom money and it's immediate influence on the future death of Iraqis or US troops, or how it will be used to stifle with blood, the new democracy in Iraq..
"Asked whether a ransom was paid, an Italian Cabinet minister said it was ‘‘very likely.’’
"Moreover, it is largely preferable to pay an economic price than the price of a human life, or a political price that would consist of blackmail to pull out troops,’’ Agriculture Minister Giovanni Alemanno told Corriere della Sera newspaper.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/03/06/europe/web.0306sgrena.html

[WhatDoIKnow]

As far as I know, the checkpoints are equipped not only with individual M-16s, but also with .50-caliber machine guns. Had the US-soldiers been so hellbent to destroy the car, nobody would have come out alive of that car. The .50-caliber would have made sure that everything would have been a total mess of flesh, blood and metal. That wasn't the case! This confirms the claims of the US-soldiers, that they shot upon the car trying to stop it, not to destroy it or kill the passengers. This is just another desperate attempt by the "peace-loving" and terrorist-loving EU left to discredit... well, guess who? The USA.

In communist Romania during Ceausescu's times, one of the constant repeated mantras was: "The paramount care of the state for every human life". Since Ceausescu's Romania had probably the worst record in Eastern Europe for caring for any human life, it's obvious that this huge propaganda was meant just to hide the obsession of a few with power and the total contempt for any life. Today's EU Left hasn't strayed away from that all that much. They have the same sick obsession with imposing their will on the people and they have no remorse in using the Iraqi civilians as pawns in their quest for "counterbalancing" the evil US. They have nothing positive to show up with as a counterbalance, and when the Iraqis "betray" them and vote freedom, then they shop around for other prey. The state of mind of way too many people on the left is plain mental disorder.

[Helian]

@condi

"Did I say that? I am only reporting what one of the victims has told the press. Presumably she would not lie about her own circumstances. As far as I know, the driver survived as well. Let's hear what he has to say."

Nooo, not her. As we all know, Communists have never lied or distorted the truth to serve political ends. Do you "presume," on the other hand, that the U.S. troops are lying? If so, can you explain to us why you "presume" Communists always tell the truth about their "circumstances" when those "circumstances" happen to be an emotion-charged incident ready-made for the peddlers of hate against the U.S., but you "presume" U.S. troops always lie?

@unwichtig

"I never said I believed it was intentional, why do you say that? Of course it wasn't intentional. But I wonder how difficult it can be to set a roadblock in a way that innocent people don't get killed?"

Pretty difficult, I would think, if people can drive towards one of the most heavily defended sites in Iraq, after many months during which U.S. troops and Iraqis have been killed by suicide car bombs almost daily, completely oblivious to the possibility that someone might want to check them before allowing them to pass. Of couse, the bungling Italian intelligence people who failed to notify the Americans of the release and the incomparably moronic driver of the car share none of the blame at all. It was all (of course) the fault of the evil United States, whose troops, as we have all heard from Eason Jordan, regularly target journalists to facilitate anti-American propaganda, thereby insuring that their comrades will have died in vain, and they will lose whatever war they happen to be fighting. No doubt it's all planned that way at the Pentagon, right? No doubt there's also an office there with the specific responsibility of insuring that U.S. checkpoint are cleverly camouflaged to make sure that "innocent people get killed."

Tell me, unwichtig, why is it that people like you always feel justified in assuming the worst about the U.S. is always true unless it can be absolutely proved otherwise?

This whole incident smells big time. A favorite Communist tactic used to be to get innocent people killed to promote their propaganda lines. Thousands of people drive the same route every day without incident, but now we're to understand that this Communist "heroine," doing nothing whatsoever out of the ordinary, was "targeted" by U.S. troops, no doubt to insure that they would lose the war more quickly and make sure that everyone knew they are the evil forces of darkness.

I think the most likely explanation, pure speculation at this point, of course, is that the driver, unused to taking part in such "historical" events, lost his head and paid too much attention to the conversation in the car, and not enough to what he was doing. I very much doubt that any driver involved in a similar incident in the future will "fail to see" the cleverly camouflaged U.S. checkpoints.

[WhatDoIKnow]

The poor idiot Giuliana Sgrena claims she has "information" that the US Army didn't want them to come out alive of this... And because of this, they were met with something like a screen of fire... How in the world can you escape alive, when the best military in the world wants desperately to kill you, shoots at you with everything it has at the scene, and you are nothing but an unarmed, unprotected moving target??? Giuliana Sgrena should some day teach at military academies on this subject. The fact that she makes this claim is no surprise, what is surprising is that no "sharp investigative journalist" seems to be questioning her story. Their "journalistical skills" are AWOL on this, but they will be back in full force when investigating child rape by the US military. Ooops, that was in fact the UN, not the US. Well, whatever...

[kid charlemagne]

As far as I know there was no investigation in the Euro-press (or elsewhere?) as to why the two French journalists were released, or the two Italian aid workers. Suddenly it was over, everyone was happy, and no one asked any questions. Is it just me, or is this bizarre?

[Arlene]

Oh, Unwichtig:

I really did have to laugh at your mentioning warning labels on consumer products here in the States. They are quite funny aren't they? You see here in America we have this very silly LEFTIST element (friends of yours?), who insist that everything, and I do mean everything, that is sold in the U.S. have a warning label on it. We have this other LEFTIST group (we call them lawyers or shysters, also friends of yours?), that will sue a manufacturer for the silliest of things. Because the Leftists in our country have convinced the general public that manufacturer's are the source of all evil they will award large monetary settlements to the doofus who sues the manufacturer for not warning them of the very real dangers of operating a wichit improperly. They believe that the average consumer (be they American, European or Asian), is too STUPID to use a product correctly. American, and probably European leftists as well need to guide the world through day-to-day living. I recently purchased a stove that warned me to only use the stove in an "upright position." I guess using the stove on its side would have caused the pots to fall off or somethin' duh, I donna know. We on the right use the warning labels as a source of entertainment. It is always hilarious to see how far the left in any country is willing to go with their cradle to grave care of the common folk.

P.S. If the American military wanted the Italian journalist dead she and everyone in that car would be dead right now. End of story--sad accident.

[italian guy]

"the best military in the world"......that was a good joke WDIK, those guys are even to dumb to shit!
italian guy!!

[Deist]

Its a sad thing her rescuer after so much work died such a senseless death.
I dont think it makes much sense to assume an intentional shooting.
If the usa had wanted to kill her, she would be dead. Actually its as simple as that. No sense in conspiracy theories.

[Pato]

It's obvious that this second-rate reporter considers her self worth to be of great value.
According to her statements, her life is worth more than the lives that will perish with her ransom money. What an arragont and backwards communist fool.
No one is talking about what blood and death which that ramsom money will buy, or it's impact on the average iraqi who wants their society to function.
So european based terrorists kill 3000 US office workers...
..and european welfare suckers head to the middle east as suicide bombers to kill iraqi's and US troops....
...and washed up communist idealogues prance about baghdad and get kidnapped by those she came to visit, a ransom is paid..and once again european money flows to the jihadist freaks.
...the US sacrifices 1500 men and woman to give democracy a chance in the middle east and afghanistan, and immediately the number of asylum/welfare seekers coming to europe is reduced
to levels not seen in a decade..... and now the US has to listen to this kind of crap coming from a dying continent that knows no shame.
@italian guy- It's best to act like a man during tough times, not a screeching and loud-mouthed pussy.

[pkok]

Hey, the lady is an apologist for the terrorists, and she is credentialed at a communist rag. She's been attacking the US all along. All her remarks are self serving.

As the "second front' of the WOT (choking off the terrorists funds) matures and becomes increasingly more effective, it becomes more and more diffficult to obtain the funds necessary to run the terrorist organizations through the usual channels; still, bullets and food must be bought, families of suicide bombers paid their thousands, etc.

All the known facts surrounding this 'kidnapping' are unique and highly suspicious.

Rather, I suggest, the whole thing was a 'bag job' to deliver funds to those whose cause she supports (in the guise of a 'demanded' ransom), with the added spice of 'shaming' the US. IMHO.

[Doughnut Boy Andy]

RE: New Update.

Not just the German media I note from LGF. The Guardian/ Observer is getting in on it too (yeah like thats a change in editorial line /sarcasm)

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1431436,00.html

To quote LGFs Charles:

"Three hundred to four hundred rounds from an armored vehicle ... and there were survivors? OK, go ahead, pull my other leg.

Why is anyone taking these obviously false statements seriously?"

"P.S. If the American military wanted the Italian journalist dead she and everyone in that car would be dead right now. End of story--sad accident."

No, sadly the story continues. Statistically speaking there would be some extra 10% casualties from friendly fire plus 2 or 3 us marines who died in a bizare car accident.

[Pato]

Lets not forget the other Italian bimbos known as "the 2 Simonas" who had nothing but praise for their captors (after they staged their own kidnapping) and after they had given them over 1 million dollars as well. No one can say for sure that the money given for the release of these two freaks did NOT give impetous and provide funding for the kidnapping and capture of this commie this time around. The italians could keep this going for decades simply by continuing to pay off the kidnappers, as only a damn fool would do.
Once these two returned to Italy, the Italians began to see through their lefty eurocentric charade-
"Italians fall out of love with 'two Simonas'
By Bruce Johnston in Rome
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/10/02/wsim02.xml

[Pato]

...One of the two Simonas- Miss Pari, when asked why she and her colleague had not asked on their return for the release of other hostages, said: "We didn't know there were any other hostages. No one told us about the British prisoner, nor about the Americans who were beheaded." (Yeah, bullshit little hippy freak).
... "Miss Torretta admitted that was now studying Islam, although she denied that was planning to convert.
"The two women have also ruffled feathers by thanking Italy's Islamic community for working for their release before thanking the government and the Italian Red Cross.
"After they were taken hostage on Sept 7, the two Simonas achieved iconic status in Italy and the conservative government and the opposition put aside their differences to work together for the women's release."
"But as the Turin newspaper La Stampa said yesterday, national unity has been short lived since their arrival home, wearing kaftans and thanking their captors in Arabic for their release before the cameras of the Al-Jazeera stellite television network."
..a girl is kidnapped once again by the people she idolizes.. spends some time in capativity and then comes home wearing the beloved costume of her captors.. how cute is that?!
Well now- hello europe! Are there any sane and thinking people who still exist over there?
They were simply thanking people for taking their god damn ransom money and for holding them hostage. And this current commie whose freedom was recently paid for claims her captors treated her well... yet I remember her just a video one week ago on her knees and babbling through tears how she needed to be free...
It was nice that the captors didn't force her to stand for the video.