Italian journalist Sgrena reveals details of shooting, 700m from Baghdad airport

repubblica ^ | March 05

[Truth666]

Lots of information pouring in:

13:04 Sgrena contradicts the US: the car wasn't speeding

13:11 americans knew we were coming -they were 700 meters away from the airport, which meant they passed already all the controls

13:19 shooting took place while italians had the italian government (Palazzo Chigi ) in the mobile phones

[an italian]

We are people of loyal. And we know who is our friends. We don't forget you. And we will not forget you after a strange mistake such as this.

THANKS for your kind words.

[an italian]

YOU WILL NEVER LOSE BERLUSCONI. Italy is a Country of word. Don't worry. We decided to stand next to you, and so we will.

My Country is not a Communist's one!

[processing please hold]

YOU WILL NEVER LOSE BERLUSCONI. Italy is a Country of word. Don't worry. We decided to stand next to you, and so we will.

My Country is not a Communist's one!

Thanks. A friend in need is a friend indeed. :-)

[an italian]

Proud to stand with you.

[an italian]

FOREVER...

[Soul Seeker]

Praying for you guys and Berlusconi. Solid allies you have all been.

[longjack]

I'm watching the reports from "Spiegel" as they change during the day.

This morning the reports tended to conclude that the US military reports were accurate. The trend has changed to reports of Italy questioning why the supposed 'good guys' did the killing. The leftist media in Italy appears to be out in force, now.

Here are a couple of interesting sentances / paragraphs from the "Spiegel" report running now:

---

The editor of "Il Manifesto", Gabriele Polo, said Sgrena greeted him with the words "hello" and "thanks". He answered: "There's no reason for you to thank me."

After her return, Sgrena contradicted this representation and explained that the vehicle wasn't going particularly fast. (re: US reports of fast approaching car, blinking lights, warning shots, etc.

Berlusconi immediately sent for the U.S. ambassador and demanded a explanation. "Somebody must take responsibility for such a serious incident", the politician said with an irritated undertone. Berlusconi showed a composed impression publicly, although he was supposed to have been raving mad according to a newspaper report. President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi who, in his figurehead role, usually holds back with political remarks, said: "I, as all Italians, expect from the United States that they clear up this painful and tragic episode."

"Spiegel-Online"....Ihr Retter starb in ihren Armen

Translated by longjack

---

Something doesn't smell right to me. I'm beginning to think the ransom was paid by the magazine. I also notice that Sgrena only says "the car wasn't going particularly fast", and not that no lights flashed, no warning shots were fired, etc.

The last paragraph definitely tries to hang the US out to dry.

I wonder if this was a contract job for the agents, and not government initiated. Pure conjecture, but, for me, something doesn't pass the smell test here.

longjack

[ArmyTeach]

So what do you think the reaction is for Italians whom you consider to be intelligent and reasonable? I'm sure the feelings are very mixed. Can't speak for all Americans, but I respect and value our friends.

[FMBass]

I haven’t seen any news about who was driving that car. Who ever it was, he must have known that it would be suicide to run a checkpoint.

Do you think there is anybody over there that might be suicidal?

[ArmyTeach]

President Bush and his State Department, which one will it be?
POINT!

[an italian]

Well the situation is hard to explain (and you have to add that my English is not good). Italians are always so divided...

My personal point of view is that.

Well, this war in Iraq was right and legitimate. And the journalists who write the contrary are false revolutionary sold to the Communism. (In fact, if you know, at the writing of "Il Manifesto" -the journal of Sgrena- they celebrated her liberation drinking Champagne... May be because it's French...).

I'm not a fascist (even if in Europe they call you so if you stand next to your President...) and I don't wish to anyone to be killed by terrorists in that way. But I know even other things.

Yesterday my favorite writer on TV said that "there is only one thing more important than to live with dignity and it is to die with dignity". That woman, like others before her, did not so. And I'm full of angry because Communists will take her as their hero (Hero a person who said "They treated my in a good way, Thank Islam"??? Hero a person who her father has just said "I do not feel to condemn her kidnappers" but who has condemned and who still condemns the Goverment) and they has just forget our Fabrizio Quattrocchi. He was a Hero, a Hero with the capitol letter! "Now I show you as an Italian dies": that's the way to die with dignity.

What I think? I'm sorry or the death of our 007. It would be better if Giuliana Sgrena died and not him. But I stand for Freedom and for Life. And I defend the ideas of everyones. Even the Communists. ("I don't agree you, but I will die to help you to show your ideas" Voltaire said). Even when I find shameful what others do and say.

[Dane]

I predict you are on the money, and she won't stop with that, but will go on to explain how they are freedom fighters, etc. I don't think we will have to wait long.

michael moore is probably on the phone with her now having a second orgasm, the first was after he ate a box of Twinkies.

[ArmyTeach]

They may not have wanted the soldiers to rake their vehicle with gunfire, but they should have expected it, especially the experienced intelligence agent!It's a war zone, and our soldiers are regularly under attack by cars speeding towards them, among other things. Either it was a major snafu or they were pushing the envelope to taunt our soldiers for progadanda purposes, or maybe they had something else up their sleeves and got burned. Either way, stupidity on their part. Our 'kids' did the right thing. Let's not second guess them.
BTW, I'm sorry for the injuries and loss of life, too.

[processing please hold]

Fabrizio Quattrocchi. He was a Hero, a Hero with the capitol letter! "Now I show you as an Italian dies": that's the way to die with dignity.

I will never forget him. What an honor he brought to Italy in his defiance to terrorism. God Keep him, and bless his family and true patriots of Italy.

[kabar]

Either it was a major snafu or they were pushing the envelope to taunt our soldiers for progadanda purposes, or maybe they had something else up their sleeves and got burned. Either way, stupidity on their part.

I believe the former rather than the latter, i.e., it was due to a snafu. Italy is a staunch US ally with 3,000 troops in Iraq. It is a member of NATO with many US military bases located in Italy. At least one Italian hostage was killed in Iraq. For anyone to even think that "they were pushing the envelope to taunt our soldiers for progadanda purposes" is beyond the pale.

Just because the released hostage, a passenger, was a Communist doesn't mean that the Italian agents(working for the Italian Government) who were in control of the vehicle and the passenger would intentionally taunt our soldiers and invite gunfire and death. How some people can come up with such bizarre theories is beyond me. Rather sick if you ask me.

[ArmyTeach]

You're right, of course. It's a very convoluted and confusing situation. The Italians are brave and loyal allies, sticking with us through a lot of dissension in their part of the world. But the pieces of this puzzles just don't come together. I doubt that the truth will ever see the light of day out of such a morass of lies and our soldiers will pay the price.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I'm coming dangerously close to finding the whole of Europe to be illegitimate.

Oh get a grip. She's an Italian version of Michael Moore, her paper an Italian version of the New York Times/DU. Hardly representative.

Not that facts should get in the way of those idiotic "Nuke 'em all" rants.

[kabar]

I doubt that the truth will ever see the light of day out of such a morass of lies and our soldiers will pay the price.

I disagree. As President Bush promised, an investigation will be conducted and the results will be available to all. It is too important for our friend, Berlusconi, politically. I hope we invite Italian representation on the investigation, at the very least as observers.

[walford]

Freep the comments on Al-Jazeera's version of the story:
http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=7258

[johnb838]

WAKE UP! The Spaniards have already gone down. The French are useless, and Germany is too. Europe better get their act together or it is going to get bloody.