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Ex-Hostage's Italian Driver Ignored Warning, U.S. Says
New York Times ^ | May 1, 2005 | By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. and ROBERT F. WORTH

Posted on 04/30/2005 4:04:18 PM PDT by Deetes

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1 posted on 04/30/2005 4:04:18 PM PDT by Deetes
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To: Deetes

I believe our guys.


2 posted on 04/30/2005 4:06:13 PM PDT by BunnySlippers (••• ••• •••)
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To: Deetes
The driver "was dealing with multiple distractions including talking on the phone while driving, the conversation in the back seat, trying to listen for threats, driving on a wet road, focusing on tasks to be accomplished, the need to get to the airport, and the excited and tense atmosphere in the car," the report found. He shouted, "They are attacking us" into his phone when the firing began, the report said, adding that it was "highly unlikely" that any shots were fired after the car stopped. The fusillade lasted four seconds, it said.

This and they were going 50 MPH faster than everybody else ...

3 posted on 04/30/2005 4:07:29 PM PDT by Deetes (Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick)
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To: Deetes

Makes me wonder whether they tried to martyr themselves.


4 posted on 04/30/2005 4:08:16 PM PDT by Teflonic
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To: Deetes
According to the report, 11 bullets fired by one American soldier hit the Italians' car...

That conforms with the picture we all saw of the relatively unscathed car and doesn't conform with Ms. Sgrena's account of the car being "destroyed" by "hundreds of bullets"; so many that she was scooping up handfuls of bullets from the backseat. Her credibility, already low, is now approaching zero.

5 posted on 04/30/2005 4:13:17 PM PDT by saquin
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To: BunnySlippers

As do I, and the evidence is piling up that they are telling the complete truth.

http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2005/04/another-sgrena-lie.html


6 posted on 04/30/2005 4:21:59 PM PDT by traderrob6
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To: Deetes

Ms. Sgrena, a reporter for the left-wing daily newspaper Il Manifesto

Sgrena is a Commie....and by default..a Liar.

It is most likely She ordered the driver to not stop, because Arrogant Socialists think they are Gods.

It is too bad the driver was the one to Die.

Italy is sinking into the stench filled crap-hole of Communism.

they should have gave Her the welcome that they gave musolini's Girlfriend.


7 posted on 04/30/2005 4:24:54 PM PDT by LtKerst (Lt Kerst)
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To: LtKerst
The car carrying the Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena that was struck with a deadly hail of gunfire

2 bullet holes = hail of gunfire?

Thanks NYT for not disapointing.

8 posted on 04/30/2005 4:47:25 PM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it.)
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To: Deetes

They didn't slow down until hit,the driver was distracted,they were traveling at 50mph.....Troops could of turned that vehicle into swiss cheese.If i didn't know better,i'd think they wanted to get shot.


9 posted on 04/30/2005 5:17:17 PM PDT by thombo
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To: Deetes

Italian driver + Gen. Officer not letting anyone know WTF was going on + leftist journalista + newbies on roadblock = FUBAR.


10 posted on 04/30/2005 5:18:39 PM PDT by Khurkris (This tag-line is available on CD ROM. NRA.)
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To: Deetes

"The incident helped focus attention on the risks that Iraqis face at American checkpoints"

And, of course, the American media ignore the danger *solidiers* face manning the checkpoints.

What should they do, allow speeding cars into the checkpoints?

Let's put this reporter on a checkpoint for a day and then see what he thinks.


11 posted on 04/30/2005 5:18:48 PM PDT by HarryCaul
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To: LtKerst
The gunfire killed Nicola Calipari, an Italian intelligence agent who was in the back seat with Ms. Sgrena. The driver and Ms. Sgrena were wounded.

The driver didn't die - the intelligence agent died.

12 posted on 04/30/2005 5:22:56 PM PDT by secretagent
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To: HarryCaul
And, of course, the American media ignore the danger *solidiers* face manning the checkpoints.

This article did.

What should they do, allow speeding cars into the checkpoints?

Nope.

Let's put this reporter on a checkpoint for a day and then see what he thinks.

He might welcome the opportunity. Write him and challenge him!

The reporter might agree with the US military's report:

The report also recommended that the military use more signs and enhanced lighting to warn drivers that they are approaching a checkpoint.

13 posted on 04/30/2005 5:30:23 PM PDT by secretagent
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To: HarryCaul

"the American media ignore the danger soldiers face manning the check points."Exactly.If i were a soldier manning a ck point,and a speeding vehicle was comming at me that refused to stop,i'd start shooting.What if that had been a carbomb?


14 posted on 04/30/2005 5:35:40 PM PDT by thombo
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To: Khurkris

"Italian driver + Gen. Officer not letting anyone know WTF was going on + leftist journalista + newbies on roadblock = FUBAR."

That's how I see it.... one soldier, probably a newbie, emptied his M16 at a fast-moving car that didn't respond as planned. Probably the Iraqis knew to approach at 10 mph w/ hands up. The Italian, though, probably thought that his Mercedes didn't look like a terrorist vehicle, and he was driving to safe ground as fast as he could.


15 posted on 04/30/2005 5:36:25 PM PDT by TWohlford
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To: LtKerst

Even though there was a death Sgrena will attack and attack and attack with this incident as her fuel.She is probably glad it happened in spite of her "grief".


16 posted on 04/30/2005 5:40:34 PM PDT by Mears ("The Killer Queen,caviar and cigarettes")
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To: Deetes
When I first heard about this story there was a link that I couldn't grasp at first but now it just occurred to me.

Several months ago they were running cars full of children and pregnant women up to these checks.

If we fire on the vehicle, it makes for good anti US propaganda and it softens up the policy so that next time they can drive a bomb up there without being shot at.

I think they tried this with the French hostages as well but they turned back.

I believe this is a similar tactic to Muslim airplane passenger behavior. If they all have box cutters than pretty soon box cutters aren't a worry...when they act suspicious on an airplane you don't want to be an alarmist because it is common behavior.

When our attitude becomes soft they can use the expectation of our behavior as a weapon against us. It is very similar to the tactic that liberals have used to degenerate society.
17 posted on 04/30/2005 7:06:51 PM PDT by Jim_Curtis
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To: Deetes
This and they were going 50 MPH faster than everybody else ...

That isn't what the story says. Here is the quote, followed by an explanation if you really don't understand it.

"The car was traveling about 50 miles per hour - faster than other cars that night - as it approached the checkpoint and did not slow until struck by the bullets, the report said."

To restructure the sentence for you to make it easier to read:

'The car was traveling about 50 miles per hour as it approached the checkpoint - - faster than other cars that night'.

18 posted on 04/30/2005 7:20:36 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: Khurkris
Italian driver + Gen. Officer not letting anyone know

One thing missing from the story. Was the general an American, an Italian, or something else?

19 posted on 04/30/2005 7:23:47 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: Jim_Curtis
I think they tried this with the French hostages as well but they turned back.

To elaborate on that further. This was before the Italian incident and there was a news story that the car transferring the French hostages to freedom had to turn back and return to their captors because of US roadblock.

Think about that for a second. Why not just let the hostages out of the car and they can walk up to the Americans with their hands in the air? The media was trying to put across the idea that it was because of Americans that these French hostages were still captive.

20 posted on 04/30/2005 7:31:03 PM PDT by Jim_Curtis
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