Posted on 07/01/2005 4:13:31 PM PDT by familyop
ROME, July 1 - Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi demanded to day that the United States show "full respect" for Italian sovereignty, after summoning the American ambassador to explain the reported abduction of a Muslim cleric by officers and operatives of the Central Intelligence Agency . . . There have been growing calls from the opposition, as well as some members of the governing majority, for clarification of the relationship between the United States and Italy.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Someone who is registered at the NY Slimes, flip them off for me. Thanks.
Get ready to boycott the Italians. Why don't they just STFU!
Besides, we're all on low carb anyways..so to hell with their pasta!
Well Italy, if a terrorist is on your soil and you do nothing about it, just understand that we will. Is that respectful enough for you.
Here is a good definition: "We will make no ditinction between terrorists, and those who harbor them"
The question is: Did we ask Italy to do something about the terrorist before we kidnapped him? We are putting one of the few allies we have (Berlusconi) between a rock and a hard place. Imagine if Mexico sent a bunch of Federales to kidnap a wanted person from the US and take him to Mexico. We would rightfully have a problem with that as we are a sovereign country.
"...clarification of the relationship between the United States and Italy."
LOL!
user: timeslies163
pass: daily
LOL!
No
An Italian judge is doing that.
We can settle this diplomatically or on the battlefield.
I'm glad the Americans did this. I want the terrorists to know that they are not free from the wrath of the American people, anywhere.
But notice how the media is protraying this as a "kidnapping" of a "cleric" instead of a rendition of a dangerous terrorist.
Plus where's the evidence that the cleric was 'tortured' come from-the whining terrorist himself.
I'm sick of the media.
I don't know, but we don't harbor known terrorists.
They do.
I'm sure that we did this after years of delay.
And in all probability, telling the Italians our intentions would have simply meant that they would warn him, hide him, and protect him
As for the first part, that IS a reasonable question. And no, we don't want to put allies in the hot seat. Was Berlusconi on our side regarding the ransomed reporter? I doubt it.
As for Mexico, I think you'll have a hard time convincing me that a federale is comparable to our special forces.
Italy has a right to be pissed. We have a right to think ransoming people for millions just pays for more terrorist bombs.
I guess it's a push.
This is payback for that goofy reporter chick that managed to get an Italian Secret Service agent killed. Nothing more.
Yes, we'll dance, if we get to lead. Smirk!
This is somewhat worrisome. This is the first I've heard that Berlusconi was out of the loop on our actions, whatever they were. As long as it was just some leftie judge complaining, I was not concerned. But Silvio has been pretty solid since 9/11. I don't take his possible alienation lightly. Of course, I'll need to hear about it from somewhere other than the Slimes before I really pay attention.
The Italian government can say what it wants, but I don't believe the CIA did this without their knowledge.
"Full Respect"?
Maybe for the Romans.
For a nation full of over-cooked pasta bellies?
Italy should be happy that we still talk with them.
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