Where the World's Views of America Come into Focus
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Where the World's Views of America Come into Focus
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Syria Explains Why the U.S. Sought Death of Italian Journalist In Iraq
The Syrian government claims the U.S. wanted to discourage its coalition allies from unilaterally seeking the release of their hostages in Iraq.
March 14, 2005
By Nihad Zaki Roumieh
The kidnapping [in Iraq] of Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena was a dastardly act against every human principle and value. Nevertheless, the tragic end of her captivity at the hands of U.S. troops only added sorrow and disappointment to the case. The U.S. troops were supposed to provide Sgrena with protection, and safeguard her life, but what actually happened could not have been more different.
The U.S. version of events, that those that won her release were victims of "friendly fire," would not be convincing, even to a schoolboys, especially when taking into account the testimony of the Italian journalist herself.
Sgrena whipped up a controversy when she suggested that U.S. forces targeted her and [Italian intelligence agent] Nicola Calipari. In the face of the usual heavy-handed U.S., [Italian Prime Minister] Berlusconi insisted that it was an accident, adding that: "The case of friendly fire is certainly the hardest to endure."
In fact, a closer examination of the killing led the Berlusconi to say later, that the U.S. version of events "did not coincide" with what actually happened. The U.S. version of the event is in complete contradiction to the Italian one. The U.S. military claims that American soldiers fired on the Italians' car after it approached a checkpoint at high speed and failed to heed signals to slow down. The Italian version of the shooting, direct from the Italian premier, is that the Italians were driving slowly and had received no warning?
Truth can be easily spotted without resort to theory to hide the actual events. What really happened is what the testimony of the Italian journalist herself revealed, and who still insists that U.S. forces targeted the Italian car on purpose.
The truth can quite easily be established if we ponder what would have happened if the shooting by U.S. forces had actually claimed the life of Giuliana Sgrena, and not just one of her rescue team.
The U.S.'s image would have been brightened considerable in such a scenario, and no government participating in the coalition forces would have dared facilitate the rescue of any more of its hostages on its own.
According to the original scenario drawn by the U.S. military, Sgrena should never have escaped Iraq, unless in a coffin, side by side with the brave security agent who paid with his life to save hers. The fact that the shooting by the U.S. military continued for 10 to 15 seconds, at a vehicle driving slowly, raises many questions.