Report: U.S. Fires on Freed Journalist

[Fly Navy]

A) Fired on at a roadblock. Me thinks they failed to comply with the soldiers instructions at the roadblock. The Army doesn't like it when you approach them at a high rate of speed and don't stop. Quite possible this is what they did, wouldn't be the first time... If this is in fact what happened, they deserved to be opened fire on... if it isn't, UH OH. That being said, I'm sorry for the Italian Secret Service agent.

B) Works for a Communist newspaper. Was captured and then demands all troops leave Iraq. Why does this seem fishy to me? Yes, I know, people do things they don't want to when they are captured, tortured, and threatened with imminent death. But hey, with Communists, you never know.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,149470,00.html

Report: U.S. Fires on Freed Journalist

Friday, March 04, 2005

FOX News

WASHINGTON — A U.S. armored vehicle in Iraq fired on a car Friday that was carrying a freed Italian hostage, injuring the hostage and killing an Italian intelligence agent, according to military sources.

Officially, the Pentagon said that multi-national forces fired upon the car, which was described as going at a high rate of speed. But sources told FOX that American forces opened fire on the car.

The shooting reportedly occurred at a roadblock while the car was heading to the airport.

The journalist, Giuliana Sgrena, a reporter for the communist daily Il Manifesto, sustained a shoulder injury and was being treated at the American base Camp Victory, military officials said. Sgrena had been freed by her captors earlier Friday.

The editor of Il Manifesto, Gabriele Polo, said the secret service agent was killed when he threw himself over the freed hostage to protect her from fire, according to the Italian news service Apcom. He also said Sgrena was in the hospital but was not seriously injured.

The Italian prime minister says he has asked the U.S. ambassador for an explanation after an Italian official was killed at a U.S. checkpoint following the release of an Italian hostage.

Earlier, the Italian government had confirmed Sgrena's release and said a plane was waiting to bring her back to Rome.

Sgrena, 56, was abducted Feb. 4 by gunmen who blocked her car outside Baghdad University. Last month, she was shown in a video pleading for her life and demanding that all foreign troops — including Italian forces — leave Iraq.

FOX News' Bret Baier and Nick Simeone and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

[gagirl]

I do wish that the news media would report the whole story. I saw it reported on Fox, but the alert that they put out is that the "US fired on freed journalist". (of course that's not word for word, but you know what I mean.) I wish they would report that we fired on it after the car sped towards the roadblock and ran it or that they wouldn't comply.

Oh well. Sorry for the death, but if they had only listened or obeyed the rules maybe that wouldn't have happened.

I agree with you on the communist paper thing. Sounds kind of fishy. I wonder if she would have been killed had it not been communist?

 

[Fly Navy]

I do wish that the news media would report the whole story. I saw it reported on Fox, but the alert that they put out is that the "US fired on freed journalist". (of course that's not word for word, but you know what I mean.) I wish they would report that we fired on it after the car sped towards the roadblock and ran it or that they wouldn't comply.

Oh well. Sorry for the death, but if they had only listened or obeyed the rules maybe that wouldn't have happened.

I agree with you on the communist paper thing. Sounds kind of fishy. I wonder if she would have been killed had it not been communist?

It's a Breaking story, so details are still minimal right now. Hell, it's all speculation for the most part. Isn't that what breaking news is today anyway?

 

[Acoustix99]

I agree with you on the communist paper thing. Sounds kind of fishy. I wonder if she would have been killed had it not been communist?

I don't know about that.....Islamic militants aren't too fond of communism, since communism by it's nature isn't tolerant of religion of any kind.

 

[Fly Navy]

I don't know about that.....Islamic militants aren't too fond of communism, since communism by it's nature isn't tolerant of religion of any kind.

That is a good point. Then again, why take all the help from the Soviets.

 

[vegita1220]

That is a good point. Then again, why take all the help from the Soviets.

B/c America is the Great Satan and the Soviets were the Little Satan. :icon_wink

 

[Brett327]

I don't know about that.....Islamic militants aren't too fond of communism, since communism by it's nature isn't tolerant of religion of any kind.

Nothing could be further from the truth. During the CW, many Islamofacist theocracies were in bed with the Soviets (Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Iran). Although their ideologies don't match up, it was (and remains today) a "the enemy of your enemy is your friend" kind of deal. This is how the radical left can ally itself with islamofacism today when their values are seemingly incompatible.

Good times,

Brett

 

[Fly Navy]

B/c America is the Great Satan and the Soviets were the Little Satan. :icon_wink

Exactly, but I wanted him to answer it to prove his own point wrong. Damn it vegita, don't do that!

 

[TransvestFO]

It's breaking news but the facts are available. I didn't get a chance to check it today but will Monday. Can't wait to read what really happened.

"Nothing could be further from the truth. During the CW, many Islamofacist theocracies were in bed with the Soviets (Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Iran). Although their ideologies don't match up, it was (and remains today) a "the enemy of your enemy is your friend" kind of deal. This is how the radical left can ally itself with islamofacism today when their values are seemingly incompatible."

As for that Theocracy thing, the enemy of your enemy thing is probably true, but not necessarily with the muslim slant you put on it. Egypt, a theocracy, I think Mubarak would be surprised to here this since the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is his most significant political opposition and he has been in power since '81. They did join with Syria and both countries have significant numbers of Soviet military hardware (more anti Israel than anti US - and for good reason. Look up USS Liberty). The Sudan has basically been in a state of internal civil war since 1956 and so are not really in bed with anyone. They have just been trying to kill each other off. They are 70% Sunni and their current government is basically a military lead Muslim based attempt at a theocracy, that has crystalized only since about 1989 (post CW). They also have Soviet Military hardware but have US stuff too. Iran. also, has played whatever side of the fence gets them the military gear they feel like they needed to fight Iraq. Sure they stormed our embassy, but I'd storm the French embassy if Bush vacationed in Paris 10 times a year and kissed their butt (which is what the Shah did). The big take-away is that most of these countries have been and continue to be more concerned about their next door neighbor and internal issues than about the US or Russia. We are just so ethnocentric, we actually believe everyone is either for us or against us. Truth is, most don't care unless we are bombing their country.

 

[Brett327]

As for that Theocracy thing, the enemy of your enemy thing is probably true, but not necessarily with the muslim slant you put on it. Egypt, a theocracy, I think Mubarak would be surprised to here this since the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is his most significant political opposition and he has been in power since '81. They did join with Syria and both countries have significant numbers of Soviet military hardware (more anti Israel than anti US - and for good reason. Look up USS Liberty). The Sudan has basically been in a state of internal civil war since 1956 and so are not really in bed with anyone. They have just been trying to kill each other off. They are 70% Sunni and their current government is basically a military lead Muslim based attempt at a theocracy, that has crystalized only since about 1989 (post CW). They also have Soviet Military hardware but have US stuff too. Iran. also, has played whatever side of the fence gets them the military gear they feel like they needed to fight Iraq. Sure they stormed our embassy, but I'd storm the French embassy if Bush vacationed in Paris 10 times a year and kissed their butt (which is what the Shah did). The big take-away is that most of these countries have been and continue to be more concerned about their next door neighbor and internal issues than about the US or Russia. We are just so ethnocentric, we actually believe everyone is either for us or against us. Truth is, most don't care unless we are bombing their country.

Lots of OBE details that I won't bother comenting on. Some of what you have said is true in the 21st century, but I was talking about Egypt under Nassir, not Mubarak, who, by the way, was one of the first vehemently anti-US Arab nations after he went red leading up to the '67 war. I'm not going to write a dissertation, so suffice it to say that Islam has a long history of this kind of behavior. They were in bed with the Nazis during WWII (the Syrian Baath party is practically modeled after the 3rd Reich), the Soviets for the CW, and now they're chummed up with the radical left. You're right that most countries don't care, but enough do to make a difference and they deserve our "special" attention.

Good times,

Brett

 

[TransvestFO]

BAATHist are not theocratic. They are, by definition, autocratic muslims. As an example, Sadam was an equal opportunity thug and didn't care which religion you were. He was a muslim by convenience and tho' Shia were at first the recipients of most of his wrath, they actually achieved an increasingly larger representation in his governement during his rule. The ones that were persecuted the most were the ones that affected his strategic position against Iran.
If you are speaking about any muslim state within ear-shot of israel, of course they are anti-US, for the reasons I mentioned in my last input. Israel has a history of shooting first (at us... USS liberty, UN soilders, civilians and anyone else who looks at them cross-eyed) and asking questions later. I think I would be upset by that if I were their neighbor and so upset at the country that historically supplies them with most of their weapons.
I'm not sure what type of behavior Muslims have undertaken which requires our special attention. The Med muslims are concerned with Israel (there are several significant and historic Muslim sights located there). the gulf muslims are living in 40% unemployment though they supply a majority of the worlds oil. Wonder why they don't like us.
Which brings up UBL. UBL is a rich spoiled thug looking for power in his own country, who got carried away by the momentum of his own stupidity and lack of understanding. There is a compilation of all his interviews on the SIPR side. After reading through this 200 page wondering, I realized he is just a knucklehead who feels like his power-base has been taken away. Instead of offering money for his head, we should offer him a carribean island. It would be better for us if he were alive, living a monitored secular life than dead.
Sun Tzu says you have to know, even love your enemy before you can defeat him. Take a step back, take some time to learn about the US and our interactions with Muslims world-wide. There position is not hard to understand. This understanding is our only chance at defeating these folks.

 

[Fly Navy]

Israel has a history of shooting first (at us... USS liberty, UN soilders, civilians and anyone else who looks at them cross-eyed) and asking questions later.

Can you blame them? Wouldn't you if everyone surrounding you wants to push you into the sea?

the gulf muslims are living in 40% unemployment though they supply a majority of the worlds oil. Wonder why they don't like us.

Not our fault. We supply them with a ridiculous amount of money, and they can't run their own damn countries.

Sun Tzu says you have to know, even love your enemy before you can defeat him.

Good quote.

 

[Brett327]

Sun Tzu says you have to know, even love your enemy before you can defeat him. Take a step back, take some time to learn about the US and our interactions with Muslims world-wide. There position is not hard to understand. This understanding is our only chance at defeating these folks.

I disagree with your entire premise. It sounds an awful lot like the strategy of a certain recent Democratic administration. I'm not interested in understanding the littany of grievances that Islamofacism has with the West. We're never going to "win them over" to our point of view. I am just interested in their annihilation.

Good times,

Brett

 

[Brett327]

Gulf Unemployment

Not our fault. We supply them with a ridiculous amount of money, and they can't run their own damn countries.

Bingo!

Brett

 

[TransvestFO]

I weep for the future...

"I'm not interested in understanding the littany of grievances that Islamofacism has with the West. We're never going to "win them over" to our point of view."

My thoughts are neither Rep nor Dem. Who cares anyway. To say you are not interested in understanding... etc seems really short sighted. But it is no skin off my nose. I'm just glad ADM Nichols and GEN Abizaid, their respective J39 shops and the Army's 4th POG don't agree with you. By the way, how's that annihilation plan coming along, not.