Following The Rules Could Have Averted Tragedy

Giuliana Sgrena, the Italian journalist who was freed after her country probably negotiated with terrorists and paid a ransom, is now stating that she was warned by her kidmappers that the US might intervene. By this of course, they meant the US might shoot at her because Italy had negotiated with the terrorists which runs counter to our position.

Let us overlook the fact that US military members saw a car traveling at a high rate of speed and ignoring instructions to stop. These are the same things terrorists with car bombs do so what is a sentry suppose to think? If a car travels at a high rate of speed and ignores instructions then the rules of engagement must be followed. If these guys had instructions to engage this type of behavior then they did as they were instructed to do. It is a shame that one of this lady’s rescuers (a term I would not use) was killed. Perhaps if the Italians had followed the rules and stopped they could have passed without incident. I would not call the man who was killed a rescuer. If accounts are accurate, he did not rescue anyone. He simply picked her up after a ransom was paid. Be that as it may, his death is none the less tragic.

These two quotes amaze me:

“What happened yesterday in Baghdad was a homicide,” Polo told Apcom.

“The Americans must be firmly reminded to respect human and civil rules,” the ANSA news agency quoted Mirko Tremaglia, minister for Italians abroad, as saying.

What happened was not homicide. Homicide is a crime that involves the deliberate taking of a human life. This was an accident caused by the Italians reluctance to follow the rules. As far as being reminded to follow human and civil rules, perhaps this jackass could remind the people who held this journalist captive of this little tid bit. If they had not paid for her release it is likely they would have butchered her by cutting her head off. Perhaps this more civil behavior is why the Italians paid all that money for her release.

Perhaps this, from Sgrena herself, is the most amazing:

Speaking from her hospital bed where she is being treated, Sgrena told Sky Italia TV it was possible the soldiers had targeted her because Washington opposes Italy’s dealings with kidnappers that may include ransom payments.

“The United States doesn’t approve of this (ransom) policy and so they try to stop it in any way possible.”

Of course this is ridiculous. The US would not kill her because her country cowered to terrorists and paid ransom. The Italians have done this for years. This is why they have such a problem. You get more of what you subsidize. In any event, if the Americans had intended to kill her she would not be speaking today. I am sure that the soldiers could have killed everyone on board. The fact that this did not happen shows how this was a tragic mistake. Of course, Sgrena says that her captors warned her the Americans would do this and it came true. She will believe the people who would have beheaded her? This is utterly stupid on her part and only assists the terrorists in their goal of undermining the coalition. She has also claimed that there were no warnings and they were not speeding. I am willing to bet they did not want to stop because they were afraid. They believed the terrorists who probably told them the Americans would shoot. The terrorists no doubt told her this in order to get them to try and avoid the checkpoint, thereby causing the incident.

It is an unfortunate thing that this woman was shot and one of the men sent to retrieve her was killed. Perhaps everyone out there will learn a lesson. Stop at checkpoints and follow the rules. There are no incidents that I am aware of where Americans just opened fire on cars. Many have been killed by car bombers because they err on the side of the traveler. I am sure they are tired of being blown up by cowards and they are going to shoot at anyone who does not follow the rules.

As you read the stories notice how the Italians deny paying a ransom yet the premise for the shooting is that they paid a ransom. The journalist herself alludes to the fact that a ransom was paid. If that is what they do, fine, but why lie about it?

Read the stories at My Way News here and here.

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