March 07, 2005 - 00:08 [z-05:00]

       I started looking at this international story after I heard ABC radio news reporting with undisguised glee that American troops had opened fire on an Italian Journalist who had just been released by terrorists. The reporter could not contain herself as she triumphantly reported what sounded like a "screwup." Knowing that it was ABC News, which hasn't had a well-researched story since Britt Hume left, there were many, many question marks. So I started digging.

       Since it was a national news story, it would have to be for my own interest, and besides, we have Fox News now, so whatever I could find out would surely be found out by them and disseminated.

       A simple internet check revealed the following facts:

• The military, which, this time around, has told the truth, no matter how much it hurts, says that the car did not stop when ordered to.
• The negotiator was conveniently shot dead - one less witness.
• Italian govt paid 1000000 to terrorists.
• Giuliana Sgrena writes for the Italian Communist Party newspaper.
• The paper is vehemently opposed to anything American and especially anything that will cause them to win the war on terror.
• Anyone who can read will tell you that the Communist Manifesto specifically states that it's OK to lie as a weapon of statecraft.

       We also know that Giuliana Sgrena has reported several events which have since been proven false - all of them would have been embarrassing to the Bush administration, had they been true. If you loathe Bush, this is the perfect setup. You'll assume that the military is wrong and it was done to punish Giuliana Sgrena for negotiating with terrorists. It's perfect. Especially if everybody in the car is killed.

       But what most big-time journalists don't know is that they are mere pawns for clever men and women. If the crew survives, they will lie for la causa. If they die, all the better - Italian martyrs. Perfect, is a dead driver. A dead negotiator will work, but not as good as a dead driver. Remember that the perfect assassination ends with the death of the assassins. Likewise, a spike or sting works best when the grifters disappear.

       So let's ask some questions:

1. Do you really believe that journalists in a war zone don't know the procedure for approaching a checkpoint - A procedure which has been in place for over a year?
2. Who was the negotiator and what was his background?
3. Was the driver a jihadist?
4. Did the last ransom paid by the Italian government involve a Communist party member?
5. or are we just talking about people who took their eye off the ball?