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U.S.: Italian Hostage Claim 'Absurd'
AP via Fox News ^ | March7, 2005

Posted on 03/07/2005 12:43:57 PM PST by cyncooper

WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday said it was "absurd" for a former hostage in Iraq (search) to charge that U.S. military forces may have deliberately targeted her car as she was being rushed to freedom.

~snip~

Responding to Sgrena's statement that the car may have been deliberately targeted, McClellan said. "It's absurd to make any such suggestion, that our men and women in uniform would deliberately target innocent civilians.

"That's just absurd," McClellan repeated.

He said the airport road "has been a place where suicide car bombers have launched attacks. It's been a place where regime elements have fired upon coalition forces. It is a dangerous road and it is a combat zone that our coalition forces are in. Oftentimes, they have to make split second decisions to protect their own security."

~snip~

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: davos; easonjordan; hostage; ingrates; italy; journalists; mcclellan; radicalleftists; sgrena; wef
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I have defended Scott McClellan before and stated I believe he does a better job than he is often given credit for.

The above is an example of why I hold my high opinion.

1 posted on 03/07/2005 12:43:58 PM PST by cyncooper
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To: TexKat; Gucho; gatorbait; blackie; MEG33; silent_jonny; Chgogal; Grampa Dave

Ping thank you


2 posted on 03/07/2005 12:46:10 PM PST by anonymoussierra (Lux Mea Christus!!!"Totus tuss" Quo Vadis Domine?Thank you)
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To: cyncooper

Agreed.


3 posted on 03/07/2005 12:48:16 PM PST by Born Conservative ("Mr. Chamberlain loves the working man, he loves to see him work" - Winston Churchill)
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To: cyncooper

Yes he did an excellent job today. There's been a very good possiblity from the beginning this 'hostage taking' was staged, and I'm surprised she didn't come up with an even wilder accusation against the US.


4 posted on 03/07/2005 12:49:25 PM PST by cake_crumb (Leftist Credo: "One Wing to Rule Them all and to the Dark Side Bind Them")
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To: cyncooper

It's been said that the Italian government paid the terrorists as much as ten million dollars in ransom for this journalist. If so, the Italians probably were trying to do this whole operation covertly, without informing the US, most likely because the US would object.
Once you start paying ransom you create a powerful incentive for terrorists to take more hostages.
If the US was kept in the dark about this whole maneuver, then the US soldiers had no choice but to intervene with a car that came zooming at them on a highway where other US soldiers have died from car bombs.
More pointless hysteria from the Left. It gets really old.


5 posted on 03/07/2005 12:54:18 PM PST by Sabatier
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To: cyncooper

"That's just absurd," McClellan repeated.

I was very relieved to hear that. She'll be outed for lying about this whole situation. The fact that Italy paid a ransom for this b-word is bad enough!

The MSM will drag this out all week for the ratings, but the truth will come out in the end.


6 posted on 03/07/2005 12:55:34 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: Sabatier
It's been said that the Italian government paid the terrorists as much as ten million dollars in ransom for this journalist. If so, the Italians probably were trying to do this whole operation covertly, without informing the US, most likely because the US would object.

That is exactly what I heard Brett Baier report on Fox...that the U.S. is almost 100% certain a ransom was paid and the deal was kept from us because they knew we would object.

Baier was not confirming this in fact happened, but the suspicion many of us had is indeed shared by the administration and when they verify it we will hear about it.

7 posted on 03/07/2005 12:57:29 PM PST by cyncooper
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To: cyncooper

Bumping for a later read. Thanks.


8 posted on 03/07/2005 12:57:56 PM PST by Lady In Blue ( President 'SEABISCUIT' AKA George W Bush)
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To: cyncooper

The Italians took a calculated risk, lost, and paid the price.


9 posted on 03/07/2005 12:58:29 PM PST by SmithL (Proud Submariner)
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To: cyncooper

I bet at this point the Italian government wants a refund.


10 posted on 03/07/2005 12:59:04 PM PST by Sabatier
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To: Diana in Wisconsin; cyncooper

Has there been any statement from the other survivors in the car re: The details of the events leading up to the shooting? This reporter makes some strong claims that these others should be able to refute - And they aren't reporters for a Left Wing Rag with an agenda. That's why I suspect the truth will emerge soon.


11 posted on 03/07/2005 1:01:12 PM PST by drt1
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To: cyncooper

How come I get the feeling that an e-mail between Eason Jordan and Il Manifesto will come to light showing that this was coordinated and setup?

Probably because I'm so cynical about anything the media claims?


12 posted on 03/07/2005 1:02:32 PM PST by Darksheare (If you were in my heart I'd surely not break you. If you were beside me and my love would take you.)
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To: cyncooper

The blood of that agent is on her hands. End of story. She's a pig.


13 posted on 03/07/2005 1:04:50 PM PST by Rutles4Ever (Warning: may eat own)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
The MSM will drag this out all week for the ratings, but the truth will come out in the end.

No problem, as long as it takes the focus off of any network news anchors who may or may not be retiring this week.

14 posted on 03/07/2005 1:05:43 PM PST by savedbygrace ("No Monday morning quarterback has ever led a team to victory" GW Bush)
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To: drt1

I have not heard what they've had to say or who, if anybody, has spoken to them.

I have no doubt the U.S. will do a thorough investigation and I, too, am very interested in how their story comports with the several versions the Italian woman has given.

It really is awful and PM Berlusconi has been such an ally, I wonder if this scheme was concocted without his knowledge. My guess is he was kept in the dark.


15 posted on 03/07/2005 1:05:49 PM PST by cyncooper
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To: Darksheare
"Probably because I'm so cynical about anything the media claims?"

Gosh, but the media has always been so fair and balanced, concentrating on only reporting the news, not creating it from whole cloth. Everyone knows nobody in the mass media would ever lie to the public!

(must go bathe in bleach now)

16 posted on 03/07/2005 1:09:55 PM PST by cake_crumb (Leftist Credo: "One Wing to Rule Them all and to the Dark Side Bind Them")
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To: cyncooper

Absurd, indeed! NO need to apologize, I'm kinda irritated that Bush did apologize and now wants a full investigation, nothing to investigate except for the idea that this woman LIED!


17 posted on 03/07/2005 1:11:51 PM PST by rockabyebaby (What goes around, comes around!)
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To: cyncooper
"It really is awful and PM Berlusconi has been such an ally, I wonder if this scheme was concocted without his knowledge. My guess is he was kept in the dark"

I believe you're on to something. This would be the perfect opportunity to weaken his position.

18 posted on 03/07/2005 1:12:25 PM PST by cake_crumb (Leftist Credo: "One Wing to Rule Them all and to the Dark Side Bind Them")
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To: cyncooper; Darksheare; Ernest_at_the_Beach; backhoe; PhilDragoo; MeekOneGOP

This whole thing stinks and reeks of a set up by this communist bitch, her newspaper, communists and the Islamofascists.

This is like the Yellowcake, Wilson/Plame scam.

The reeking scent of George $oreA$$ is coming out of Iraq as a possible mastermind, financial backer and coordinator of this scam.


19 posted on 03/07/2005 1:14:54 PM PST by Grampa Dave (The MSM has been a WMD, Weapon of Mass Disinformation for the Rats for at least 4 decades.)
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To: cake_crumb
It really makes one wonder. Particularly in light of the fact the rag this "journalist" writes for is called "il manifesto" and she has a history of writing incendiary pieces bashing coalition efforts in Iraq.
20 posted on 03/07/2005 1:18:32 PM PST by singfreedom ("Victory at all costs,.......for without victory there is no survival."--Churchill)
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