The AP reports that the Italian story of Giuliana Sgrena’s release and later wounding at an American checkpoint, which also resulted in the death of intelligence agent Nicola Calipari, continues to fall apart. Two Italian newspapers now say that the general in charge of the Sgrena operation did not inform the US that Calipari’s mission was to free Sgrena, and one of them reports that General Mario Maroli didn’t even know it himself:
Sgrena’s slandering, libelous story that the American military deliberately targeted her for assassination continues to fall apart as well:
In a statement released after the shooting, the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, which controls Baghdad, said the vehicle was speeding and refused to stop. The statement also said a U.S. patrol tried to warn a driver with hand and arm signals, by flashing white lights and firing shots in front of the car into the engine block.
In interviews published Friday, Sgrena said that no light was flashed at the vehicle and that the shots were not fired in front of the car.“It’s not true that they shot into the engine,” she told Corriere della Sera, adding that the shooting came “from the right and from behind.”
Captain Ed points out the obvious:
That qualification changes the entire tenor of the story. Either one would have to believe that the checkpoint soldiers stopped the car and then shot it out—from behind!—or that the car never stopped at the checkpoint and traveled so fast that the soldiers could only catch up to it as it passed through. Think about the options for a moment. If a checkpoint successfully stops a suspicious vehicle, why would soldiers walk around behind it to open fire? They’d risk hitting their unit at the front of the car. Tactically, little gain would come from getting behind a potential VBIED in open space when one could get at least some partial protection from a potential explosion by the checkpoint barricades.
How can anyone believe what this woman says anymore? The Italian press-even the leftists-seem to be trying to get to the bottom of the ever changing, always shifting story of Guiliana Sgrena. I have no doubt that they would love to find evidence of something more than a tragic accident. So it’s to their credit that they are digging into the facts of the story and reporting things fairly straightforwardly.
That being said, where is this story leading? OC Chronicle has some thoughts on the Sgrena matter and how it might compare to the notorious Tawana Brawley affair:
After reading some details of conflicts in the story on Austin Bay’s blog, as well as some fishy foreshadowing fleshed out on LGF, I’m starting to sense a pattern.
I would not be surprised if it turns out this whole kidnapping was faked. Some things just don’t sound kosher…
This terrorist group had never been heard of before, and their first action is something this high-profile, this bold, and this successful?
The name of the terrorist group: “Mujahadien Without Borders”. Doesn’t that sound a lot like “Doctors Without Borders”? And doesn’t it sound a little too Euro? A little too touchy-feely to be a name of a terrorist group? (HT: Michelle Malkin)
Tawana Brawley was a young black girl who was found unconscious and beaten on a neighbor’s lawn. She told people that she had been raped and beaten by police. That’s when Reverend Al Sharpeton stepped in and led a campaign that accused so many people of the crime, he ended up charging the District Attorney himself with being part of the rape gang. Even after Brawley herself had recanted her story, Sharpeton kept at it. The DA sued Sharpeton and won a huge settlement.
Since the Italian media seems to be on this story like fleas on a dog, I feel pretty good about eventually getting to the bottom of Sgrena’s Saga.
UPDATE:
Rusty Shackleford blogs an NPR interview with il donna di menzogne and catches “the lying woman” in a (gasp) lie!
UPDATE II:
Commenter J.A. reminds us of the aftermath of the suit by the DA against Sharpeton:
The DA won his case against Sharpton, but the last I heard he had never collected a dime, as even Sharpton’s custom made suits are not really his— they are given to him (or so Sharpton says). Sigh.
Indeed!
11:38 am
NPR Misses Sgrena’s Big Lie
NPR ran a six minute segment of an interview with Giuliana Sgrena yesterday. Sylvia Poggioli, in typical NPR fashion, let’s Sgrena’s inconsistencies pass. Here is a transcript of the lie I caught Sgrena telling:(Poggioli’s voice) She [Sgrena] denies…
11:48 am
gasp…a lie…you wanna read about a lie then read this…proganda or lie…both
http://www.wokr13.tv/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=422B960A-26BA-4891-9E60-21C8818788D4
12:06 pm
Hey Moonbat! Your more than TWO DAYS behind this story.
First, THERE WERE NO MARINES IN IRAQ AT THE TIME OF SADDAM’S CAPTURE!
“First of all, there were no major Marine units in Iraq at the time that Saddam was captured. The last Marines to leave Iraq left at the end of September ‘03 (I was in the last Marine convoy to leave Iraq, trust me on this one). Marines did not re-enter Iraq en masse until January of ‘04.” (HT: The Neocon; http://theneocon.blogspot.com/2005/03/ex-marine-alleges-saddam-story-was.html
Second: Casualty lists from that period show no Marines dying AT ALL!
Third:
I tried searching the Marine Corps Uniform Board tool for looking up who has been approved for a Combat Action Ribbon (something he would have received had he, you know, ever been shot at or shot at someone), his name does not show up (tool located here: https://lnweb1.manpower.usmc.mil/ma…tion.nsf/search).
I’ve seen the tin foil hatters at DU talking about this operation being so secret that of course they wouldn’t publish any casualties from it. Here’s my proof, where’s yours, dingbat?
1:06 pm
Giuliana Sgrena Photoshop Contest
The story of the Communist Journalist, Giuliana Sgrena and her fanciful conspiracy theory that US soldiers wanted to kill her, have really touched a nerve with me. This far left journo-wacko who has done her best to slander our troops and their missi…
3:09 pm
Yess.. I knew it. Mujahudine without borders? This whore is bout to get what she deserves. A world wide fisking.
great blog.
6:21 pm
Re the Brawley/Sharpton hoax. The DA won his case against Sharpton, but the last I heard he had never collected a dime, as even Sharpton’s custom made suits are not really his— they are given to him (or so Sharpton says). Sigh.
9:06 am
Hey, Superhawk!
Excellent post – I’m actually enjoying watching this little communist go down in flames. I wonder if she’s ever worked for “Pravda“? There certainly seems to be a similar lack of respect for objective truth…..
BTW - I’m sorry I haven’t stopped by recently (travelling, retirement, and moving issues sigh – but I AM in New Orleans at the moment: woohoo!), but your site is looking great!
Thanks aain for the excellent post