This is interesting-
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/21427/
Was Giuliana Sgrena Targeted?
By Danny Schechter, AlterNet. Posted March 7, 2005.
The U.S. press and right-wing blogs are ignoring - or in some cases denying - the serious discrepancies surrounding a deadly U.S. attack on an Italian convoy.
I am sure you have been following it. Journalist Giuliana Srgena, in Iraq for Italy's Il Manifesto newspaper was kidnapped by parties unknown. Her country is mobilized to demand her release. A top intelligence agent finds her and reportedly pays off the kidnappers. She is freed and gets within 600 yards of the airport in Baghdad when her car is shot up-300 bullets according to one account - by U.S. soldiers. The U.S. offers one version; Srgena another.
Covering it or covering it up?
On Imus this morning, Tony Aspinall of NBC speculates it was a case of 'mistaken identity,' You don't take that road after dark... they were all on cellphones and didn't see the warning shots' he says, adding that he expects no investigation. So much for a network probe. The Washington Post today seems to assume it was a 'mistake' but says there have been many such incidents:
"The deadly shooting of an Italian intelligence officer by U.S. troops at a checkpoint near Baghdad on Friday was one of many incidents in which civilians have been killed by mistake at checkpoints in Iraq, including local police officers, women and children, according to military records, U.S. officials and human rights groups."
The trashing of Giuliana has begun
The right-leaning site, Little Green Footballs, predictably tries to discredit Giuliana and anyone who believes her:
"The details of this situation have been described in so many different ways that it's very difficult to get a clear picture of what happened - and mainstream media has predictably ignored Sgrena's radical anti-war background... The inmates of Democratic Underground are beside themselves with glee, of course, accusing our soldiers of murder with no evidence. (But don't forget, they support the troops!)"
littlegreenfootballs.com