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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Iraq rebels treated in hostage deal-Italy Red Cross |
| 2005-08-25 |
| Looks like somebody's picked a side... ROME (Reuters) - The Italian Red Cross treated "four presumed Iraqi terrorists" at its Baghdad hospital in order to secure last year's release of two kidnapped Italian aid workers, a senior Red Cross official was quoted as saying on Thursday. Maurizio Scelli, the outgoing commissioner of the Italian Red Cross, said the deal to free the two Italian women, Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, was kept secret from U.S. officials."The mediators asked us to treat and save the lives of four presumed terrorists sought by the Americans, wounded in combat. We hid them and brought them to the doctors with the Red Cross, who operated on them," Scelli told La Stampa daily in an interview. So Maurizio, you kept them alive to probably kill even more people? Do you sleep well at night? Unfortunately, you probably do. "We also treated four of their children, sick with leukemia." Awwwwwwwww...I guess that makes it okay. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's office, which has denied previous accusations it paid a ransom to win the aid workers' release, said on Thursday the Red Cross was independent and did not answer to the government."The government of the (Italian) Republic and its offices have never conditioned or influenced (Red Cross) operations which are carried out in full autonomy," a statement said. Cooperation between Italy and the United States had always been "close and reciprocal" in Iraq, it added. Scelli, who was present at the September 28 handover of the two aid workers, said he was deeply involved in negotiations to free the women. He told La Stampa the decision to hide details about the operation from U.S. officials was approved by Gianni Letta, Berlusconi's right-hand man. The Italian Red Cross better hope they don't need any favors over there anytime soon. "Keeping the Americans in the dark about our efforts to free the hostages was a non-negotiable condition to guarantee the safety of the hostages and ourselves," he said. Scelli said he had consulted at the time with Italian intelligence agent Nicola Calipari, who was shot dead in March this year by U.S. troops at a Baghdad checkpoint during a subsequent rescue operation for another Italian hostage. Well now. Doesn't this explain some things? Italy and the United States issued differing reports on Calipari's killing, with the U.S. military pinning much of the blame on the Italians, partly for failing to communicate that a rescue operation was underway. Looks like they may have been right maybe? |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #17 the women played along - enablers of terrorists are targets. Take them out if they're back in country. Let Italy bitch about it |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-08-25 22:01 |
| #16 Don't forget these two hostage women were really Muslim or Muslim sympathizers. I remember seeing pics of these two This was a setup to get medical aid to someone very important. The terrorists aren't going to risk something like this for a regular jihadi. |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2005-08-25 21:54 |
| #15 Absolutely, GK. Which is it? Helping those who have been wounded, with nothing expected in return? Or bargaining for the sale of humans, which is what kidnapping is, at its heart. I suppose it's probably not the first instance the Red Cross has been involved in the sale of humans.Maybe one of our longer-lived rantburgers can name other instances? For some people in this world (in this case, the head of the Italian government), no deal, even one involving human trafficking, is out of the bounds of basic human decency. America-there are very few people in this world who see things the way we do. Maybe Australians, maybe Brits. |
| Posted by: jules 2 2005-08-25 21:21 |
| #14 FYI: Islamofascist forums are printing a call from banisadr to rally against the occupation of Iraq, after Friday prayers to the Muslim Moon "deity" (Allah the dick wad god of the stupid) |
| Posted by: Vlad the Muslim Impaler 2005-08-25 20:25 |
| #13 Why would anyone be shocked that the gov't of Italy would play to both sides of this conflict ? Hell, they did the same thing in WW2. The real tragedy is this: The "Coalition of the Willing" has become something that better deserves a Monty Python kind of title. How about this suggestion: "Coalition of the kind of Willing as long as it doesn't take too long and we can stay in our camps so we don't get a boo-boo and let the Americans and Britts handle this while we accept the foreign aid money that Uncle Sam is paying for our Support". Damn, where the hell is Colonel Kurtz when we really need him (again) ? Time to pull out. Let them have their civil war (hey we did alright in 1861). If the wrong guys win...nuke 'em. |
| Posted by: Marine Dad 2005-08-25 18:41 |
| #12 he did spring a guy who Col. Flag wanted Pierce to save so Flag could execute him later You seen Robert's boy Alan on a successful TeeVee show sense? Ima talking chick flicks like Same Slime You're Hear, Ima talking about a career NIPPED! NIPPED IN THE BUD! Understand? |
| Posted by: Col. Flagg 2005-08-25 17:06 |
| #11 The Red Thingy violated it's claimed neutrality. Shoot them on sight now. They willingly gave aid and comfort to not just terrorists but criminals who kidnap. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0´ Doom 2005-08-25 16:30 |
| #10 Roger that ... I had suggested that 2 yrs ago to Col. Hackworth 2 yrs ago. I guess the Pentagon has other concerns... pity. |
| Posted by: Phiper Gletch8915 2005-08-25 16:22 |
| #9 Wonder if the surgical component includes follow up visits post op? Too bad IRC doc's probably don't insert gps units free of charge. |
| Posted by: MunkarKat 2005-08-25 14:27 |
| #8 Did they charge the appropriate co-pay and submit the cpt codes? LOL! JihadShield - because you're not just a nut about to blow himself up in a crowded public square, you're family. |
| Posted by: Dreadnought 2005-08-25 13:52 |
| #7 Hmmm I wonder if maybe one of those terrorist were old Zarq himself. Not sure about the timetable but I believe the time Zarq was wounded was right around the time the Italian communist reporter was rescued. I wonder if the "doctor source" that had seen Zarq in Ramadi and confirmed his wounds was these jerk offs. One thing I just dont get about these damm hostages is if I was in charge of the Iraqi theater I would take some of those GPS chips that are small enough to insert into a person/dogs I believe is what they are currently used for and require every foreigner coming to Iraq to get one. That way if they were kidnapped you pull up the signal circle the helo's to get a fix and bamm bait. If we kept the how to to this down it would look like we had moles all in thier network cause we would be raiding and capturing these hostage takers. Huge demorilaztion of the enemy and great PR for us. The more overwhelming our power looks the better. |
| Posted by: C-Low 2005-08-25 12:30 |
| #6 Did they charge the appropriate co-pay and submit the cpt codes? |
| Posted by: Angise Hupiting3791 2005-08-25 11:33 |
| #5 "We also treated four of their children, sick with leukemia." So four terrorists all had a child with leukemia? Dear lord, at least make up something reasonably believable. And to think I now appreciate the musings of Baghdad Bob. |
| Posted by: Doolittle 2005-08-25 11:32 |
| #4 Do they hafta name names? How about, "Just treat these guys, or we'll kidnap somebody"? Ya know, treating hurt bad guys is O.K., not notifying the good guys that bad guys are being treated is aiding the enemy. Sounds like something Hawkeye Pierce would do on MASH. In fact, I think he did spring a guy who Col. Flag wanted Pierce to save so Flag could execute him later.... |
| Posted by: Bobby 2005-08-25 10:27 |
| #3 Idiotic. Next they'll set up a regular schedule of procedures and services available with the corresponding number and type of aid workers that need to be threatened or, depending upon the total cost, actually kidnapped. |
| Posted by: MunkarKat 2005-08-25 10:19 |
| #2 Irresponsible behavior by the Italians |
| Posted by: bgrebel9 2005-08-25 10:07 |
| #1 Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's office, .... said on Thursday the Red Cross was independent and did not answer to the government."The government of the (Italian) Republic and its offices have never conditioned or influenced (Red Cross) operations which are carried out in full autonomy,".... And the article goes on: He(Scelli) told La Stampa the decision to hide details about the operation from U.S. officials was approved by Gianni Letta, Berlusconi's right-hand man. So which is it? The Italian Red Cross is independant or were they working hand in glove to deceive their American "allies"? |
| Posted by: GK 2005-08-25 10:02 |