Italian’s Death in Iraq

In the news report “U.S. Clears Troops in Italian’s Death,” Army Gen. George W. Casey said he had no reason to believe that U.S. officials were warned that the Italians were on the airport road.

But there was reason to believe it. There was an Italian jet transport sitting on the Baghdad airport’s tarmac, having been cleared to land there precisely so that it could fly Giuliana Sgrena out of the country. Surely U.S. forces knew it was there, and why. Surely someone in the U.S. chain of command wondered when and under what circumstances it was planning to depart.

Once again we’re having a lame story shoved down our throats, and no one seems to be asking the hard questions.

John Crowther

Los Angeles