Saturday 12 March 2005, 1:13 Makka Time, 22:13 GMT
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice announced that even if she thinks that the partial withdrawal "It's not a bad thing that Syrian forces are moving - clearly not a bad thing - but it is also not compliance with 1559," adding that, "If there's an ultimatum, it's 1559. It's get out."
Mrs. Rice also expressed the desire of a clearer explanation about the entity of the pullback could be find out by the American envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen in his forthcoming meeting with the Syrian President Bashar al-Asad in Damascus on Saturday.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/93DFC66D-A885-4B8B-A9FC-43020FE591BE.htm
Il Romanaccio at 10:05 AM
Friday 11 March 2005, 15:17 Makka Time, 12:17 GMT
As reported by Al-Jazeera, Syrian troops are leaving the Lebanese for the first time since they entered in 1976.
Even if official sources are talking about a "leftover" of two major intelligent offices and other military stations in Lebanon, the rest of the army passed the border tonight, as witnessed by some citizens that saw hundreds of vehicles and thousand of soldiers leaving the country.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6D83A5F5-6028-403B-ACD7-106E1C2C5EDD.htm
Il Romanaccio at 9:50 AM
by Anwar IqbalUPI South Asian Affairs AnalystWashington (UPI) Mar 11, 2005
Three times this week, the Bush administration strongly supported Pakistan's military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf, quashing media speculations that Washington was persuading him to restore full democracy...
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/pakistan-05c.html
Il Romanaccio at 10:51 AM
Mar 11, 3:20 AM EST
As reported by SINDBAD AHMED (Ap) a suicide bomber killed 47 people and wounded 100 at a funeral.
The fact happened right after the Shiite and the Kurdish Parties formed a government coalition.
Il Romanaccio at 10:45 AM
At the conference held yesterday by the Italian Senate regarding the Sgrena Affair everyone was expecting Mr. Berlusconi to clarify the events better and , first of all to talk about the ransom.
But the Prime Minister did not mention the question and confirmed the official Italian position that denies any payment ever made to the terrorists.
The Senators to listen were fourteen, six of them had to talk for ten minutes, one for fifeteen, the rest had 2 to 4 and a half minutes.
When Berlusconi took the microphone he quicly recalled the facts (the Italian version) and pointed out that a mixed commision between the two countries will be investigating the case soon.Claiming that to be a sign of the Italian diplomatic succes.
Peter Vangjel will be the American General to collaborate with the Italian one in the investigation of Calipari’s death.
Berlusconi wanted this operation to be “as fast as possible, two-three weeks long at the maximum”.
The Italian General to be chose will be able to speak a perfect English, will be experienced in the Iraqi territory and knowledgeble about the code that US soldiers must respect in a war zone.
Plus there will be an Italian diplomat to coordinate the two militars
Berlusconi repeated that “there is not any kind of link between the presence of Italian troops in Iraq and the abductions.” And that the “case of a friendly fire is the hardest one to digest”. He is also conviced that “there is not an organization to kidnapp journalists in Iraq.”
The rest of the speakers covered a diverse political spectrum going from the extreme anti-war postions to a neutral support for the Prime Minister’s policy.
Even if not officially discussed, the “ransom issue” was the main point the Italian government had to fix in order to agree with the American policy.
Both the Foreign Affair Minister, Gianfranco Fini and Berlusconi know this very well and agree about the necessity of find a solution to the problem, because “it is not possible that the Italian government is still paying fo the missiles that the Iraqi terrorists are buying in Dubai” as reported by “Corrierre della Sera” the Milan based daily newspaper .
After a long week we were finally able to clarify better some aspects of the issue, we understood why the American version of the facts and the Italian one are so different.
Calipari’s death has been an orrible mistake and I am sure the guys from the third regiment who shot the Italian agent at the checkpoint are terribly sorry.A fighter does not like to kill allies.
Moreover it is unuseful and unpractical to blame the troops who are daily facing a nightmare at those checkpoints and are not expected to be almighty.
Young soldiers should not be loosing their lives in such a dangerous place, but this is a reality that we cannot change at the moment.And Bush knows that.
Runors in the Senate were quite claryfing about the international scandal, it has been said that Sgrena was lingering for too long in the Mosque on February 4 and she admitted that.
The task force sent to freed her made a mistake in the first place because “it would have been better for the agents to bring her [Sgrena] at the Italian embassy in Baghdad and leave the country the next day,” Rumors from the Senate have said.
WHY THE ITALIAN AND AMERICAN VERSION OF THE FACT ARE DIFFERENT
The American political and diplomatic position
As any diplomatic case, an explanation can be satisfying only once the internal political situation of the countries is studied and understood.
There are many elements to consider and all of them require a deep understanding of this aspect.
The American position takes place in the dangerous diplomatic environment of a military invasion of Iraq right after the Afghanistan campaign.
Everyone who denies any economical interests of the United States in the operation “Iraqi Freedom” is not objective and not thrustable.
It is undeniable at the same time that “you cannot export a democracy with a war” and the elections did not bring any democratic government to be effective in Iraq. The war is ended, the guerrilla continues.
United States (and certainly not only them) are interested in oil revenues in this country, democracy is interesting too but trying to deny this fact is not admitable.The fact itself, in my opinion does not need to be judged as it’s a normal question of interests, always witnessed in any political system since millenniums and frankly defended by every political group ever existed on this planet.
I do not blame the American government for that and I prefer to be represented by the United States than anyone else.
We know that at the time of the invasion (March 2003) not every country agreed on that war and the UN were unable to handle the situation.
This is the reason why an ally like Italy (we lost 20 soldiers and an hero in Iraq) which is always been thankful to the American government since the liberation (1945) cannot be threated in any other way but kindly.
Sgrena’s declaration about the fact that the US troops were trying to kill her surprised too many people.
If they were really trying to do so then “someone in the US army needs a long shooting training” as heard in the Italian Senate yesterday.
We know they were not trying to kill anyone and that was immediately clear.
What it seems not to be clear is that Sgrena was held in captivity for a month and that is not an easily forgettable experience.
No one gave to this journalist the possibility of taking a breath and thinking about what happened.
She has been described in many ways but seldom as a tired and angry person who witnessed the death and the extreme povertry of the Iraqi people. (take a look at the pictures she took there, http://www.libreriadelledonne.it/news/foto_sgrena.htm )
She always declared herself a lover of this country and witnessing what is happening there could have been shocking for anyone.
It is stupid for any American to think that their interests should be enorsed by everyone on this planet, to claim the fact that a democratic republic must be installed in Iraq is purely ideological, then why are they not trying to export democracy in Chapas where inhabitants of small villages cannot come out of there because the Mexican government ordered the “Mattanza” (when a group of animals is slaughtered collectively) against the villagers so that if some of them come out they just cut him in pieces, as referred to me by the an “international witness” went there a few years ago, my sister.
How far is this country from the US? And why democracy there is not important at the same level?
Please let’s try not to be ridicuolus and laughable when speaking about International Relations.
Ever wondered what that “stupid” Sub-Commander Marcus is trying to do and why?
Knowing what the US troops are facing in Iraq it is not strange they might kill some innocent and I do not think it is possible to avoid tragedies sometimes, it is a question of big numbers, if you put an hundred men with long knives in an closed small room it is likely that somene would be wounded at some point, everyone understands that.
Knowing that the Italian agents made some mistakes in the first place don’t you think that Bush and Rumsfeld have been kind enough toward our government? Ever wondered why? It is obvioulsy that they are walking on a razor’s edge in Iraq and they cannot risk to loose an ally.
Even for the most powerful country in the world it is not easy to find an infinite numbers of soldiers to send in a war zone, allies are important and no one was born yesterday in the American government.The fact that many American soldiers are very young is well known, http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/
The Italian political and diplomatic position
Mr. Berlusconi was forced by the Italian and International public opinion to freed Sgrena.
Administrative elections are going to take place in Italy in April, therefore the government could not risk to loose the majority or any possible vote, for its own stability.(would you like your government to fail as a Prime Minister?)
This is also the reason why both Fini (Minister of Foreign Affairs) and Berlusconi repeated the concept of a “strong Italian diplomatic image” that came out from the incident when Bush immediately excused himself in a phone call and when the Mixed commission was decided to start, the same concept was reiterated.
Our Prime Minister found himself in the difficult situation of having to balance the United Staes requests of avoiding any possible ransom to pay to the terrorists and the pressure of the public opinion that wanted the “communist” Sgrena freed. Italian communism by the way is very different form the Russian one and is not a revolutionary movement but a part of the government like is counterparts in every Western democratic country. It is never be intended, in other words, to start a “dictatorship of the masses”, based on the control of the production, like in the Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist phylosophical scheme in Russia. This due to the extremely democratic spirit estabilished by the Resistance against the fascist dictatorship.
The Italian govrnment however cannot officially admit the payment of the ransom as that would be against the American interests.
Our president does not want that to happen, both becasue he admires Bush and the United States in general and because financing the jihadist movement it is not the smartest thing to do and declare.
I am sure our president did not want to do it but had to.
One one hand it was not possible to leave the leftist journalist in captivity, on the other, it was not possible to admit the payment of the ransom for many reasons, it could have been dangerous for any Italian who is working in Iraq that would be saw as a source of money by every kidnapper.
That would be anyway, like going against the United States in the first place, not doable.
This case put the Italian government in a very difficult situation, it’s been said that “our journalists need to be more cautiuos and aware about the territory [Iraqi] and to be in close collaboration whit the troops and the checkpoints while doing their work in Iraq” and respectful of every suggestion from the military.This is to avoid any similar situation in the future.
My personal conclusion is that the Italian governments wants to coordinate better with the necessity of not paying any other ransom, which is the understandable and logical American request.
As I already explained it was not possible to clearly and officially blame the Sgrena for her “misbehavior” due to the pressure of the International Public Opinion that thinks the war itself it is not supportable (Is it shameful to be a pacifist?).
ALSO IN BLOGGERNEWS-
http://www.bloggernews.net/
Il Romanaccio at 10:40 AM
Thursday 10 March 2005, 11:54 Makka Time, 8:54 GMT
Kofi Annan Envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, will talk soon with Syria and Lebanon presidents in an attempt to agree on a timetable for the pullback.
"I am highly interested, after my envoy comes back to report to me at the end of the discussions, on how quickly the withdrawal can take place and I hope he will be able to come back with a full timetable."
Il Romanaccio at 12:24 PM
Thursday 10 March 2005, 13:08 Makka Time, 10:08 GMT
As reported by Al-Jazeera, Lieutenant-Colonel Ahmad Ubaiss and two other agents were killed in an ambush in the southwestern Baghdad today at 8am (0500GMT).
A doctor at the Yarmush hospital, speaking in condition of anonymity said, "We received the bodies of three policemen, including Lieutenant-Colonel Ahmad Ubaiss."
Il Romanaccio at 12:16 PM
Wednesday 09 March 2005, 12:51 Makka Time, 9:51 GMT
Emile Lahud expressed his desire to form a new cabinet, after the decision about the two-stage withdrawal of the Syrian troops obtained after the American mediation and the protest in Beirut.
Il Romanaccio at 12:30 PM
Wednesday 09 March 2005, 5:10 Makka Time, 2:10 GMT
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbass agreed with the Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz for a withdrawal of the troops that are occupying many cities in the West Bank.
A date was not fixed but that will depend by further diplomatic developments.
Mofaz said to a press conference on Monday that, "In the coming days, we will apparently transfer two more cities after a meeting between military commanders tomorrow. We are talking about Tulkaram and Jericho."
Abbas declared, "The committees will begin working tomorrow. We have completed preparations with the Israeli side on the handover of Tulkaram.
"Tomorrow they will work on finalising preparations for handing over Jericho. They will withdraw from Jericho first."
Il Romanaccio at 12:23 PM
Wednesday 09 March 2005, 11:51 Makka Time, 8:51 GMT
According to the Iraqi police two people were killed and 30 wounded when a garbage truck driven by suicide bombers exploded close to a popular hotel in Baghdad.
"Two men, dressed in police uniforms, shouted 'Allahu Akbar' (God is great) and detonated the garbage truck in a street behind the ministry," said a guard.
Il Romanaccio at 12:18 PM
Monday 07 March 2005, 13:49 Makka Time, 10:49 GMT
According to Al-Jazeera at least 27 people were killed and 46 wounded in several attacks on Monday.
Il Romanaccio at 9:27 AM
Tuesday 08 March 2005, 10:07 Makka Time, 7:07 GMT
"Steven MacQueen, who was working for the [Afghan] Ministry of Rural Development and Rehabilitation, was killed last night," British embassy press officer Colin Ball reported on Tuesday.
Al-Jazeera
Il Romanaccio at 9:23 AM
Monday 07 March 2005, 23:23 Makka Time, 20:23 GMT
Bashar al-Asad, Syrian president had a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart, Emile Lahud in Damascus to discuss a plan for the pullback of the army.
Al-JAzeera
Il Romanaccio at 9:19 AM
Rome, March 8 2005
Giuliana Sgrena, the Italian journalist kidnapped by the group “Mujaheddin Without Frontiers” on February 4 was freed by a task force of secret agents sent by the Italian government on March 4.
She returned to work at the “Il Manifesto” office in Rome but will not go back to Baghdad again, because, as she said, “they don’t want us there”.
One of the agents in the car was killed by the “friendly fire” of the American troops at a checkpoint on the way to the airport in Baghdad.
According to official sources from the United States army, the car driven by the Italian agents was speeding on the way to the airport and did not stop at the checkpoint after repeated warnings.
This is the reason why the US troops opened fire on the vehicle.
The American army also pointed out that they were not aware of the Italian mission intended to rescue Giuliana Sgrena. That puts responsibility for what happened on Nicola Calipari and his team and explains how the Italians failed in advising the allies about the operation.
On the other hand, Mrs.Sgrena said that the car was not speeding, no one warned the convoy to stop and the driver was shouting to the US troops “We are Italians”. In a telephone interview with Sky TG 24 TV, she also claimed, "The fact that the Americans don't want negotiations to free the hostages is known," and "The fact that they do everything to prevent the adoption of this practice to save the lives of people held hostages, everybody knows that. So I don't see why I shouldn't assume that I could have been the target."
Who is liyng? And why?
Nicola Calipari, the Italian secret agent, received a bullet in his head while trying to cover the journalist with his body and died instantly, as reported by Sgrena herself .
Born in Reggio Calabria, he was married and had two sons, a thirteen year-old boy and a daughter of 19.
A law graduate, he worked for the Italian police for over twenty years, starting from the position of chief of the mobile squad in Calabria. He was threatened with death by the local mafia and had to move to Australia along with his family for three months until the criminals were arrested.
He eventually was promoted to director of the Roman narcotics police and vice-chief of the mobile squad there.
In 1997 he was the executive of the interprovincial Criminalpol for Umbria, Lazio and Abruzzo.
He joined the “Sismi” (Italian secret services) after bening involved in the immigration office for a period.
He previously freed other hostages in Iraq, the most recent being the two Italian volunteers, Simona Pari and Simona Torretta.
They described him as an extremely talkative and happy person who said to them, “Hey I am Nicola, I’m here and you're free now” or “We are heading to Rome, you’ll be safe there”.
Sgrena said that he was a source of happiness, constantly talking and keeping up morale.
She said that when the bullet hit her (she is wounded on a shoulder) Calipari was already dead in her arms. He did not have time to say one last word.
At Nicola Calipari’s funeral today ( 07/ 03/ 2005) in the “Verano” historical cemetery of Rome, people were not only sad, they were angry too.
No one was talking about politics or the Americans or Iraq, they were just staring at the ground and mumbling about something.
The son of the Sismi agent is just a thirteen year-old boy but he wasn’t crying at the funeral.
He had the expression of someone who has been forced to grow up in two days; his figure rensembled an older person too.
His has his father’s eyes, but from now on, only some medals of honour and a square in the center of the Italian capital will replace this person in his life.
Rosa Maria, the wife of the hero, was instead crying along with her daughter, a nineteen year-old girl and Calipari’s elderly mother.
I walked toward the military area of the cemetery with two sicilian guys who came to see the grave of the “hero”.
They said they didn’d understand what happened and why in the world American troops shot against the Italian convoy. Were they afraid? Was it an accident? Did they do it purposely? I wasn’t able to give them answer, just other questions, but when I said I was there on account of BNN they asked me to write that they want to know more.
We know that the way to the airport in Baghdad is extremely dangerous and that American troops get around with armored vans shooting at every car that gets too close to the white warning light mounted on the back of these vehicles.
We also know that according to the US military, the convoy was shot because it was considered a threat, plus they weren’t aware of the Italian rescue mission.
Giuliana Sgrena claims instead that the car was not speeding and the Americans must have known about the operation because Calipari could not have forgotten such an important detail, as he was experencied from previous similar operations in Iraq.
The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi both declared that they are expecting an official explanation from the USA.
President Bush immmediately called our Prime Minister on Friday expressing his sorrow and Donald Rumsfeld did the same with Antonio Martino, the Italian Minister of Defence, expressing "the sorrow of the American administration, and his own personal sorrow for the death of Nicola Calipari."
As reported by Ian Fisher of the New York Times, the Pentagon is supposed to start an investigation soon.
When the crowd finally cleared from the chapel where the hero now lies among other glorious soldiers, I went to leave some flowers above his grave. At that moment, an official nearby pointed out to me that the “A” of Nicola was missing, it had fallen on the ground or someone must have taken it. We were not able to find it, but either way, what does that “A” stand for?
Il Romanaccio at 9:16 AM
Rome March 07 2005
Here's a report from Ian Fisher (Nytimes) about the death of the Italian secret agent Nicola Calipari.
Click on the title of this post for the article.
Il Romanaccio at 4:50 PM
Mar 6, 5:23 AM EST
As reported by By BASSEM MROUEA an ssociated Press Writer, President Bashar Assad announced on Saturday a two-stage pullback of Syrian troops.
Click on the title of this post to view the full article.
Il Romanaccio at 11:44 AM
Rome March 6, 2005-Giuliana Sgrena's Liberation
"Our car was slow, the Americans were shooting with no reason, Calipari died in my arms".
Giuliana Sgrena arrived in Rome yesterday, recalling what happened when the Italian task force freed her.
Il ManifestoBBCThe AustralianThe ObserverIraq Daily
Il Romanaccio at 11:32 AM
