Italians Kept U.S. Forces in Dark

According to the Washington Times,

Italian agents likely withheld information from U.S. counterparts about a cash-for-freedom deal with gunmen holding an Italian hostage for fear that Americans might block the trade, Italian news reports said yesterday.

Miss Sgrena, a reporter for the Communist daily Il Manifesto, charged yesterday that U.S. forces might have deliberately targeted her because Washington opposes Italy's policy of dealing with kidnappers.

Eason Jordan would be proud. On another note, Michelle Malkin has lots of info on the ransom paid by the Italian government to the hostage takers. She points out that when an economic venture is extremely profitable, that venture will proliferate. Such is the problem of negotiating with terrorists.

Captain's Quarters also has some good stuff on why he thinks Sgrena's story of the shooting (or at least many of the details) are bogus.