| | At the very time Wednesday's CBS Evening News was hyping how the
Italian hostage in Iraq, Giuliana Sgrena, claimed the U.S. "lied" about
following proper procedures in a checkpoint shooting which wounded her and
killed her Italian agent rescuer, NBC's Jim Miklaszewski was on the
Nightly News undermining the CBS premise. Scott Pelley trumpeted:
"Tonight on 60 Minutes Wednesday, Sgrena tells us the violent end to her
rescue didn't happen the way the U.S. Army says it did." He read to her
how "an Army statement says the soldiers 'attempted to warn the driver to
stop by hand and arm signals, flashing white lights, and firing warning
shots. When the driver didn't stop, the soldiers shot into the engine
block." He asked her: "What do you think of that?" Sgrena responded: "I
think that this is a lie." Pelley proceeded to relay how the Italians
claim that "U.S. commanders were briefed about the rescue in advance." But
NBC's Miklaszewski relayed: "NBC News has learned that a preliminary
report from a joint U.S.-Italian investigation has cleared the American
soldiers of any wrongdoing." Miklaszewski also noted that the Italian
agent "reportedly chose not to coordinate his movements with the U.S.
military."
CBS anchor Bob Schieffer asserted: "We reported just a minute ago
about the latest American civilian kidnapped in Iraq. This came as the
tragic ending of an earlier abduction there is still being talked about.
In that case, an Italian reporter was rescued last month, but as she was
being driven to safety, American troops fired on her car, wounded her, and
killed one of her rescuers. The reporter is recovering now, and she told
her story to our Scott Pelley for tonight's edition of 60 Minutes
Wednesday. Scott, tell us about it."
Scott Pelley: "Bob, Giuliana Sgrena and two Italian intelligence
agents were shot -- one of those agents, an Italian national hero, was
killed. Tonight on 60 Minutes Wednesday, Sgrena tells us the violent end
to her rescue didn't happen the way the U.S. Army says it did. This is
Sgrena in a video her captors forced her to make, begging the Italian
government to pull its troops out of Iraq. After a month, she was freed by
Italy's top hostage negotiator, Nicola Calipari. But within minutes, at an
airport checkpoint, they came under American fire."
At an outdoor setting in Rome, Pelley informed Sgrena: "An Army
statement says the soldiers 'attempted to warn the driver to stop by hand
and arm signals, flashing white lights, and firing warning shots. When the
driver didn't stop, the soldiers shot into the engine block." He asked
her: "What do you think of that?"
Sgrena: "I think that this is a lie."
Pelley: "Let's take this piece by piece. 'Vehicle was speeding.'"
Sgrena: "No."
Pelley: "'Attempted to warn the driver by hand signals.'"
Sgrena: "No."
Pelley: "'Arm signals.'"
[Sgrena shakes her head no to each Pelley question]
Pelley: "'Flashing white lights. Firing warning shots.'"
Sgrena: "Nothing at all."
Pelley: "You didn't see any of that?"
Sgrena: "No."
Pelley: "And what you're saying in this interview is that none of
those things happened."
Sgrena: "Nothing. No."
Pelley: "You're sure of that?"
Sgrena: "Yes, I'm sure."
Pelley, back on the CBS News set with Schieffer: "On tonight's 60
Minutes Wednesday, Sgrena explains how it all happened and tells us what
it's like to be in the hands of Iraqi insurgents. We'll also talk to a
Marine captain who tells us about the dangers of manning these checkpoints."
Schieffer: "Well, what did the military say to you, Scott, when you
went back to them with this story that this woman has told you? Obviously,
it doesn't jibe at all with what the military was saying."
Pelley: "The Army is sticking to its original statement that
essentially says the soldiers did all the things right and did them all in
the right order. But we'll be getting this new report, an investigative
report from the U.S. Army and the Italians in the next several days."
Later, during the April 13 60 Minutes Wednesday story, Pelley at least
noted that the New York National Guard soldiers involved in the incident
had two nights before lost two soldier at a check point in the same area.
Pelley also conveyed: "The Italian government says that the Americans
should have been expecting Sgrena's approach because, they say, U.S.
commanders were briefed about the rescue in advance. The Italians also
claim that the driver of the car was on a cell phone talking to Italian
and American officers at the airport. The Army has finished an
investigation, but that report isn't expected until the end of the week."
"Italian Journalist: U.S. Lied" reads the CBSNews.com headline over
the posted version on the page for 60 Minutes Wednesday:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/12/60II/main687555.shtml
But over on the NBC Nightly News on Wednesday night, viewers heard a
very different take on the incident.
From Baghdad, Jim Miklaszewski reported: "The friendly fire shooting
at a U.S. military checkpoint last month in Baghdad wounded Italian
journalist Giuliana Sgrena and killed intelligence agent Nicola Calipari.
Now, NBC News has learned that a preliminary report from a joint U.S.-
Italian investigation has cleared the American soldiers of any wrongdoing
and provides new details into the shooting.
"Intelligence agent Calipari had just negotiated Sgrena's release from
Iraqi kidnappers when the two and a driver headed for the Baghdad airport
in a compact rental car. It was dark when the Italians turned onto a ramp
leading to the airport road where the U.S. military had set up a
temporary checkpoint.
"[Over graphics illustrating the situation] The investigation found
the car was about 130 yards from the checkpoint when the soldiers flashed
their lights as a warning to stop. But the car kept coming and, at 90
yards, warning shots were fired. At 65 yards, when the car failed to stop,
the soldiers used lethal force -- a machine gun burst that killed Calipari
and wounded Sgrena and the driver.
"Senior U.S. military officials say it took only about four seconds
from the first warning to the fatal shots, but insist the soldiers acted
properly under the current rules of engagement.
The investigation, however, failed to resolve one critical dispute: The
Americans claim the car was racing toward the checkpoint at about 50 miles
per hour, the Italians say it was traveling at a much slower speed.
"In Italy, agent Calipari was given a state funeral, but the
investigation found he himself may have committed a fatal error. He
reportedly chose not to coordinate his movements with the U.S. military
for fear it would jeopardize his efforts to free the Italian hostage.
"Sgrena, meanwhile, disputes the military's account and says she has
little confidence the investigation will reveal the truth.
As a result of the incident, the U.S. military will review its procedures
regarding the use of lethal force at checkpoints, but senior military
officials say they'll take no action that would put American soldiers at
greater risk."
For the online version of Miklaszewski's story:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7491280/
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| | Posted 4/17/2005 12:16 AM - 30 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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