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Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents

By TChris, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Tue Jul 26, 2005 at 02:57:17 PM EST
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by TChris

The United States would be upset if a foreign government kidnapped an individual from the US and spirited him away to another country for interrogation. No surprise, then, that an Italian court has issued six arrest warrants for suspected CIA agents who – as part of the infamous “rendition” program – kidnapped an Egyptian-born man from the streets of Milan. As TalkLeft reported last month, the Italian court earlier ordered the arrest of another 13 suspected CIA agents.

All 19 are now considered fugitives in Italy.

The Italian government complains that the kidnapping prevented Italian authorities from arresting and interrogating the suspected terrorist, depriving Italy of the chance to protect itself from other terrorists who might be within its borders. The CIA claims it “uses the rendition process only with strict government oversight,” but the question is, which government?

The Bush administration undoubtedly regards Italy’s insistence that its borders are sovereign as an anti-American policy. Perhaps, in retaliation, the administration will suggest that Italian sausage henceforth be known as Freedom sausage.

< Hillary at the DLC | Elizabeth Smart's Kidnapper Ruled Incompetent >

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    Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents | 17 comments (17 topical)
    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#1)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:38 PM EST
    et al - From the link:
    In an Italian newspaper interview earlier this month, former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer said Italy's SISMI military secret service approved the operation. (Full story) CIA sources, who were not identified, told CNN that the agency briefed and sought approval from its Italian counterpart for the abduction.
    Sounds like some Italian politicans are in a major CYA operation.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#2)
    by desertswine on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:38 PM EST
    Haha... Freedom sausage, pretty good. How about - Lambrusco becomes Freedom Rotgut!

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#3)
    by John Mann on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:38 PM EST
    Jim, from the link:
    Responding to Scheuer's comments in La Repubblica, the prime minister's office said the analysts' allegations, "beyond being false, are also absolutely incompatible with the contents of the conversation between Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and U.S. Ambassador to Rome Mel Sembler."
    Your tendency to wrench things out of context to serve your own curious agenda is well known around here. You're just not usually so cavalier about it.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#5)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:38 PM EST
    JM writes:
    are also absolutely incompatible with the contents of the conversation between Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and U.S. Ambassador to Rome Mel Sembler."
    Speaking of taking things out of context. The CIA analyst's statement has absolutely no relationship to any conversation between the PM and the Amb. Why do you even bring the subject up, outside of a feeble attempt at a comeback? What it does do is provide a claim that the Italians were advised, and knew. Which I believe. All we have now is CYA from the Italians.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#6)
    by John Mann on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:39 PM EST
    Jim wondered:
    Why do you even bring the subject up, outside of a feeble attempt at a comeback?
    Bring the subject up? It was part of the article, Jim - probably the part you didn't bother reading. I suppose once you noticed that CIA agents disavowed the story, that was all you needed to see - because, hey, they wouldn't lie.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#7)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:39 PM EST
    and of course unnamed CIA sources would never lie to make the agency look good. PPj is up to his usual intellectual dishonesty. He accepts from any source including former communist generals any opinion that fits what he believes and then dismisses out of hand everything, no matter where its from, if it opposes his delusional view of the world. So anyone thinking they can have a debate with him are usually disappointed. He doesn't debate, he just dismisses with the arrogance of someone who truly knows little. His one singular accomplishment appears to be that he has made up more American History than the rest of us put together, a feat of which I'm sure he and his neocon bretheran are proud.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#9)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:39 PM EST
    John M - Why be difficult? The agent's statement is one thing. You say it is out of context. How so? It is a simple quotation. Does it agree/disagree with the PM and Amb. statements? Who knows? Who cares. It is what it is. If I wanted to provide a counter viewpoint I would have just copied the entire article. You know, when all you can do is criticize someone for quoting something to make a point, you are in a really weak position. SD - Well, at least I am not agreeing with OBL, which I remember you doing. BTW - Since we are all so busy worrying about topic, and context... What did yours have to do with this one? I mean outside of a no topic attack on yours truly? No wait. I see it now… a 15 word sentence … out of 200 (?) DA - Yes, I am. Could I be wrong? Perhaps. The difference is I believe my people first. The Left always believes the other side. And that, is a fact that, if alive, neither Gladstone or Disraeli would dispute. BTW - Your snarky uncalled for personal attack is noted. You are becoming quite regular at doing that. It is also a snide way of getting things off topic, and then claiming to be the victim. I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I hate to engage unarmed people. (Now you can call me a bully for defending myself.) Et al – Outside of the fact that you believe that the Italians wouldn’t lie when caught in a unpopular political situation, what proof do you have?

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#10)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:39 PM EST
    From the link
    CIA sources, who were not identified, told CNN that the agency briefed and sought approval from its Italian counterpart for the abduction.
    Notice it doesn't say approval was gained, just sought. 'Unidentified sources' parse their words as carefully as mcclellan. In addition, 2 secret agencies are 10 times as untrustworthy as 1. And the original question still stands; How would americans feel if this was done on their soil, especially if it compromised an ongoing investigation. OT: my fav Gladstone/Disraeli quote is:Gladstone said to Disraeli, "I predict, Sir, that you will die either by hanging or of some vile disease". Disraeli replied, "That all depends, sir, upon whether I embrace your principles or your mistress."

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:39 PM EST
    PPJ
    Does it agree/disagree with the PM and Amb. statements? Who knows? Who cares.
    Well, then what the heck are you doing commenting on this thread? Oh, if you had wanted to give a "counter viewpoint"? That's exactly what you did.

    You stop at nothing to try to start an argument. You don't care where it goes, and don't care what point you make. You only live to take up thread space from people on "the left". That just figures.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:39 PM EST
    PPJ
    I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I hate to engage unarmed people. (Now you can call me a bully for defending myself.)
    OK. You are a bully, but not for defending yourself. You are, simply, a bully.

    The only reason you choose to not engage in a so-called "battle of wits", is because you are afraid of getting your butt kicked. You are the premier hit-and-run artist of commenters.

    When I talked about growing up in southern CA, and spending time in Mexico, and how friendly and nice the Mexican people always were, you thought you could compare that to what some of your old "white racist"(your words) buds used to say about blacks. Then when I called you out by letting you know I'm not white, therefore could not be speaking like your old pals, you try to BS your way out of it. You can run from your own words, but you can't hide from them.

    Everyone has times when they get, as you call it, "snarkey". You just go over the line.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#14)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    Don't you just love it when the bully starts whining.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#15)
    by John Mann on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    Jim asked:
    John M - Why be difficult? The agent's statement is one thing. You say it is out of context. How so?
    Jim, at your age, I shouldn't have to explain to you the concept of context - especially since I have done it many times already over the past couple years. This thread in particular causes me to believe that you are simply seeking attention.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    deleted I think the CIA indictments are significant from one of our allies. That should be one of the points we could be discussing without Jim's help. Another would be where is the guy who was kidnapped? Isn't it time to produce him? deleted

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#17)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    cheetah writes:
    you thought you could compare that to what some of your old "white racist"(your words) buds used to say about blacks.
    Nope, didn't say "buds." This is what I said
    “I’ll tell you what I told a couple of these blowhards. - at 5:25PM 7- 26
    Now if you think “blowhard’ is a compliment, or something you call a friend, you need a dictionary. BTW – Making things up that someone didn’t say is fibbing and considered very bad form. Especially when what you claim he has said is in another thread, not referenced and thus won’t be read by anyone unless the person you have misquoted corrects you. DA – Nice hijack. SD – Typical no comment. John M – In your world quoting something from a linked article is out of context? Note that the auricle is linked. In your world I guess if an article has two conflicting stories you can't quote one to make a point. Sorry old chap, but I don’t agree.

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#18)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    CA - "TalkJim" recommends MS. ;-)

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#19)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    In your world I guess if an article has two conflicting stories you can't quote one to make a point.
    How can you make a point since the article is in essence admitting there's controversy. Your picking one because it fits your agenda and dismissing out of hand the other viewpoint is typical of your intellectual dishonesty. But in your world made up "reality" and intellectual dishonesty are staples of your existance

    Re: Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    Thread is sunsetting now for being hijacked.

    Italy Issues More Warrants For CIA Agents | 17 comments (17 topical)