Hey, thanks for the last few posts, esp. clarification by Wolfgang. My comments about being in the rear seat (as I understood from the interview I heard with Ms. Sgrena on the Beeb, AND last night's discussion among journalists on Emily Rooney's show "Greater Boston") I agree that Ms. Sgrena might have discussed the issue with the driver after the fact, but in that case she didn't KNOW the speed, she only KNEW what she'd been told. As a journalist and in particular in reconstructing these sad events, she has a responsibility to stick to what she actually knows. Secondly, it has been my personal experience that in an unfamiliar vehice, I have been going much faster than I thought I was, and that was in daylight not under fire.

As of this date, the Italian officials have apparently dismissed Ms. Sgrena's unfounded charges that she was targeted, but are very anxious to have an adequate explanation from the Americans, which they are absolutely entitled to.

I reviewed some past unhappy occasions where someone's military took out some civilians or 'friendlys' and the common denominator seems to be that there are several layers of stories that must be gone through. The initial denial, the initial explanation blaming the victim, the gradual retreat as parts of the story fall to investigators, and the final "close as you're gonna get" assemblage, often put together not by the military, but by someone trained in fact checking. Often the military will give it the nod, sort of like what happened with "Blackhawk Down".

I'm always interested in how some parties chime into a thread with all the answeres before all the facts are out, and what motivates that kind of reaction. I'm thinking of starting a thread purely based on the idea of 'SPIN'. I'm not sure if it needs to be based on an event or can be purely about perception, but right now I don't want to use someone's death as a centerpiece.