AN ITALIAN HERO!! this wont be seen on cnn, al jazeera!!

[rainstorm]

Western resolve against terror



On CBS' "60 Minutes" on Sunday, anchorman Mike Wallace belittled President Bush and his goals to free, stabilize and democratize Iraq. "Who gave George Bush the duty to free people around the world?" he asked condescendingly. Bob Woodward, who was on the program to promote his new Bush-bashing book, responded that Mr. Bush's global agenda "will cause many people to tremble." In ridiculing White House war aims, neither Mr. Wallace nor Mr. Woodward seemed interested in the fact that Mr. Bush deposed a ruthless dictator and is fighting terrorists who want to destroy America. This is typical of today's slanted journalism that tends to show the worst side of the United States.
American Enterprise Institute scholar Michael Ledeen recounted a fascinating story of media bias in Monday's National Review Online. After being taken hostage near Fallujah, Italian security guard Fabrizio Quattrocchi was forced to dig his own grave before his execution by terrorists. With his last breaths, he struggled to rip off the hood over his head and yelled defiantly to his captors, "Now I'll show you how an Italian dies." Mr. Quattrocchi, a volunteer in Iraq, died without being submissive to terror, without cowering in the face of evil. His mourning fiancee said proudly that "her only consolation is that he died with honor." Arab news network Al Jazeera did not air the tape of this execution because it sends the message that the West — including Europeans — are angry and determined not to allow Islamic radicals to undermine our civilization and dignity in the face of unjust attack.

What is equally interesting about Mr. Quattrocchi's powerful resistance is how few people know about it. The major network and cable news programs did not run tape of this act of bravery over and over again as it does with film that shows scared and submissive hostages. Exhibiting the Italian hero's resolve would help undergird the civilized world's resolve against terror. It's curious that the Western press largely spiked the story.
A majority of Americans still believe the president did the right thing by going to war to liberate Iraq. In an ABC News/Washington Post survey released on Monday, 57 percent said "the war has increased the long-term security of the United States." That high level of support comes after an increase in U.S. casualties. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll conducted over the weekend pegs Mr. Bush's approval rating for fighting terrorism at 60 percent. No one would know any of this from turning on the television and watching news programs and their onslaught of doomsday stories. The same goes for the depth of Western resolve to fight terror. That is because many U.S. media outlets are playing from the same sheet music as Al Jazeera and the terror propagandists.
washington times.


as they say, the media loves to show war captives all the time, except this hero. what a great country italy is. the country of italy has a true hero to look up to. this man deserves our prayers and italy deserves our praise as a great nation that doesnt shrink in the face of terror

[rainstorm]

what a great man mr quatrocchi is!! is there any difference between our left wing media and al jazeera? when i think of this great man it makes me want to puke when i think of our media.

[WXBUFFJIM]

It seems the media are showing alot of bias. It just seems like if there's a Italian who is against the terrorist and volunteers in Iraq, he's helping things out, not hurting others. It's a shame that terrorists has to win against someone like him. But unfortunately we live in a dangerous world, especially in Iraq. This Italian is definitely a hero. He showed bravery. It would be nice to hear some positive aspects on this war such as what this Italian guy has done.

Jim

[azskyman]

Media bias is nothing new. In peace and in war, there is that tendency.

There was so much anger and frustration over Vietnam that the 9,000 miles between the U. S. and those of us stationed there sometimes felt like a million. Not only were we alienated by a policy that wasn't committed to win, but those of us who didn't pounce on the opportunity to rip the government while we were still serving were labeled something akin to "bad seeds."

Yes, this event you refer to should be given more credibility and airplay. Instead, we will likely hear that the U.S. and its failing policy are somehow directly responsible for the 20+ children who died in an Iraq explosion today.

[Guest]

There's a big discussion in Italy if really considering Fabrizio an hero or not. He died in a very corageous way, no doubt about it, but "hero" is a word that for many italians (including me) has a different meaning. Take Carlo Urbani as example. That's my/our kind of hero.
Fabrizio Quattrocchi was a simple bodyguard, with poor war training, that was asked by some friends to go to Iraq for a possible job (6.000 euro a month). That job was not offered, and they were returning back to Italy. At a check-point, US troops refused them to proceed with their heavy weapons, leaving them with just a couple of pistols and a rifle.
They took their chance. Normally, they are rude people maintaining security inside/outside discos. Now they decided to go a step forward: providing security in a dangerous environment. Can you see anything heroical in this? What about Red-Cross operators then? Italian Red-Cross decided to stay there when all the others were and are abandoning Bagdad. Our Red-Cross organized a convoy to help Falluja population, trying to help at the same time the hostages. They die in silence, not for money, not with a rifle in their hands but just to help people. These are my kind of heroes.

[Lindaloo]

There's a big discussion in Italy if really considering Fabrizio an hero or not. He died in a very corageous way, no doubt about it, but "hero" is a word that for many italians (including me) has a different meaning. Take Carlo Urbani as example. That's my/our kind of hero.
Fabrizio Quattrocchi was a simple bodyguard, with poor war training, that was asked by some friends to go to Iraq for a possible job (6.000 euro a month). That job was not offered, and they were returning back to Italy. At a check-point, US troops refused them to proceed with their heavy weapons, leaving them with just a couple of pistols and a rifle.
They took their chance. Normally, they are rude people maintaining security inside/outside discos. Now they decided to go a step forward: providing security in a dangerous environment. Can you see anything heroical in this? What about Red-Cross operators then? Italian Red-Cross decided to stay there when all the others were and are abandoning Bagdad. Our Red-Cross organized a convoy to help Falluja population, trying to help at the same time the hostages. They die in silence, not for money, not with a rifle in their hands but just to help people. These are my kind of heroes.

To ME anytime someone dies during war regardless of their reasons for being there is a hero in my book.

[rainstorm]

absolutely linda, and mr quatrocchi died the way heors die in movies, only it really happened. it wont be covered though, because its not cnn's(al jazeera's) brand of courage

[Guest]

It's not been covered because Al-Jazeera does not show images that might make "resistance to the invaders" a little weaker. The justification it was too cruel is a fish. They have no problems in showing even worse reports when arabians or palestines are the victims.
In any case Quattrocchi was there not because of any "heroical" reason. He just wanted to make easy money.

[stormchazer]

Paolo,

No one goes out to be a "hero". People are not heroes in the beginning but for whatever reason, they do heroic things.

Americans consider soldiers who give their lives in defense of their country, to be heroes. We feel the same about the coalition forces serving with us. Whatever your opinion, in our eyes, Quattrocchi is a hero.

This is not meant to be condescending to you. We rarely agree and I respect your opinion here. I just wanted to give you thoughts on how Americans view heroes.