No Excuse For Hostage Cheap Shot

Hostage-takings in Iraq typically end one of two ways: the hostage is murdered or released. The former typically involves a gruesome videotape, the latter a seven-figure ransom – after a videoed plea.

Now, there’s a tragic variation on that brutal, endgame theme.

A ransomed hostage, Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena, was wounded after her release – by U.S. soldiers. It happened at night at an ad hoc checkpoint along the main road to the Baghdad Airport, a thoroughfare infamously known for suicidal car-bombers. That’s why it was checkpointed in the first place; it’s arguably the most lethal stretch of highway in the country.

And the enemy, it should be noted, is not averse to using ambulances or Allied-marked vehicles in their suicide missions. That’s why there’s a stop-or-be-shot order on the mean streets of Iraq. Nothing can be assumed – except that life is everywhere imperiled – and no place more than the treacherous road to the Baghdad Airport.

Worst yet, an Italian intelligence officer who had negotiated Sgrena’s ransomed release, was killed in the hail of fire from those guarding the checkpoint.

But even worse, the tragic accident – in a venue where split-second decisions, including miscommunications, can literally mean life or death – has been called intentional by Sgrena. Even after the trauma of the incident had subsided and her pain meds had worn off, Sgrena still maintained that the Americans were sending a message with the fusillade: This is what happens when you disregard our no-ransom-for-hostages policy.

That’s beyond wrong. And it should be beyond Sgrena’s own anti-war agenda. It’s an obscene cheap shot to say that U.S. soldiers – in premeditated fashion – fired on her vehicle knowing that she was in it.

Friendly-fire misunderstandings are nothing new in war; in fact, they have been tragically frequent in the confusing cauldron that is Iraq under insurgent siege. Human beings under the ultimate duress making instantaneous, life-and-death decisions based on less than perfect intelligence is a formula for an awful result. Normally, it’s not this high a profile incident.

There’s a reason, however regrettable, that such accidents sometimes happen. But there’s no excuse to fire off a cheap shot because it fits one’s political agenda.

No Time To Back Off On Border Commitment

It’s no secret that al-Qaeda operatives may be trying to sneak into the United States through Mexico. They’d have to be stupid to ignore America’s 1,989-mile sovereign sieve of a southern border. And as we know all too well, they are not stupid. Would that they were. And it’s now known that Hezbollah has operations in Latin America.

What is hard to fathom, however, is President George Bush’s decision to drastically slash the proposed increase in Border Patrol agents next year. When Congress passed the intelligence reform bill in December, it authorized an additional 2,000 agents; Bush is requesting 210.

This is not the place for nominal budget cuts and symbolic deficit-reduction gestures. Nor is this the time to back off beefing up America’s notoriously porous border as if the security issue will forever be relegated to bilateral spats over illegal immigrants and smugglers.

Then again, perhaps the president prefers the neighborhood watch approach.

Next month about 1,000 volunteers are expected to descend on a 40-mile stretch of the Arizona-Mexican border. They will become temporary – but de facto – border guards. Actual contact with migrants will be officially forbidden, but volunteers with handgun permits can still carry their weapons.

Critics obviously see the “Minuteman Project” as incipient vigilantism.

That may be an overreaction. What isn’t is the sobering realization that border defense on the cheap – in a post-9/11 world – is unconscionable and scary.

The debate is far from over as to whether this country is safer for having invaded Iraq. There should be no debate, however, when it comes to the correlation between safety and the intruder-inviting 1,989 miles of U.S.-Mexico border.

Choosing Priorities On Choice

This much should seem abundantly evident by now. School-choice “attractors” – and there are 51 of them in Hillsborough County — don’t work. And the reason is no less manifest. They aren’t attractive given the alternative, which are neighborhood schools better suited to parental input and community involvement — and also happen to require a lot less busing.

School officials – running scared that they may be accused of enabling “resegregation” — should quit trying to make attractors more attractive and concentrate on making neighborhood schools more acceptable – and equitable.

Let’s worry less about revisiting “Plessy vs. Ferguson” and its sophistic implications in 2005 and more about the sort of equal opportunity that can be afforded by comparable facilities, textbooks, teachers and curricula in our neighborhood schools.

It also means schools in high-poverty areas aren’t top heavy with portable classrooms and shortchanged on tutors, computer access and even custodians. That’s the real problem – one that can never be solved by school-choice schemes and attractor doubletalk.

Then the onus will be where it belongs: on parents. That’s the key educational variable, one that no social engineering can dictate.

Artful Approach Lacking

Here’s hoping the Tampa Museum of Art, now in the 11th hour of its financial crucible, has finally gotten the religion of reality and gone aggressively after some of the deep-pocketed residential developers currently engaged in the downtown/Channelside makeover.

We’re not talking altruism here, although that should never be discouraged. Nor are we talking pure art for art’s sake, as uplifting as that always is. We’re talking old-fashioned, enlightened self interest.

It’s a lot easier to sell seven-figure condo units and even ritzier penthouses when the neighborhood is a viable cultural arts district. And that doesn’t happen without a world-class art museum as an anchor.

It still amazes that no one actually asked Donald Trump to ante up for the symbiotic cause. Had they, The Donald’s unsolicited donation might have been more than $100,000 in installments.

Oscar Outtakes

The best movies I’ve seen recently are: “The Sea Within,” “Sideways,” “The Graduate” and “Broadcast News.” The true test of a movie worthy of its acclaim is staying power — on a small screen with commercials across at least one generation.

While Jamie Foxx was the sure-shot winner for best actor in “Ray,” it still surprises that Leonardo DeCaprio made the cut for “Aviator.” He’s yet to play a convincing adult, even a weird one.

The biggest controversy, of course, was over Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby,” and whether it was a manipulative paean to euthanasia. Frankly, I just saw blindsiding by a lethal plot twist. What did bother me, however, was the uncomfortable incongruity of rooting for a classic, sympathetic, rags-to-riches underdog engaged in the thoroughly disgusting sport of female boxing.

Historic Ignorance Imperils America

Do we have to include history – the world’s as well as our own – on the FCATs in order for it to become the curricular priority it should be? What we don’t know about our own country and how we relate – or don’t – to the rest of the world is already costing us dearly.

How many more polls — showing that college students rank John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan above George Washington – will it take? How many more map-mesmerized high schoolers not being able to find Georgia? Either one.

“Death Watch” Live

Nothing in the media is as necessarily ghoulish as a “death watch.” From the Shah to the Pope to Terri Schiavo. Some preparations are more over the top than others.

In prepping for the inevitable demise of Pope John Paul II, ABC News has strategically positioned robotic (remote-controlled) cameras around the Vatican for instant live shots. And in a gambit to insulate itself from “rooftop envy,” ABC has been renting out hotel rooms near the Vatican for years.

Winning By Losing

Last year Devil Rays’ pitcher Jorge Sosa was 4-7 with a 5.53 ERA in 43 games. That is not good, even on a bad team. Back in the day, it might have been grounds for release. Or at least a pay cut. These days the question is: Exactly how much should his salary ($327,000 last season) hike be? In this case, nearly double ($650,000).

Some things you can’t blame on steroids, unless they’re being injected in the wrong place.

Minimalist Loft Look

Like anyone else who cares about the viability of downtown, I’m all for a major residential infusion, especially the affordable, workforce type. But at the risk of sounding less than hip or borderline edgy, aren’t some “loft” exterior designs more like dormitory lite?

In fact, a lot of dormitories don’t even look like that any more. Been out to USF recently?

Chaney Cheap Shot Deserves Firing

Controversy is no stranger to veteran Temple University basketball coach John Chaney. Over his 23 seasons at Temple, he has won 491 games and lost his temper in outrageous ways countless times.

Once, while being physically restrained at a post-game press conference, he shouted, “I will kill you” at University of Massachusetts coach John Calipari. Presumably the threat was more hyperbolic than homicidal. Presumably.

The 73 year old is as much bother figure as father figure. He can be intimidating and profane to everyone when he loses it, as well as stern and caring when it comes to his players, virtually all of whom are inner-city black kids from modest – or less – means.

He’s in college basketball’s Hall of Fame as well as society’s Halls of Blame and Shame.

But this time, he has pushed the envelope of obnoxious, boorish behavior too far. This time more than feelings were hurt.

The day before a recent loss to Philadelphia city rival St. Joseph’s, Chaney announced that he would go “goon” for retaliatory purposes if officials allowed St. Joseph’s to get away with what he termed “illegal” moving screens.

He made good, as it were, on his word to “send a message.” His “goon,” 6-8, 250-pound Nehemiah Ingram, picked up five fouls in four minutes, including a particularly blatant one that broke the arm of a St. Joseph’s player – ending the senior’s career.

Chaney is currently on suspension, which may or may not continue into post-season, tournament play – should Temple qualify for the first time since 2001. The university’s president, David Adamany, has said he will wait until after the season to decide Chaney’s fate.

What Adamany should do is look to Woody Hayes for precedent.

The late Ohio State football coach was also a Hall of Famer and a much bigger name – and a much bigger man — than John Chaney. His Buckeyes won five national championships. He also had interrupted his coaching career to join the Navy during World War II. He later commanded two destroyers in the Pacific.

And, yes, he had an infamously obstreperous, bullying side with those outside the Buckeye football family and was a tough, sometimes overbearing disciplinarian to play for. However, those on the inside, including black players such as two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, said he played the father-figure role well.

But Hayes lost it big time when he punched an opposing player during a 1978 Gator Bowl loss to Clemson. The next day – the VERY NEXT DAY – he was fired.

The feeling among most sports fans was that it was an unfortunate way to leave a Hall of Fame career, but some things cannot be countenanced. Losing your temper and lashing out in such a fistic fashion was beyond the pale.

In Chaney’s case, the “goon” hit man incident was premeditated.

It wasn’t a rash act borne of a momentary lapse in judgment. It wasn’t a heat-of-the-moment response. Chaney’s previously trumpeted intent was to send out an enforcer to intimidate and rough up the opposition. That’s why the seldom-used Ingram had more fouls than minutes played against St. Joseph’s.

Remember that Hayes threw a senior citizen punch at a player in a football uniform, who was startled but certainly not hurt. The St. Joseph’s player, John Bryant, went to the hospital.

It’s time for President Adamany to do the right thing. Fire Chaney. Preferably last week.