Why are the Italians on the Defensive?

The Guiliana Sgrena case just keeps getting stranger.

First of all, few of Sgrena's stories about her kidnapping or the shooting during her rescue matched one another. One would almost think she was a bitter old communist with an axe to grind who was making up things on the fly to try to damage a country she dislikes.

Then, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi called for a full investigation into a Baghdad checkpoint shooting by U.S. soldiers that took the life of agent Nicola Calipari, but now doesn't actually want to cooperate.

Why are the Italians stonewalling the investigation of Sgrena's kidnapping?

Call it just a hunch, but perhaps after the Italians had a chance to debrief Sgrena, they discovered that they may have lost a good man over a terrorist sympathizer, and don't want the kidnappers caught, fearing they might corroborate that under interrogation. It was tragic to lose Nicola Calapari to a horrible mistake in communications and planning.

It would be even worse if they lost him trying to save someone who had sided with the enemy.

(Hat tip: The New Editor)