Still wondering about Giuliana Sgrena’s ransom?

Lucia Annunziata, former president of Italian state television RAI, “said yesterday government sources estimate Italy has paid kidnappers nearly $15 million for hostages in the past year,” according to the New York Post today. Annunziata admits:

“The frequency of our kidnappings has transformed that which was an extraordinary, emergency option into plain and simple policy,” said Annunziata. Ten Italians have been abducted in Iraq in the past year. At least three, including Sgrena, have been freed in apparent ransom deals.

Genius Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, having now forked untold millions in ransom subsidies to terrorists, now says: “We have to rethink our strategy in dealing with kidnappings.”

What is the Italian word for idiotarian?!

Update: Now the terrorists are denying that they took the payment. What?!