"When I appeared on television and radio talk shows, I stated that during the first Gulf War, ‘smart bombs’ and ‘surgical missiles’ had killed 32,195 Iraqi children, who are no less children than ours, I expected a reaction from my interlocutors, who would tell me that it was a provocation, that I was lying, that it was not true, that it could not be true. But they could not do that because these are Pentagon figures and therefore above suspicion. I expected cries of outrage, of horror, of disgust. Instead, nothing. Silence. The topic was glossed over and quickly moved on to Berlusconi, Rutelli, Fini, Follini, Prodi or other nonentities of politics and life. I don't think it's always indifference. It's also passivity."