YUP; PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ITACHI SAID BEFORE HIS DEATH WAS A CALCULATED LIE; WE KNOW HE JOINED THE AKATSUKI TO PROTECT KONOHA FROM THE AKATSUKI; I AGREE; JIRAIYA, NARUTO, AND SASUKE WERE KONOHA'S BIGGEST ASSETS AT THE TIME; MAKES SENSE TO ME; THEREFORE ITACHI TOLD A CALCULATED LIE TO PROTECT KONOHA'S BIGGEST ASSETS FROM THE AKATSUKI; NO, ITACHI WAS AFRAID HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CRIPPLE KONOHA AND KILL HIS BROTHERS SO HE RAN FROM JIRAIYA