is it me or does Rocco seem to allow himself to be shot at the end of II, i used to think perhaps he was in on the hit against michael too? ah well probably not, Mikes too clever to be fooled

This subject has come up many times:
Short answer: Rocco probably knew it would be almost impossible for him to kill Roth and escape, but Michael left him no choice but to attempt it.
Longer answer: A subtheme in GFII is how Neri attempts to push Hagen and Rocco aside to become #2 to Michael. Many examples, but the best one is in the penultimate boat house scene. We see Neri lead the discussion, slouched in a chair, talking about Roth's moves, giving a smug little grin when Michael confronts Tom with his knowledge of another job offer and Tom's mistress (Neri probably was the source of that knowledge). Rocco just stands silently, like the mere bodyguard he was in most of GFII. After Tom objects to Michael's plan to have Roth killed, Michael further humiliates him: "You know, Tom, you surprise me...if there's one certainty...it's that you can kill anyone." The he immediately says, Rocco?" Notice that he didn't say, "Al?" Michael put Rocco on the spot: after Tom's humiliation, what could Rocco say, except, "difficult, not impossible."
So, why did he take on this apparent suicide mission? Because Michael, in effect, left him no choice. And, perhaps, because he saw it as a last-ditch attempt to push ahead of Neri. IMO, it was too late: Michael had decided that Rocco was expendible, Neri wasn't.

TB, I think your analysis is astute as usual, but I also think its contains too much psycho-analysis with motive and intent. There are some large assumptions made about the power struggle (if there is one.)

I've never liked the hit at the airport and Rocco's poor death-act. IMO it just didn't wash. I think it is one of the weak points in the script. I know it suppose to represent Michael's unflagging quest to eliminate all his enemies, but Rocco was always loyal to Mike and the family. Did he really have a reason to throw himself on the sword? or did he really think he could out run airport security with his gimp leg?

Up until just a few months ago, I had no idea that it WAS Rocco.I used to think it was just some Corleone hitman. Maybe it was poor planning on Mike's part, showing that he would even send one of the most loyal guys to thier deaths if it ment taking out one of HIS enemies.

but why would a powerful caporegime handle this, surely a button man could have done it. I must say i didnt notice Neri's attempts to push Rocco out, i just think Michael selected which one he thought should remain with him, his personally selected enforcer Neri (which was the right choice, as Neri did seem to be far, far more ruthless than lampone)

My guess is Michael had Rocco do it, because he was a good enforcer, and it was probably the most difficult hit in the history of the Corleone Family. A lowely button man couldn't be trusted with something so important.

Rocco could have planned carefully with the button men of his regime and try to get away clean with no one getting shot or caught.

somelike cicci could have done it, although he had blabbed to the senate so probably not. Perhaps it was because Rocco was brought in his fathers regime and he wanted more of his own choices in his regime

Rocco would have been a far more familiar face for any one of the authorities, I agree some random button could have been charged with the task.

Keep the guy on a "need to know" basis, with Rocco doing all the organisation.

Send the patsy in to get his press pass, and he is in. Walk up with all the other press guys, shoot Roth in the belly and run off.

Simply really!

aye i don't understand why Rocco does the hit either. Maybe it was him so that when it happend the audience knew what was goin on more, and they could put a name to the face.

i suppose the answer must be that for the really big jobs, the most relaible people must be used, all the top buttons plus clemenza himself handled the baptism massacre, while Neri and Calo did it in Part III