Posted on 04/14/2005 7:19:59 AM PDT by billorites
U.S. soldiers reportedly have been cleared of wrongdoing in the shooting of an Italian journalist and an intelligence agent last month in Baghdad. U.S. military officials told NBC News that a joint American-Italian investigation found the soldiers acted properly in firing on a car bearing a just-freed hostage, journalist Giuliana Sgrena, and an intelligence officer, Nicola Calipari.
The car was about 130 yards from a checkpoint when the soldiers flashed their lights to get it to stop. They fired warning shots when the car was within 90 yards of the checkpoint, but at 65 yards, they used deadly force. Calipari was killed and Sgrena wounded.
The incident enraged Italy, whose support for the war in Iraq was already weakening.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
An additional detail is that the preliminary report suggests that Calgari did not coordinate his movements with the American commander.
Best news today. Too bad the commie reporter and not the Italian secret service guy was the one to pass on....
As far as I am concerned, the poor Secret Service guy is a hero.
Too bad he had to die defending scum..
Exactly...that failure of coordination is at the root of this entire debacle.
Yep. Shoulda let the terrorists keep her. I'm not sure which I despise more -- commies or terrorists.
Excellent - this is exactly the outcome that most of us expected. I am glad to see that it was a joint report. I do think our guys are owed an apology from some Italian press members although..
Good news. Not that there was any doubt of what the outcome should have been.
I think we are allowed to despise both to the same degree. Toobad she was the "survivor". Of course had she been killed, the rag she writes for which poses as a newspaper would've said she was "assassinated" for her views.
I almost think this was deliberate, it really put us in a no-win situation. Glad to hear the troops are cleared of any wrong doing.
I feel for the sacrifice of the officer and for his family. It is tragic, but he died in the line of duty.
I am glad that they have decided not to go after the soldiers who were also acting in the line of duty.
Its tempting to say that the reporter was not worthy of Calipari's sacrifice, but thats not my call.
2. While I'd have preferred that the entire (really - including rescuing the reporter) event had not taken place I am not ready to bemoan the loss of the Italian secutity guy. He died because he screwed up - why he felt it appropriate to run such a mission without coordination could be subject of an investigation all of it's own.
The lying sack of sh8T communist claimed the car "was destroyed" and cam under a "rain of fire", yet, her car was intact and showed no signs of having been hit multiple times.
She also claims to have been under fire without warning and no lights, then, in another interview, she claims there was a bright spotlight.
The communist is what communists are: Liars!
It may be buried in the U.S., but it's front page on top in the Italian papers.
This should, but won't, get as much play as possible. The Italians have never been made to answer for the secretive and clandestine arrangements they made with the murderers in order to get their 'journalist' out of captivity. To my mind, the Italian authorities in charge of freeing (ransoming) her are to blame for the snafu. Was it EVER established that the checkpoint guards had a heads up on the journalist coming through? Truth to tell, the Italians kept mum because they were not proud of paying terrorists for their hostage and THAT led to the incident at the check point. If US officials knew she was on the way out, it might have been different.
Excellent news!
What kind of spin???
OMG! Yer kidding??!! I didn't hear THAT whopper!
The mainstream papers appear to be playing it straight.
I haven't read the lefties.
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