NBC News is reporting that the preliminary report from a joint U.S.-Italian team investigating the shooting of Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena and intelligence agent Nicola Calipari has cleared the U.S soldiers of any wrongdoing.
Intelligence agent Calipari had just negotiated Sgrena’s release from Iraqi kidnappers on March 4 when the two and a driver headed for the Baghdad airport in a compact rental car.
It was dark when the Italians turned onto a ramp leading to the airport road where the U.S. military had set up a temporary checkpoint.
The investigation found the car was about 130 yards from the checkpoint when the soldiers flashed their lights as a warning to stop. But the car kept coming and, at 90 yards, warning shots were fired. At 65 yards, when the car failed to stop, the soldiers used lethal force – a machine gun burst that killed Calipari and wounded Sgrena and the driver.
The investigation failed, however, to resolve one critical dispute: The Americans claim the car was racing toward the checkpoint at about 50 miles per hour, the Italians say it was traveling at a much slower speed.
In Italy, agent Calipari was given a state funeral, but the investigation found he himself may have committed a fatal error. He reportedly chose not to coordinate his movements with the U.S. military for fear it would jeopardize his efforts to free the Italian hostage.The details of the investigation match the military’s version of events, and contradict the many differing versions of the the story that Sgrena has offered.
Update: Italy and the U.S. Said Disagree Over Investigation Into Shooting of Italian Agent in Iraq [AP/ABC]
– The only reason she was even rescued is because the Communist party knew she would get them 10 million dollars worth of anti-American press…..
Ever try to estimate the speed of an object at night?
Without a radar gun, no one could know.
Failure to coordinate is the real problem that was causative if the report is to be believed – and I see no reason not to. Its a lead cause of most friendly fire incidents. The responsibility lies with the Italians on that.
All I read was the title and said “Thank God.”
Amen.
Cindy
thank god get this trash out of my news. there was no news. we already know the soldiers involved had no malicious intent anywhere.
Anyone else think the lack of coverage on this report is…strange? The WaPo, the NY Times, the Globe and the LA Times have nothing. Wasn’t the entire world in an uproar when this happened; now that they’re found not-guilty, nobody covers it?
I’m sure you’ll find it in all the major papers. Page 8D, behind the “Living” section.
Dan Rather did a story on 60 minutes last night. They showed S(tupid)grena weeping at the loss of her “comrade”. She’s so full of shit. I hope she (they) get(s) hers(theirs) in the end…
Lack of coordination was the real problem here, not the speed of the car.
If the care was heading towards the checkpoint at 10 mph, but still didn’t stop, the soldiers still would have been justified in opening fire after warnings were given.
It isn’t like a slower moving car would have given the soldiers anymore information as to who was in it, than a speeding one.
The Italians should have coordinated the release with the US, end of debate.