To Italy, With Love

U.S. Soldier to Be Tried in Italy

ROME -- A judge Wednesday ordered a U.S. soldier to stand trial in absentia for the fatal shooting of an Italian intelligence agent at a checkpoint in Baghdad, the prosecutor said.

Spc. Mario Lozano is indicted for murder and attempted murder in the death of Nicola Calipari, who was shot on March 4, 2005, on his way to the Baghdad airport shortly after securing the release of an Italian journalist who had been kidnapped in the Iraqi capital, prosecutor Pietro Saviotti said.

Lazano was doing his job.  This is how the Italians are doing this:

According to prosecutors, the judge said in his ruling that Lozano can be tried for "political murder," because Calipari was a civil servant and his slaying damaged Italy's interests.

Italian law does not allow foreigners charged with killing Italians abroad to be tried in absentia unless the murder has political connotations, prosecutors have said in the past.

What is political about this are the Italians.  Lazano had no idea who was in that car.  If he did know, I'm sure he wouldn't have fired at it.  Put yourself in a young soldiers position.  Car bombers approach at high speeds.  The only defense is to shoot and hope you stop the bastards before they kill you.

The case has strained U.S.-Italian relations. The United States and Italy drew different conclusions in reports on the incident. U.S. authorities have said the vehicle was traveling fast, alarming soldiers, who feared an insurgent attack. Italian officials claimed the car was traveling at normal speed and accused the U.S. military of failing to signal there was a checkpoint.

What is normal speed to  someone watching the car coming at him? 

This is a travesty.  Yes, it's a shame that Mr. Calipari was killed, but Mr. Calipari was in a war zone.  Caution on his part and the driver's might have been the difference between getting shot at and arriving safely.

VW

Comments

[canuckistani]

I wasn't there, but I have to say I agree with you VW. It seems to me that if I'm approaching a military checkpoint in a war zone, a) the checkpoint would be very obvious with American soldiers and vehicles around, and b) because of that, I would slow down, be cautious, and do whatever the soldiers told me to avoid getting shot or hurt. Why is that so hard for some people to understand?

[canuckistani]

Oh by the way, lovely piece of music.

[yankeemom]

I so call BS on this one! I have to say that I've had it with our soldiers paying the price for other's stupidity. (And yes, that is a Military Mom's emotional reaction.)