Do you think that Americans in Iraq are 'trigger happy'?

Originally posted by TooManySecrets

I don't understand why they don't just ban the use of civilian automobiles in the city limits. I know it would be commuter hell, i'm sure it would be easier to spot the car bombers then.

I was thinking that, it would be a PR problem but you think the Iraqi people would be on its side because they are losing so many people to it.

Originally posted by AceOfBase

Originally posted by Broadsword20068
Like they say though, it is a war zone, you drive very cautiously if you're on a road famous for car bombings.

They were going 25-30 miles an hour and they were on a 'prvileged' road that not many cars travel on.

2005-03-06 Conflicting Reports (MSNBC).asf

An Italian service agent also says they were travelling around 25-30 miles per hour.

EDIT: According to Italy's leading daily Corriere della Sera, the driver, an unidentified Italian agent, said: "We were driving slowly, about 40-50 km/h (25-30 mph)."
stuff.co.nz

[edit on 6-3-2005 by AceOfBase]

That's what the Italians say. Multiple American soldiers deny that; and they were on a road famous for car bombs, not on any priviledged road.

Originally posted by AceOfBase

Originally posted by Broadsword20068
Like they say though, it is a war zone, you drive very cautiously if you're on a road famous for car bombings.

They were going 25-30 miles an hour and they were on a 'privileged' road that not many cars travel on.

2005-03-06 Conflicting Reports (MSNBC).asf

An Italian service agent also says they were traveling around 25-30 miles per hour.

EDIT: According to Italy's leading daily Corriere della Sera, the driver, an unidentified Italian agent, said: "We were driving slowly, about 40-50 km/h (25-30 mph)."
stuff.co.nz

[edit on 6-3-2005 by AceOfBase]

Crap...pure crap.

I know you are not the biggest fan of Bush & Co, or the War in Iraq, & etc but come on!

In her own report she stated that they were swerving to avoid puddles because they were hydroplaning!

The car kept on the road, going under an underpass full of puddles and almost losing control to avoid them.

www.ilmanifesto.it...

Now I will give you the 25 - 30mph, even though I am not convinced that at 25mph she would be experiencing hydroplaning so bad she feared she might die or get seriously injured. Most likely she was doing 45-50mph, but like I said for the sake of argument I will concede the speed of her car.
But imagine if a car is doing 35mph and swerving while closing on an American position.....not very smart!
That is a great way to be shot....with or with out a road block.
BTW:I have a friend who is an LT. Col in Iraq, been there 3 time now. The road she was on is known as RPG or Ambush Alley.

So:
Ambush Alley + White Car full of people + 50mph + Swerving = Bad idea





[edit on 10-3-2005 by Imperium Americana]

How can the Italians not have told the Americans?

I found that extremely hard to believe unless Berlusconi was in on the killing as well.

I watched a show on FSTV last night where they were talking to returning soldiers about the stresses of war and their injuries and how its affecting them now. One of the soldiers told about seeing a child standing in front of a tank and that for a little while the tank slowed down but when ti got close to the child it speeded up and ran over the child. He said they had been told if anyone and this includes children are standing in fornt of you, don't stop run them over. He said he thanked God everyday he did not have to make that kind of decision. One of the other ones talked about how a woman approached a group of soldiers, he could not see what was in her hands he shot her and then the other soldiers shot her, in her hands she carried a white flag. while it all sounds cold and calculated you have only a split second to make life or death decisions and sometimes their not always the right ones. I am totally against this war but I can't help but feel sorry for these young men and women who have to make these decisions and live with that if it is the wrong one. I also feel sorry for the Iraqie people, many of whom can't speak our language (not that they should) but are trying to survive in a land torn apart by war. I will look for the link that shows what time this show will be back on if you would like to watch it. The program was called the ground truth. It will be back on if you want to check the schedule.
www.freespeech.org...

Another thing is what sort of witness is she? She has just been released after presumably an arduous experience. She is being "sped" to freedom, so is she sitting up carefully noting everything like speed, road conditions, what is coming up ahead? I doubt it. I'm not sure anyone would be a totally credible witness under these circumstances. Isn't it likely that fact has mixed with her perceptions of the event?

Also, when I saw her interviewed on the news, she said that when the firing started the guy that died threw himself on top of her to shield her. Does that imply that she may have already down? He didn't push her down, "dove on top of her." Of course she may have ducked first herself, which is perfectly plausable.

Sgrena describes going towards the airport. “It was less than one kilometer, they told me when … I remember only fire. At that point a rain of fire and bullets came at us, forever silencing the happy voices from a few minutes earlier.

“The driver started shouting we were Italians. Nicola dove on top of me to protect me and immediately, and I mean immediately, I felt his last breath as he died on me,” she writes.

Also note the "I remember only fire" line.

Quote from Italian reporter: ‘My truth’ and consequences of a dirty war

Edit to add link for quote.

[edit on 10-3-2005 by whita]

being trigger happy is the american way!

Originally posted by rapier28
How can the Italians not have told the Americans?

I found that extremely hard to believe unless Berlusconi was in on the killing as well.

The Italian Prime Minister and the Italian Foreign Minister say that the US was notified.

CNN

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says the intelligence agent shot dead by the U.S. military told them he would be escorting a newly released hostage to the airport -- contrary to U.S. claims.

Another Italian attache, who was at the Baghdad airport, also told U.S. military personnel the car carrying agent Nicola Calipari and journalist Giuliana Sgrena was on its way to the airport March 4 before the shooting occurred, Berlusconi told the Italian senate on Wednesday.

The Italians probably didnt stop at the first checkpoint because it was controlled by Iraqis, they didnt want to risk it?

And they probably were shot from distance by US forces after maybe the Iraqis tipped the US off that a car had broken through? Maybe the US was "had".

If not then they probably had orders to shoot first at anybody in their zone, since this sounded like a completely closed off road, or closely monitored.

Or the Italians werent seeing eye to eye with the US as to maybe where the Italian agent's location was with "up to date" information and communications going both ways( agent Italy US ).

Just sounds like a FUBAR situation on both sides. Probably more on the US side. And lots of poor planning for Italy.

Else why isnt Italy coming out with proof that they had planned this with US troops and they they were aware of all the information and not just telling them vague information.

Sounds like Italy is stuffed too full of Pasta.

Probably gonna get killed for this....Americans have a history of being paranoid. They came from Britain to America because they were paranoid. But then,it is probably because of the conditions they work under,you have to make a life or death split second decision,some people regret their decisions.

Paranoid? I don't think so Tim.