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Report clears U.S. in friendly fire incident
Italian negotiator failed to coordinate rescue with U.S. military
BAGHDAD - The friendly fire shooting at a U.S. military checkpoint last month in Baghdad wounded Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena and killed intelligence agent Nicola Calipari.
Now, NBC News has learned that a preliminary report from a joint U.S.-Italian investigation has cleared the American soldiers of any wrongdoing and provides new details into the shooting.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.
Senior U.S. military officials say it took only about four seconds from the first warning to the fatal shots, but insist the soldiers acted properly under the current rules of engagement.
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.
Sgrena, meanwhile, disputes the military's account and says she has little confidence the investigation will reveal the truth.
As a result of the incident, the U.S. military will review its procedures regarding the use of lethal force at checkpoints, but senior military officials say they'll take no action that would put American soldiers at greater risk.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7491280/
Looks like NBC can't do some simple math. I'm definitely the dullest knife in the drawer when it comes to math, but even I figured this one out:
130 yards to 65 yards (when warning shots were fired) is a difference of 65 yards. 65 yards in four seconds is 16.25 yards per second. 16.25 multiplied by 60 seconds and then by 60 minutes is 58,500 yards per hour, then divided by 1,760 (yards in a mile) equals 33.2386 miles per hour. The speed only increases if the distance is increased as well. 33.2386 miles per hour is the minimum speed of which the car traveled.
I would love to see what the nay-sayers would do if they had a car heading straight toward you at 35 miles per hour at night.
What does the Communist Sgrena have to say for herself now?
Italian negotiator failed to coordinate rescue with U.S. military
BAGHDAD - The friendly fire shooting at a U.S. military checkpoint last month in Baghdad wounded Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena and killed intelligence agent Nicola Calipari.
Now, NBC News has learned that a preliminary report from a joint U.S.-Italian investigation has cleared the American soldiers of any wrongdoing and provides new details into the shooting.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.
Senior U.S. military officials say it took only about four seconds from the first warning to the fatal shots, but insist the soldiers acted properly under the current rules of engagement.
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.
Sgrena, meanwhile, disputes the military's account and says she has little confidence the investigation will reveal the truth.
As a result of the incident, the U.S. military will review its procedures regarding the use of lethal force at checkpoints, but senior military officials say they'll take no action that would put American soldiers at greater risk.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7491280/
Looks like NBC can't do some simple math. I'm definitely the dullest knife in the drawer when it comes to math, but even I figured this one out:
130 yards to 65 yards (when warning shots were fired) is a difference of 65 yards. 65 yards in four seconds is 16.25 yards per second. 16.25 multiplied by 60 seconds and then by 60 minutes is 58,500 yards per hour, then divided by 1,760 (yards in a mile) equals 33.2386 miles per hour. The speed only increases if the distance is increased as well. 33.2386 miles per hour is the minimum speed of which the car traveled.
I would love to see what the nay-sayers would do if they had a car heading straight toward you at 35 miles per hour at night.
What does the Communist Sgrena have to say for herself now?
But seriously, I'm glad that it was the reporter that was wrong, not the soldiers. 👍
A-10 chain gun? Is that the 30mm gatling?
I remember seeing that VW photo from when I was a kid!
