Troops who killed Italian bodyguard officially cleared

[Bluebear]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military confirmed on Saturday that it will not discipline troops who shot dead an Italian intelligence agent in Baghdad two months ago.

A 42-page report into the killing of Nicola Calipari and the wounding of the Italian journalist whose freedom he had just secured from kidnappers found that the Italians had failed to tell U.S. troops of their plans to drive into Baghdad airport and had ignored warning lights intended to make them stop.

"The ... investigation concluded that the vehicle approaching the checkpoint failed to reduce speed until fired upon and that the soldiers manning the checkpoint acted in accordance with the rules of engagement," the U.S. military in Baghdad said in a statement accompanying the report....

Among other findings was the following point: "Recommend that no disciplinary action be taken against any soldier in the incident."

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=1027164&tw=wn_wire_story

[BiggJawn]

1. That reminds me. I need to mix up a bucket of "Clear" and "Clear" my fence

Maybe I can pull a Tom Sawyer and trick somebody into "clearing" my fence...

Where's my brush...

"Cleared"="White-Washed"

[0007]

2. Officially Cleared? What a load of crap!

[Botany]

3. Really?

I thought for sure they would get to the bottom of the matter .......
I feel so fucking GOOD that this little matter has been cleared up.

No election fraud and now no problems in shooting an unarmed
reporter who had evidence of the horrors that happened in Fallujha.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. Gee, a "42 page report"!!

Page 1: This is a thorough investigation.
Page 2: Investigation complete.
Page 3-42: "Recommend that no disciplinary action be taken against any soldier in the incident."

There was a case in 1964 when I was in the marines. A PFC was harassed by a staff sgt to the point that he was put on report for having a dirty belt buckle. This while waiting for a parade practice surrounded by office pogues who looked like a bunch of tramps (including me) with our dungarees literally held together with staples. The kid murmured something and the brave sarge asked if he wanted meet him behind the hangers (it was the air wing). The kid stupidly said he would. Took a swing at the sergeant, whereupon two other sergeants appeared as witnesses. There never was a fight. The kid was arrested, had Special Courts Martial. He got 18 months in the brig, loss of all pay, and a Bad Conduct Discharge. I had to escort him to the brig. On the way, the driver pulled over, I unloaded the .45, and we offered the poor sod a chance to hit the fence rather than face the knuckle dragging, sadistic guards. He refused.

There was literally hundreds of pages from the "investigation" and courts-martial. All because of a shithead Sergeant and a dirty beltbuckle.

Unfortunately, for the sarge, his pay got mysteriously tied up for months. He ended up having his car repossessed, he lost his chance at promotion, and his wife split. Tsk. Tsk.

Note: Advice for any wannabee GI's. Never, ever, make an enemy of someone who works in Personnel.

[GiovanniC]

5. I Feel Better Now... All Better

Could the US government have prevented 9/11?

Let's ask the US government... "Excuse me, US government, could you have prevented 9/11?"

"Nope."

Okay, folks, there you have it... the US government could not have prevented 9/11! Oh, hold on a second, I see Tom Delay... let's ask him about his ethics problems...

"Representative Delay! Pardon me, Mister Delay! Do you have any ethical problems?"

"No."

Okay, now we've gotten that cleared up! Tom Delay, cleared of all charges of impropriety! Wait a minute... the US Armed Forces! "Excuse me, US armed forces... did you guys assassinate that Calipari fellow?"

"Absolutely not."

Okay, well, there you have it! This investigating sure is easy!

[Bluebear]

6. An excellent summation. n/t

[understandinglife]

7. NOT BY THE ITALIANS. (nt)

www.missionnotaccomplished.us (a day to reflect on all of Bu$h's atrocities and plan what YOU are going to do, peacefully, to stop them)