Soldier Says He Had No Choice but Fire

[sabra]

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) - A U.S. soldier facing trial in the fatal shooting of an Italian intelligence officer at a checkpoint in Iraq said he had no choice but to fire, a newspaper reported Monday.

Spc. Mario Lozano said the agent's vehicle kept approaching after he flashed a warning light signaling it to stop, the New York Post reported. Lozano said he shot first at the ground, and then at the vehicle's engine.

``You have a warning line, you have a danger line, and you have a kill line,'' Lozano told the newspaper from a relative's New York apartment.

``Anyone inside 100 meters is already in the danger zone ... and you gotta take them out,'' Lozano said. ``If you hesitate, you come home in a box - and I didn't want to come home in a box. I did what any soldier would do in my position.''

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6543726,00.html

[soulcore]

1. Any word on why this personal security detail was there in the first place? n/t

[Supersedeas]

2. nearly killing a journalist: a warning line, a danger line, and a kill line--careful what you cross

[Kagemusha]

3. The soldier told a newspaper, not a court.

The US would never allow an American soldier to be tried for a shooting in a war zone by another nation.

[Little Wing]

4. I thought this was Negroponte's work

Could it have been just another US fuckup? :crazy:

[w4rma]

8. It was Negroponte's work. He ordered these soldiers to this position knowing that the Italians

would cross this path. He gave them the orders to do what they did, whether or not he told them the real reason *why* they were ordered to that spot or *who* would be crossing that path, soon.

The soldiers were under direct orders from Negroponte as his "bodyguards".

[deutsey]

5. Italian Journalist's version

SNIP

AMY GOODMAN: Now, the US military says that your car was signaled to slow down, that warning shots were fired, but that they were ignored.

GIULIANA SGRENA: No. No, we have not seen any warning, because the patrol was not on the street. The patrol was outside the street, behind a curb. And we have not seen any warnings, because if not we could be stopped, there was no problem. But we have seen no warnings. And when the light arrived to us, immediately with the light arrived the bullets.

AMY GOODMAN: And Nicola Calipari laid down on top of you or fell down on top of you after he was shot?

GIULIANA SGRENA: No. He pushed me down between the two seats and to protect me, he was up to me.

AMY GOODMAN: On top of you.

GIULIANA SGRENA: Yes. And then they continued to shoot, and --

AMY GOODMAN: How many shots fired?

GIULIANA SGRENA: Against the car, they found fifty-eight bullets, and fifty-seven were against the passengers of the car. Only one, the last one, was against the engine of the car. That’s why the Italian judges, they will put on trial Lozano for voluntarily killing, because if he wanted to stop the car, he has to shoot to the engines before or to the wheels of the car, and not on the majority, the great majority of the bullets against the passengers.

SNIP

More: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/14/1324210&mode=thread&tid=25

[ohio2007]

6. I thought it was this Italian journalists story

That currently played out in Afghanistan.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2799193

In a way, they are both related anyway

[uppityperson]

7. Thanks for the update on this. Good people keep posting about things past.

not just current stuff. Hard to keep up with it all

[dmost]

9. I've been there

in 2003 I set up many of these type of check points. Very scary all of our's were on tampa; the most ied'd road in Iraq. One night about 0400 a car was speeding toward our checkpoint. We flashed our lights, set off flares but it still did not slow down. I was the NCOIC of the CP and in front of the barrier. At 400 meters I was ready to light it up, but I had a feeling. So I started walking up the road toward the car. At 200 meters I started shooting in the air with my M16, the car still did not slow down. Now my pucker factor was maxed out, I aimed at the engine and put 3 in the radiator. The car still did not slow. I was 20 feet in front of the ied barrier by now so I was pretty sure I was soon to be dead, when the car hit its breaks. When it stopped a very pissed off Iraqi started yelling at me for shooting up his car. He had his wife and a little girl and boy in the car. I was so glad I wasn't dead all I could do was laugh. And thank god that I did not Kill this dumb goober.

[magellan]

10. Glad you're still with us, and welcome

Question for you: you say this happened at night, 0400. Isn't it possible the driver of the car panicked because he couldn't see who was shooting off flares and flashing lights at him? The same way you probably couldn't see who was in the car because of its headlights? I know it's foolhardy to base split second life and death decisions on mitigating circumstances, you end up dead that way...Just wondering if on reflection you think there might have been a legitimate reason for his failure to comply.

[ohio2007]

11. That was in 2003. In 2007 if a child in a car at 4 am

the pucker factor and spider senses are tingling and telling you that something is wrong with this picture.

[ohio2007]

12. Be careful where you visit dmost

I welcome you to the board. I know it ain't easy for some visitors but I'm sure you got the mettle to deal with the adversity.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2800066&mesg_id=2800951

[jahyarain]

13. why would dmost need to be careful about that thread?

i smell bacon

[ohio2007]

14. You have to be there

to say you know what it's like to walk a mile in their boots.


http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6fb_1175816707

people who assume make an ass of themselves.

[jahyarain]

16. how does protecting ones children from dying for a lie

have anything to do with swapping shoes? assume?

[sanskritwarrior]

15. So do I and it comes from you

There is a small but very hostile to the military contingent on DU. I warn fellow brothers and sisters too. Those of us who are veterans and especially those of us who have served in Iraq look out for each other. I would warn the newbie of the same thing. That warning reads like this: There are so many awesome people on DU and they are welcoming and willing to give and take. However, there are many hateful little rats that hate you for your military service and make no bones about that hatred. Their numbers are incredibly small compared to the vast majority, but they exist.

So you getting a fals positive pork reading from me???

[jahyarain]

17. nope. good Godloving Liberal here

no swine. but i asked a question that has yet to be answered. so look at my post and compare it with your own. who is the fucking hateful one? what was hateful about what i asked? and i couldn't care less about your "small but hostile..." whatever, you don't actually say. here's the difference between you and i, i do Love my brothers and sisters. ALL of my brothers and sisters. you, quite obviously, put one person over another (another reason your Jesus will never come back for you) or did you mean brothers and sisters as in EVERYONE. no, i didn't think so. you have no idea who i am or what i've done or seen. you just start attacking me for asking a question. fuck you. i'm not the one you need to be pissed at, kid. i tried to stop it. and, yes, by your inability to form a coherent sentence or at least spell, coupled with your unwarranted attack on me, i deem thee pork positive. once again, YOU HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA. ...Peace, anyway. dumbass.

[ohio2007]

19. the few, the proud

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1b1_1175643214

the clueless

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=38e_1174691271

And thats all I have to say on those very vocal minority fringe groups

[sanskritwarrior]

20. Look let me correct the record for you

You seem prone to kneejerking so let me set the record straight.

A. I am not a Christian so I don't care when "their Jesus" comes back.
B. I love my brothers and sisters that respect those of that serve our country. Respect is earned not granted.
C. I am 33 so not really a kid
D. I don't really give a flip what you have done and seen, your propensity for knee jerking and your attitude shows me all I will ever need to know about you.
E. I would advise you from making personal attacks on members of Democratic Underground, I could have alerted on your post but chose not to.


So what say you now?

[tabasco]

18. LMAO.

Lots of vets on this board.

Many chickenshit disruptors too.