In 2005, a tragic incident occurred between the US and Italy that led to a diplomatic standoff. On March 4th, a group of American soldiers fired upon an Italian military intelligence vehicle carrying Giuliana Sgrena, a reporter for Il Manifesto who had been kidnapped in Iraq. The shooting resulted in the death of Nicola Calipari and injuries to both Sgrena and Andrea Carpani.
Sgrena had been kidnapped in February 2005 while reporting on the ongoing conflict in Iraq. The US-led coalition force had invaded Iraq in March 2003, leading to the collapse of the Saddam Hussein regime just over a month later. Following her kidnapping, Sgrena was released after more than a month, but tensions continued to escalate between the two countries.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi summoned the US ambassador and called for a comprehensive investigation into the shooting. The US military claimed that it was an accident, stating that the soldiers followed their rules of engagement. However, Italian investigators accused US officials of not providing full information and criticized their handling of the scene of the incident.
The shooting led to increased tensions between Italy and the US, with Italian media broadcasting recordings from Sgrena’s kidnappers accusing the CIA of targeting her. Calipari was hailed as a hero in Italy, with officials holding a state funeral for him and posthumously awarding him a medal of bravery. Despite efforts by both countries to resolve the issue peacefully, tensions remained high for several months after