Italy to try American soldier

Italy is preparing to try a U.S. soldier for murdering one of its citizens in Iraq:

An Italian judge has ruled that a US soldier should stand trial for the fatal shooting of an Italian intelligence agent in Iraq.

Mario Lozana has been indicted for the involuntary murder of Nicola Calipari, who was killed when US troops at a checkpoint opened fire on his car, and the attempted murder of two other people in the car.

Calipari was escorting Giuliana Sgrena, an Italian journalist, to Baghdad airport after she had been released by Iraqi kidnappers.

Lozano, a soldier in the US army's 69th infantry regiment, will almost certainly be tried in absentia as he has already been exonerated by the US.

Just about every American soldier who has gotten into trouble in Iraq has been exonerated by the Pentagon. It's a bit like Bush. Neither Bush nor anyone who works for him can ever make a mistake.

Meanwhile, our reputation abroad continues to suffer.