You will be OK as long as you don't travel with budman.
Most Italians assume the killing was simply due to US incompetence and will be OK with you.
If like budman you say it was actually deserved due to commie connections you will not be well accepted.
They regard the dead man as a hero not a commie subversive & their patience is not infinite.

No-one on this board can answer your question. Only the Pentagon can.

An Italian doing his job was killed by Americans. There are two versions - as almost always happens at roadblock killings. At present, the Italian government believes the killing was the result of American incompetence, not cavalier driving (and not American malevolence), and is making its views public. The Italian Foreign Secretary is not some knee-jerk anti-American: he's a serious politician who believes the US army isn't telling the full truth.

If - as armies have an unfortunate habit of doing - the US army looks as if it's covering up incompetence, Italians will be angry. Indeed, some will even conclude the car was deliberately targetted.

If the US army convinces Italians it wasn't the soldier's fault, or that it was and they've punished him, Italians will accept that these things happen. Most Italians have no vested interest in harbouring grudges against anyone.

But if many more Americans are foolish enough to assume blindly their army's telling the truth, or are so devoid of morality as to argue it's fine to shoot at writers on left-wing newspapers, expect even more Italians to believe not just in the incompetence theory, but in the malevolence one.

The US army has a major PR job on its hands. It's up it it to win over the people of Italy.

Wrong, zippo!!! I did NOT say she deserved it because she was a commie. What I was insinuating is that her "version" of the story is suspect because she is clearly anti-American. First of all, she was probably in the back seat and had no clue what was going on until shots were fired, and then was clueless.

You can travel with me any time, zippo. I want you to feel secure. ((a))

Actually, if you keep politics out of travel, you'll be just fine. ((b))

If you want a little light rather than heat
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4325253.stm
has both versions of events.

It interesting that Ms Sgrena's version of events is supported by her driver.

Btw, Corriere della Sera is reporting that the kidnappers claim they received no ransom: http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/E...8/sgrena.shtml

Italians well understand that visitors to Italy are not in lockstep with the current administration. I have had some of my best visits at times when they were very disappointed in the U.S. The day Ronald Reagan was elected President (yes, I know it's verboten to say anything bad about Reagan these days), the son of the people running the pensione where I was staying in Rome brought me a newspaper at breakfast, reporting that the Americans had elected Howdy Doody. We spent a long time commiserating on U.S. politics over cappuccino and toast.

Flanneruk, well said.

I read Ms. Sgrena's version and didn't feel like she was anti-American. To discount her account is fool hardy.

And BTilke...I would be absolutely terrified!

Cheers,
Jan

OH, the BBC? Now there's an objective news source. ((a)) ((b))

Although I've found in the past few years that the Italians generally separate the policies of the US gov't from American tourists, this incident and the response has a different feeling to it. The majority of Italians have been against the war from the start--and this is probably the beginning of the end of their involvement in it. Regarding the facts of the incident: First of all, just on general principle, who believes any explanation put out by the military? And I mean the military of any country under any kind of leader. Did we learn nothing from Vietnam? The first casualty of war is the truth. As stories in the NY Times and Washinton Post yesterday showed, these checkpoint killings happen all the time to ordinary Iraqis, it's only because a westerner was killed that it's getting such media attention.

I don't want to argue with somebody who uses naff icons, but publishing two conflicting versions of a story and giving them equal space looks pretty objective to me.

Her article states: "They told me that we were less than a kilometre away... when... I only remember fire."

Who knows what she actually remembers? Enough said. ((b))

If someone chooses to signal you out for being an American under the assumption that you as an individual are responsible for the policies of your government, than I might suggest to them that their logic is the same one used by a terrorist to justify their attacks on civilian targets.

If someone chooses to be a fool and use you as their vehicle to disagree with the US, than I'd say they are a person not worthy of your time.

It's just a terrible terrible thing..all of it. There has been a suggestion that there was a lack of communication between the Italian government and our armed forces, that somehow we should have been notified that they were traveling to the airport. Car bombs and suicide bombers seem to be the weapon of choice in Iraq these days so a car that won't stop heading toward you at high speed would seem to create some alarm. I watched the documentary on PBS last week..stories from soldiers who had served in Iraq and one relayed an incident where he shot an Iraqi woman. She didn't answer them, she didn't stop, just kept walking toward them and finally they shot her and as she went down she was reaching into her bag for something and they found it to be a white flag. This young man is devistated forever but at the same time, a few days before he had picked up various body parts and put them in a bag. These were body parts from half of his squadron. This was the result of a suicide bomber. These people don't drive military vehicles, they aren't wearing uniforms, unless they are impersonating policemen. Iraq is a dangerous place for everyone and I pray for them all every day.

I don't think that this recent development will cause any anti-Americanism. In europe people tend to recognize that there is a major difference between the american public, and what we think, and the american government(i.e.Bush.)
In all my time traveling- Even in Paris-I have never met any anti-american sentimets. Yes there are people who disagree with Bush and politics, but they usually seperate their political views from their view of individual citizens.

Factually, it seems that there was no roadblock. The soldiers involved were on patrol. Most likely the Italians, in their elation, were in a hurry and didn't take extra pains to tell the Americans what they were about.

Her accusation that it was intentional on the part of the Americans, though troubling, is probably her grief talking.

In perspective, this incident is not as bad as the American "Top Gun" plane clipping the ski cable. That wasn't a "war zone," and the Americans got off with a slap on the wrist after twenty people died. And nervous kids under pressure can do a lot of damage -- remember the Vincennes?

I wouldn't worry about the Italians confusing the (American) Government with the citizenry. They live with their own version of it.

How would anyone know you were an American whilst you were on holiday in Italy? You would have to either tell them, or wear an American flag draped across your body.

Having travelled all over the world, it is my experience that no one knows where I am from. People have asked me if I am German, American, Canadian, English, South African, Danish, etc.

Can you tell where someone is from just by looking at them? Even hearing someone speak English doesn't identify what country they are from, as English has become the "universal language."

Some of you are as daft as a brush.

Giulia,

I understand your concerns as I have heard many, many people voice similiar concerns about things like this before. However, please rest assure that the Italians will not treat you any differently as a result of this tradgedy.

You could come across an Italian with a negative attitude toward you, as you could come across someone with a negative attitude towards you from any place in the world. France, Germany, Spain, even your neck of the woods in the United States. However, it is highly unlikely that the reason would be because of the Giuliana Sgrena case. It's highly unlikely that you will even experience it at all. Italian's are the friendliest and most loving people in the world. I've never felt threatened in Italy at any time regardless of what was going on with U.S. politics. I know that the Italians are smart enough to figure out that we have nothing to do with some of the ill thought out decisions that this government makes.

I myself am Italian, so perhaps this is a big reason that I dont feel the threat that some other American's do, but there really is nothing to worry about. I was born here in the United States, however, both of my parents were born in Italy, so I have a ton of family and friends there and can tell you that they dont hold any harsh views towards Americans. Sure there are the stereotypes about Americans, and quite honestly we havent done a whole heck of a lot to avoid them. Americans can do quite a job of making a bed reputation for themselves, but the Italians realize that some does not equal all.

Im sure you will come across many Italians who are more than interested in picking your brain about whats going on here and who want to talk about political issues with you, but I doubt you'll feel threatened by it. It's a topic of interest to them and they'll just want to chat with you to get a better understanding and get your views as someone who lives in America. There is absolutely nothing to worry about. And as an Italian yourself, even as an Italian American, you should especially not worry. My Italian friends and family look at me no different because I was born in America. The same as they dont put me on a pedestal for being a full blooded Italian. They look at the person.

Wow, lots of responses. I thought about it last night after I posted and I realized that I probably spurred a very ugly political debate when I really wasn't meaning to, I REALLY, TRULY was looking for advice on travel in Italy at this time.

I’d like to start by saying that I post to Fodor's because I believe that the people on the forum are savvier than the average traveler and have valuable and intelligent advice to offer about travel. Although I genuinely appreciate all of the opinions that have been offered (both the helpful and the rude ones alike) I'm disappointed that the good people on this forum that I have so much faith in, would make me feel silly for asking such a question when it is my opinion that it is indeed a legitimate one.

My goodness someone actually said that we were all daft???? Was that really necessary? Although I don't understand the backlash toward me for asking, I am an adult and I can appreciate that politics are difficult to discuss without someone getting angry, so I'm understanding of that.

SPYGIRL, SLOJAN, & ITALIANISSIMA and all the others who gracefully made there point without hostility... Thank you for your well thought and sensitively written responses, this was the type of peaceful discussion I was hoping for.

I think I will stick to posting about favorite travel spots and leave the politics to someone else, I've certainly learned my lesson here. :-)

PS* In response to the poster (I believe the one who said we were all daft) that said that a person’s country of residence can’t be identified unless they announce it or wear a flag, I beg to differ. I can pick out an American in Italy, even if they speak fluent Italian or never utter a word.

My sister in law lives in Rome, and without any doubt there is ALOT of rumbling going on. She actually e mailed me asking me what was going on over here! You would think that we would have taken the proper precautions so this never would of happened, but there is a definate anti US vibe right now.

And, darling, I can spot a troll even after two gin martinis and an animal tranquilizer.

I feel the same way Thin G.. and I am drinking a good Cappuccino.