Azzuri

This week, the Italians got up in our face.

First, after a joint inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of an Italian at a Marine roadblock in Iraq, the U.S. report exonorated the Marines, while the Italians commended their lack of training and poorly executed roadblock. After the joint investigators could not reconcile their reports, the Italian civil authorities announced that they were opening an investigation into the Marine on suspicion of murder.

Second, an Italian magistrate issued European Union arrest warrants for 25 CIA officers suspected of involvement in an "exceptional rendition" operation. There, the CIA kidnapped, abducted, detained, captured or arrested, depending on your version of justification, a suspected terrorist leader off an Italian street and airlifted him from Aviano to Egypt for interrogation.

At first, this offends my notions of sovereignty and the reality of military and covert operation for national security. Then, when I shift the point of view, I am sure that we would be crying out for much more severe reactions from our government if the tables were turned.

I reserved judgment on the merits, but you've got to admire their moxy.