I know, based on some conversations I have had over the last few days, that a lot of Americans are confused about what happened in Iraq to former hostage Giuliana Sgrena and, maybe more to the point, to Italian intelligence agent Nicola Calipari. I can guarantee you, though, that nobody in Iraq is surprised.

Even when I was there in 2003, the American soldiers were already dangerously jumpy. On our way in to Baghdad, we passed a huge military convoy. Some of the soldiers manning the .50 caliber machine guns on the escort Humvees would take beads on random passing vehicles, I suppose to intimidate us.

At one point, we hired a new driver and had him bring one of us to the Palace. At the entry checkpoint, an American Marine made a gesture with his fist similar to what kids on American highways will make to passing truck drivers to get them to honk their horns. Not understanding what this meant, the driver made to continue until the soldier drew his weapon and began swearing. Apparently this gesture means "stop" to American servicemen; it certainly doesn't mean that to anyone else. (I have related this story to people with military experience who have been equally puzzled.)

A friend of Julie's was in a car that was totalled by a Humvee because it was in the way.

An article in today's Christian Science Monitor confirms that this is still the way of things in Iraq. It is not hard to understand why the soldiers are jumpy, or why they might act this way. But with this kind of thing happening, one can imagine how many accidents happen. If Italy is up in arms, you can imagine how the Iraqis feel.

Is your security enhanced?