I guess we'll agree to disagree. Although there is no passage that specifically instructs the taxpayer (me) where to enter the social security from the other country (Italy), there is no instruction anywhere directing one to enter those payments into a box different than the box for social security. And since the tax treaty refers to those payments as social security from the other country, that's what I'm going to do.
Thank you for digging up further material though, it helped me clarify my rationale. For instance it occurred to me that another rule contained by the Italy-US tax treaty, that real estate property rentals in the other country should not be taxed by the US, is well known among international tax accountants, but is not expressly directed in IRS Pub.527 I used to add rental income from Italy to my 1040 until I was alerted by a tax accountant in Italy that it was exempt thanks to the tax treaty. Now I pay that tax in Italy.
