News & Politics - Italy pulling out of Iraq

TokyoNiGHTS · 03-15-2005, 07:36 PM

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Italy’s prime minister announced plans Tuesday to start drawing down his country’s 3,000-strong contingent in Iraq in September, putting a fresh crack in President Bush’s crumbling coalition. Bulgaria also called for a partial withdrawal, and Ukraine welcomed home its first wave of returning troops.

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Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who confirmed he would seek re-election next year, alluded to the rising public discontent and said he had spoken with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, another strong Washington ally. “We need to construct a precise exit strategy, also because our publics’ opinions expect this communication and we agree to talk about it soon.”

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Thirty-eight countries have provided troops in Iraq at one point or another. But 14 nations have permanently withdrawn since the March 2003 invasion, and today’s coalition stands at 24. Excluding U.S. forces, there are 22,750 foreign soldiers still in Iraq.

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Poland, which has command responsibility for a large swath of central Iraq, plans to withdraw several hundred of its 1,700 soldiers in July and hopes to pull out completely by year’s end or early in 2006.

Among the nations that withdrew last year were Spain, which pulled out 1,300 soldiers; Tonga, 44; New Zealand, 60; Thailand, 423; the Philippines, 51; Honduras, 370; the Dominican Republic, 302; Singapore, 160; Nicaragua, 115; and Hungary, 300. Norway withdrew 150 troops but left 16 liaison officers.

Last month, Portugal withdrew its 127 soldiers, and Moldova pulled out its 12.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7193188/

I think most were expecting them to pull out, but it came alot faster than i'd expected.

**sum1** · 03-15-2005, 07:51 PM

Selfish cowardice.

Enigma, I.C. · 03-15-2005, 08:21 PM

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Originally Posted by sum1

Selfish cowardice.

Italy must hate America and freedom®.

**sum1** · 03-15-2005, 09:01 PM

*Ledi* · 03-15-2005, 10:18 PM

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Originally Posted by Enigma, I.C.

Italy must hate America and freedom®.

Like totally.

LittleMilkJug · 03-16-2005, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sum1

Selfish cowardice.

Nobody is stopping you joining up and going to Iraq, send us a postcard wont you?

ceilirose · 03-16-2005, 02:57 AM

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Originally Posted by Enigma, I.C.

Italy must hate America and freedom®.

LOL..has America copyrighted freedom now?

Anabela · 03-16-2005, 03:04 AM

Berlusconi wants to be reelected. Of course he had to pull the troops out of Iraq. Italian public opinion is strongly against the ocupation of Iraq, with all that recently happened (the killing of an italian by american soldiers, for instance). It's only logical. But I have to confess I didn't expect this to be announced this soon.

**sum1** · 03-16-2005, 03:30 AM

TokyoNiGHTS · 03-16-2005, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sum1

Selfish cowardice.

THey, much like us, never should've been there in the first place. Some thumbs up for them for finnaly realising this and bailing out.

Lain · 03-16-2005, 05:52 AM

I wonder if they're gonna rename Italian Sausage to Freedom Sausage. I mean, look what happened when France didn't agree with America. French Fries went to Freedom Fries.

Vampires_Bite · 03-16-2005, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sum1

Selfish cowardice.

How dare they not want any of their soldiers to get killed!!!!

No1important · 03-16-2005, 12:06 PM

I am glad they are pulling out. I wonder if "W" will realize the screw up he did in Iraq. "W" lied about wmb etc. Bush is a war criminal and should be charged as one. But what do you expect from a guy whose family were Bin Laden family friends and "W's" grandpa wasin business with Hitler.

I strongly believe "W" is the third anti-christ. Everything is starting to fit in.

His buddies in Pakistan are starting black market Nuke sales again.

VIENNA (Reuters) - Pakistan has developed new illicit channels to upgrade its nuclear weapons program, despite efforts by the U.N. atomic watchdog to shut down all illegal procurement avenues, diplomats and nuclear experts said.

Western diplomats familiar with an investigation of the nuclear black market by the U.N.'s Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said this news was disturbing.

While Pakistan appeared to be shopping for its own needs, the existence of some nuclear black market channels meant there were still ways for rogue states or terrorist groups to acquire technology that could be used in atomic weapons, they said.

"General procurement efforts (by Pakistan) are going on. It is a determined effort," a diplomat from a member of the 44-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ar_pakistan_dc

In Fair Verona · 03-16-2005, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sum1

Selfish cowardice.

Just because somebody doesn't agree with your thoughts and beliefs doesn't mean it's right to automatically deem them 'wrong' and 'cowardice'. At least they went, this was not their war it was America's and we should be thankful to have had their aid in the first place. It's now time for them to leave. The prime minister's first priority should be his own country, not America.

peacecorps2006 · 03-16-2005, 06:15 PM

It's strange how many countries hate and spite the U.S. for the war in Iraq, but yet they say they feel for the Iraqi people. Their spite and withdrawal from Iraq will only hurt the Iraqis.


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