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Last of Italian troops return from Iraq to Rome

Submitted by davidswanson on Sat, 2006-12-02 20:04.

By Associated Press

ROME: The last of Italy's troops in Iraq returned to Rome on Saturday, a few weeks earlier than the date promised by Italian Premier Romano Prodi.

An Italian air force jet brought back the few soldiers of what was once a 3,000-troop mission. Italy at one point was Washington's second largest coalition partner in Iraq, after Britain, during reconstruction efforts after Saddam Hussein was ousted.

Prodi's successful campaign to win the premiership last spring included a pledge to bring Italy's troops home from Iraq by the end of the year. His election rival, Silvio Berlusconi, had already begun withdrawing troops before he left office.

Berlusconi sent the troops in 2003 despite fierce domestic opposition to the war in Iraq because he was a staunch ally of U.S. President George W. Bush.

"We were able to speed up the timetable of withdrawal by three weeks thanks to the capability and professionalism of our army," Prodi said at a small ceremony at Ciampino airport in Rome.

Defense Minister Arturo Parisi handed the premier the Italian flag from the 3 1-2 yearlong mission, and Prodi bowed his head as a sign of respect as he took the folded, red-white-and-green cloth.

Italy formally handed over security responsibility for Dhi Qar province to Iraqi forces in late September.

Prodi said that Italian troops had been training Iraqi soldiers "to defend democracy."

"They are testimony that what Italy did (in Iraq) was not occupation but assistance for a people searching for their future," said the premier.

Italy's Defense Ministry has reported 35 Italian deaths in Iraq, including 19 killed in a suicide bombing of the main Italian military barracks on Nov. 12, 2003.

In separate comments about Iraq, Prodi told a conference in Rome that it was important to involve Iran and Syria in efforts aimed at preventing the country "from becoming a failed state that can destabilize the region."

"It is hoped that whatever decision the United States makes on Iraq does not produce a situation that can be considered a victory" by terrorists, Prodi said.

He told the conference he expressed his views to James A. Baker III, a prominent Republican and former U.S. Secretary of State who is one of the heads of a bipartisan commission on Iraq. The congressionally chartered commission's recommendations are due next week.

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