The war in Libya has been extremely controversial for a number of NATO member nations, and US officials have taken to task a number of nations, including Germany and Poland, which outright refused to participate. But the opposition appears to be growing.
Now it is a key participant in hostilities, Italy, which is withdrawing from the war. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini cited recent NATO air strikes around Tripoli killing large numbers of civilians and called for an immediate end to the war and a creation of corridors to allow humanitarian aid into the nation.
Which sparked angry condemnation from a number of officials, who are really sold on the three month old war’s continuation. NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, though not addressing Italy specifically, vowed the war would continue.
French Foreign Ministry officials were more directly hostile to Frattini’s call, as France has been the most outspoken advocate of the conflict. They condemned the call for humanitarian aid as a “sign of weakness” and insisted two weeks ago everyone was “unanimous” in their agreement for escalation and that it must continue.
Though the war can and will certainly continue without Italy’s direct involvement, many of the attacks are being launched from Italian soil. If the Italian government is serious about ending the conflict, they could make its continuation extremely inconvenient for the rest of the alliance by expelling them from southern airfields.
So now humanitarian aid as a “sign of weakness"! How sick the rich have become!
That statement was particularly amazing in regards to the fact that it the war was begun on supposedly "humanitarian" grounds eg, protecting civilians. These NATO thugs have grown so cynical and bold they're not even paying attention to their own propaganda stream.
It is interest to watch NATO implode during this wrongful attack on Libya. NATO is a useless organization that Bush liked to use because he could not get the United Nations to back his aggression. NATO being the old colonial powers basically will go along with anything the USA states because it has to be commanded by an American general and he will do as the president orders. NATO has during this mess showed how unprepared that they are to defend Europe. It is a good thing that Russia is a shell of its former self but then again looking at the clown operation NATO has presented in Libya a clown operation might be more than enought to take on Europe. Shame on NATO and it really should just close shop and disappear. We have no probelm starting wars so their is no reason to use NATO to avoid the term war. HOw much cleaner NATO operation sound than we are bombing the woman and children of libya for the oil interests.
and cliton before bush
The Italians are not going to go so far as to deny their airfields to NATO. I don't mean to be mean, but they lack the nerve to do real history. After all Italy and and the Roman Empire
are two completely different things, or let's remember Italy's performance during WWII.
Or how about its performance in WW1 where it sustained over a million casualties in eleven battles of the Isonzo, fighting in some of the most forbidding terrain in the world. As far as WW2, Italy didn't have a chip on its shoulder, like Germany did, since it was on the winning side of the vindictive and unworkable Versailles treaty. Are you saying you wish Italy had fought harder in WW2 and that more British and Americans had died?
yes i wish more british bastards had dies than russian -the british started world war two and one.
Being western -I suppose American or British- you obviously defend your point of view and the understanding of history that your governments eventually imposed. I am no western, so I fortunately do not have such restrictions. I definitely think Italians fared very badly not only during WWII but their campaign in Ethiopia is not a model to be taught in any military academy. Despite the great difference in capabilities, it took Italian forces a long time to conquer a people whose soldiers, in great part, had only spears. On top of that, the Italians used mustard gas on both military formations and civilians contravening the Geneva conventions.
"If the Italian government is serious about ending the conflict, they could make its continuation extremely inconvenient for the rest of the alliance by expelling them from southern airfields".
If that happens.., then the French Mafia and English Nationalist- Mafia would start a military coup d’état against Italian mafia. But I like it.., perhaps is the end of NATO militarism regime as we know it.
Hey, now that's a great idea!!! "If the Italian government is serious about ending the conflict, they could make its continuation extremely inconvenient for the rest of the alliance by expelling them from southern airfields."
The French are trying to use a playground tact. Right or wrong doesn't matter, it's how you look! Oh those fashionista French, it's all about image. I bet Italy's mother wears army boots too!
Tommorow's headline: After massive US pressure Italy changes mind and apologizes to US government.
I just think this is the old formula: in order to get humanitarian aid in, ground troops protection will be needed. There will be again a pressure on UN to provide contingents to protect humanitarians. There will be more "humanitarian" NGOs then those carrying food and shelter. And the first place to send the UN soldiers and humanitarians will be in the most hotly contested areas. This is to insure that they will be shot at, and then NATO will have to intervene with boots on the ground. Or it will be only French soldiers to work with UN soldiers. You can bet your last dollar that the commanders of the UN contingent will be handpicked, just as they were in Ivory Coast, where "UN" and French army decisevly interveened into civil war, surrounded the Presidental Palace, and allowed the contesting presidental candiates army to enter and "arrest" the President. Good model for future "UN" and NATO collaboration. UN entered into arrangements on Iraq, Afghanistan and all other invasions/occupations. It is becoming increasingly untennable for the non-European contries (including Russia) to pretent that they actually matter.
You must remember that every word out of a politician's mouth is a lie. It's not so much that the factual content doesn't sometimes correspond to reality, but rather that political speech is always and foremost intended to influence some audience somewhere, to persuade that audience of something, and to get them thinking and acting in a way that furthers the speaker's political agenda. Maybe the Italian "govt" (ie the political "elite", ie the ruling class) wants the US to do more, maybe the Italians want the French/Italian border re-opened to the African refugees that Gaddafi is unleashing on Europe, maybe the Italians want more money for the clearly vital role of those southern airfields, maybe Burlusconi wants some help with pressuring thel forces assailing him for various legal offences, or maybe Frattini is just seeking the replace Burlusconi as the new Italian "big dog". Whatever the reason, don't take Frattini's words as anything other than the lies they are, and regarding the denial of those air bases to NATO, well,… don't hold your breath.
Italy is being "camped of the saints" and is trying to end it.
France lets the "cat out of the bag"
So the WAR is not about humanitarian relief – Just an exercise in killing Libyans so that Western Nations can get their hands on Libyan OIL
surprise, surprise!
I'm glad Italy is going against the illegal war in Lybia.But thets see if they are just trying to look tike the good guy or will close there airfileds and stick to there guns.Ihope the latter but can't hole my breath.But more nato members need to stand against Lyibia and the other illegal wars conducted by the US.And also Israel illegaly doing everything that could be done against the Geniva convention And huimanitaryian laws with as much US help[ as it could possibly get.THE 2 biggest nukular threats are Isral and the vUS bjust look at Israels Sa,mpson Option and how both countrys government act as 1.They have no bissness vtrying to controll if a country can go nukular when its the only way to feel somewhat safe from an illegal invasion.The US is going to start a nwe varsms race.They with all there tecnoligy can't win agaist China let alone them and Pakistan ,Iran,Syria,North Korea,Afganistan,Iraq,Yeman,Russia and most likely a few more.They can't win period……………………………………….
NATO's frog is a kid in the candy store Belgium is a crappy little country that cound noot raise an arm let alone an army, mighty mouse.
This is a tremendous story if Italy were to press the US politically to back off. And the US Congress blocked funds.
WHO …TF is this Rasputin FOGG ASSHOLE…..??? if ONLY someone would BOMB Denmark so he (they) the Danes could live the death from the sky that they so casually dish out to various Muslim people… The racist BASTARD is a WAR CRIMINAL…!!
Look out Italy and fasten your seatbelts!
You’re not supposed to say ‘no’ to the marauding gangster posse. Expect to first be asked to reconsider, then strong-armed/threatened in a ‘read between the lines’ kind of way. If that doesn’t work the Italians can expect to be on the wrong end of some serious bad luck.
I wish them well, this could ugly in a deadly sense of the word.
Boy, the French have a real hard on for Libya, don't they?
Of course Italy wants to pull out of Italy now–Eni, the largest foreign oil company in Libya–just completed a deal with the National Transitional Council. Of course they don't want any competition! http://nationaltransitionalcouncil.com/2011/05/31…