Italy's Berlusconi visits troops in Iraq

1 posted on 04/10/2004 4:16:54 AM PDT by areafiftyone

To: areafiftyone

I have a lot of respect for someone like him who would go into Iraq right now.

That shows a lot of courage and respect for his solders.

2 posted on 04/10/2004 4:26:39 AM PDT by texasflower (in the event of the rapture.......the Bush White House will be unmanned)

They don't give much in the way of details but I am sure his troops appreciate him going there.

3 posted on 04/10/2004 4:29:11 AM PDT by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)

To: areafiftyone

I'm sure they do. I hope they release photos soon.

4 posted on 04/10/2004 4:32:50 AM PDT by texasflower (in the event of the rapture.......the Bush White House will be unmanned)

To: areafiftyone

Bravo Silvo! What a guy!

5 posted on 04/10/2004 4:33:57 AM PDT by Miss Marple

This has been a nasty week. I was watching Fox and Friends this morning and I had to turn it off. The weekend crew sucks BIG TIME! They are the most negative group and its all tabloid with them. And NO Mention of this story but plenty of negative stories with them.

6 posted on 04/10/2004 4:34:29 AM PDT by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)

To: areafiftyone

How funny! I just did the exact same thing.

I can't hardly stand Julian. His love of Bill Clinton turns me off big time.

Don't even get me started on Ellen!

7 posted on 04/10/2004 4:37:38 AM PDT by texasflower (in the event of the rapture.......the Bush White House will be unmanned)

I loved the caller who bashed Ellen just a few minutes ago. It was great to hear. Fox News has become the anti-Bush station on the weekends. I hate it on the weekends which means I have to turn to CNN or MSNBC which I hate too. We need another station to turn to on the weekends.

8 posted on 04/10/2004 4:39:08 AM PDT by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)

To: areafiftyone

Good to hear. I'm sure his troops loved the surprise!

9 posted on 04/10/2004 4:44:20 AM PDT by Right_in_Virginia

To: areafiftyone

We need Free Republic TV

10 posted on 04/10/2004 4:44:55 AM PDT by Flavius ("... we should reconnoitre assiduosly... " Vegetius)

To: areafiftyone

We must have turned it off pretty close to the same time, because I did hear that caller. I liked it, too.

The weekend is pretty bad. I am a nightowl, so I usually catch up with the Iraq events and then go to bed, which is where I'm heading right now.

If you happen to run across any pictures of Berlusconi's visit, would you mind pinging me?

Tammy

11 posted on 04/10/2004 4:45:32 AM PDT by texasflower (in the event of the rapture.......the Bush White House will be unmanned)

To: areafiftyone; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; TEXOKIE; Alamo-Girl; windchime; Grampa Dave; ...

Whoo hoo for courageous allies!

12 posted on 04/10/2004 4:54:44 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl ("Enemies of freedom are making a desperate stand - and they will be defeated."- Conde Rice, ally.)

To: areafiftyone

Mi piace molto L'Itialiani. Sono amici di America..

13 posted on 04/10/2004 5:06:02 AM PDT by cardinal4 (Terrence Maculiffe-Ariolimax columbianus (hint- its a gastropod.....)

More info just came out on his visit:

NASSIRIYA, Iraq, April 10 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told Italian troops serving in southern Iraq their nation was proud of them when he made a surprise Easter visit to their base on Saturday.

Italian television showed footage of Berlusconi, dressed casually and wearing an Italian military cap, joking and having his picture taken with the troops at their base.

"Well done," Berlusconi told the troops. "I bring you a big hug from all of Italy. We are proud of you."

Berlusconi, who was due to return to Italy later in the day, ate with the troops in their mess and saw the building where 19 Italians were killed by a car bomb last November.

A staunch war ally of U.S. President George W. Bush despite vocal domestic opposition, the conservative premier met Italy's commanding general and Barbara Contini, the interim governor of the Iraqi province of Dhi Qar, which includes Nassiriya.

"He received a briefing from the general, held talks with Contini and then met the troops," Paola della Casa, an official with the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority in the area, told Reuters.

"It was a complete shock for everyone. The troops were astonished to see him, and very glad to receive the visit."

Italian troops were engaged in pitched street battles with Shi'ite militiamen earlier this week after guerrillas loyal to a radical anti-American cleric took control of several key bridges over the Euphrates river in the centre of Nassiriya.

A dozen Italian troops were wounded in hours of fighting. Fifteen Iraqis, including civilians, were killed.

The clashes provoked outcry in Italy, where the government has repeatedly insisted that the 2,700 troops it sent to Iraq are a peacekeeping force rather than combatants.

Until the recent clashes, the Shi'ite-dominated town had been relatively calm.

Many Italians opposed the deployment and there have been demonstrations calling for the troops to be withdrawn.

In Rome, opposition politicians said Berlusconi should have gone to Iraq sooner and renewed their calls for the troops to come home.

Berlusconi said earlier this week the troops would stay: "It is unthinkable to flee the mission we have started. We would leave the country in chaos."

14 posted on 04/10/2004 5:06:10 AM PDT by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)

I will. I just posted an update. Will look for pictures for you. Have a good sleep. :-)

15 posted on 04/10/2004 5:07:11 AM PDT by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)

OHHHH that would be wonderful. We would be the most up to date breaking news program in the world. Freepers are the best! ****SIGH*** It's nice to dream.

16 posted on 04/10/2004 5:08:27 AM PDT by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)

To: areafiftyone

17 posted on 04/10/2004 5:11:57 AM PDT by texasflower (in the event of the rapture.......the Bush White House will be unmanned)

To: areafiftyone; texasflower

Here's a link to an Italian paper's pictures.

Repubblica

Here's a sample.

18 posted on 04/10/2004 5:17:13 AM PDT by csvset

Oh you are terrific. Thank you. WE DO NEED A FREE REPUBLIC TV NEWS STATION!!! :-)

19 posted on 04/10/2004 5:25:17 AM PDT by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)

To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Grazie Mr. Berlusconi!

20 posted on 04/10/2004 5:31:01 AM PDT by F14 Pilot (John Fedayeen Kerry - the Mullahs' regime candidate)

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