Now Italian soldiers are being counted with American deaths. I don't have a big problem with that. They stood side-by-side with us, took the same risks, and were there to do the same job.
Had I but known yesterday, they'd have been included in the thoughts of those who more usually share rememberence as our allies and partners. And next year, they will be.
Some new songs to learn, some new traditions to learn:
Saluto a voi, soldati Italiani caduti! 
Italian Bersaglieri of the 18th regiment, wearing the distinctive black cockerel-feather plumes on the steel helmet take part in a training session in the White Horse barracks where their ground forces headquarters are located, in the outskirts of the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq (news - web sites), in this July 8, 2003 file photo. According to reports at least 12 Italians were killed - 9 of them believed to be Carabinieri MSU Multinational Specialized Unit military police officers and 3 others of the Italian army - in a bombing at the MSU Nasiriyah base early Wednesday Nov. 12, 2003. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Italy is determined its forces will remain in Iraq (news - web sites) despite an attack on a southern police base in which at least 14 Italians were killed, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said.(AFP/File/Gerard Cerles)
Italy vows its forces will stay in Iraq
ROME (AFP) - Italy is determined its forces will remain in Iraq despite an attack on a southern police base in which at least 14 Italians were killed, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said.
"Our determination is the same as those Italians in uniform, who are honouring the coalition engaged in supporting Iraq on its road to democracy," Berlusconi said, just hours after the attack on the Italian police base in southern Nasiriyah.
"No intimidation will change our desire to help this country to rebuild and form a government, in security and freedom," he added, as the leftwing opposition demanded an immediate withdrawal of Italian troops from Iraq.
Italy was plunged into mourning when a truck closely followed by a car smashed into the entrance of a building housing the paramilitary Carabinieri force in Nasiriyah, killing 11 carabinieri and three soldiers according to the Ansa news agency.
They were the first Italian casualties since they joined the US-led coalition in Iraq in June.
Berlusconi voiced his deep sadness at "the lives cut short by terrorism during a humanitarian and freedom operation to help the Iraqi people and defend stability and security in the Middle East."
Italy has deployed some 2,400 troops alongside the US-led coalition in Iraq, down from the 3,000 initially sent there under the command of British forces.
Berlusconi also said he was "proud of the courage and huamnity with which our troops, and in the first instance the carabinieri, are working to make the situation more bearable for women, children, the elderly and weak who are living in a region which for 34 years was under the tyranny of a foul regime, maintained by terrorism."
But the opposition hit back saying Italian troops should be immediately recalled. "The Italian mission is a mistake. It is not a peace mission, it has been grafted onto an ongoing war," said Fausto Bertinotti, leader of the communist PRC party.
The leader of the PdCI ccommunist party Oliviero Diliberto took an even harder line accusing the government of "sending boys to their deaths."
"We have a non-existent foreign policy, totally subordinated to that of the United States. We must immediately withdraw all troops in a war zone," he said.