Tears for fallen Carabinieri
2003-11-13 12:56
Rome - A shaken nation mourned 19 Italians killed in Iraq in Italy's single worst military loss since World War II as a political storm brewed over the nation's policy in Iraq.
Premier Silvio Berlusconi - who supported the US-led war, despite the opposition of most of his people - told parliament after the suicide bombing on Wednesday at an Italian compound in southern Iraq that "political bickering should go silent".
His opponents largely respected that wish on Wednesday, but warned that it wouldn't last.
"Today isn't the time for a critical reflection," centre-left opposition leader Francesco Rutelli said. "That will have to be done in the coming days, considering the Italian presence, the purpose of the mission, the need for a UN command, and to not leave Iraq at the mercy of terrorism."
Before the war, opinion polls showed that a majority of Italians opposed the conflict. Still, the conservative Berlusconi established himself as one of US President George W Bush's closest allies in Europe.
Italy did not send combat troops, instead dispatching a 2 500-strong contingent to help rebuild the country after Saddam Hussein's regime fell. After Italian troops arrived in June, the divisive issue of the Iraq war drifted somewhat to the background in Italy.
That was certain to change after Wednesday's attack.
An explosive-laden truck approached a building at the Italian compound in the southern city of Nasiriyah early Wednesday. Guards returned fire, but the vehicle exploded. Twelve Italian Carabinieri paramilitary police were killed, along with four army soldiers, two civilians, a documentary filmmaker, and at least nine Iraqis.
The tragedy drew condolences nationwide.
The green-white-and-red flag rippled at half mast across the country. Parliament held a minute of silence. The Italian soccer team wore black armbands during a match in Poland.
Among the most moving tributes were condolence calls that flooded in to Carabinieri stations and were broadcast on state-run television.
A poll conducted after the attack had Italians divided over whether Italy and the other coalition members should leave Iraq, with 44 percent saying yes and 44 percent saying no. The poll, carried out by Abacus pollsters for the apcom news agency, consulted 818 people on Wednesday and had a margin of error of about 4 percent.
The catastrophe came despite Italy's determination since World War II to avoid the sort of military disasters suffered under Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Today, few Italians consider their military a fierce fighting force, and the country has recast its armed forces overseas as peacekeepers.
The last time Italy suffered military losses near this level was more than 40 years ago, when 13 Italian airmen were killed in Congo in 1961 during an aid operation. Italy also lost two aircraft in separate incidents in the former Yugoslavia, leaving four dead on each occasion.
- AP