Italian minister: Coalition can be cut

[seemslikeadream]

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ROME -- Italy's defense minister said Saturday coalition forces in Iraq can be "gradually" reduced after the January elections if Iraqi troops and police can stabilize the country.

Italy, with some 3,000 troops in Iraq, is one of the biggest contributors to the U.S.-led military contingent there.

"We have an Iraqi government which, after the January elections, will have full democratic legitimacy," Defense Minister Antonio Martino said in an interview on Sky TG24 TV.

Noting that Italian forces helped train Iraqi soldiers and police, Martino added: "If the Iraqis can handle stability by themselves, gradually, first the visibility, then the presence, of the coalition will be reduced." Sky broadcast excerpts of the interview, which will be shown in its entirety on Sunday.

In Hungary, another U.S. ally in the coalition, Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said Saturday he did not believe in pre-emptive war. Gyurcsany, who was elected last month, has vowed to keep his country's troops in Iraq until at least the end of the year.

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http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apmideast_story.asp?category=1107&slug=Iraq%20Italy

[FlemingsGhost]

1. In all honesty, who believes this statement:

"We have an Iraqi government which, after the January elections, will have full democratic legitimacy," Defense Minister Antonio Martino said in an interview on Sky TG24 TV."

Anyone? C'mon ... don't be shy.

(On a related note, anyone know who owns Sky TG24 TV?)

[seemslikeadream]

2. News Corporation

FBC has also forged important strategic alliances with blue-chip international partners that include the International Herald Tribune, RAI, Telecom Italia, Telecinco, Skandia Media Invest, Stream and CNBC; and is a leading provider of content to SKY TG24, the all-news channel part of SKY Italia, the new Italian pay-tv satellite platform (owned by News Corporation).

http://www.fbcmedia.com/en/News/7_30SEP03_PRESS_RELEASE_FASHION_HOUSE_VALENTINO_ENGLISH.pdf

[FlemingsGhost]

3. Try this link:

http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.jsp?query=Italy+%2B+Sky+TG24+TV+%2B+ownership&page=1&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3De23190275a5d05ab%26clickedItemRank%3D2%26userQuery%3DItaly%2B%252B%2BSky%2BTG24%2BTV%2B%252B%2Bownership%26clickedItemURN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.buzzle.com%252Feditorials%252F7-30-2003-43651.asp%26invocationType%3D-%26fromPage%3DNSCPTop%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzle.com%2Feditorials%2F7-30-2003-43651.asp

[seemslikeadream]

5. Of course, who else!

[mbperrin]

4. Ooooops! Looks like we're about to forget

Italy!