Calls grow for Italian troops to quit Iraq

ROME, May 11 (Reuters) - Opposition leaders pressed Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Tuesday to withdraw Italian troops from Iraq following a prisoner abuse scandal that has rocked the U.S. and British governments.

Berlusconi is due to meet U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington next week and centre-left opponents said he should use the visit to demand publicly the resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

"Our troops shouldn't stay a week more if the prime minister does not get Bush to sack Rumsfeld," said Francesco Rutelli, a close ally of Berlusconi's long-standing rival, European Commission President Romano Prodi.

"If our country wants to have a crumb of international credibility and dignity it has to make an official request for the dismissal of (Rumsfeld)," the centre-left leader said in an interview with la Repubblica newspaper.

Bush gave his defence secretary resounding support on Monday and Rumsfeld himself has made clear he will not quit despite evidence of abuse of Iraqi detainees by U.S soldiers that has enraged the Arab world and embarrassed Washington's allies.

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L11582144.htm

I doubt that Berlusconi will publically call for Rummy's head when he's here

but this may give Bushie the out he needs to dump Rummy.

I hope the Italians send Berlusconi packing too!

will back Bush 100%.