Thousands in Italy protest larger U.S. troop presence (anyone here read Italian?)

Italians gathered by the thousands Saturday to protest a larger U.S. presence in this northern Italy city and generally decry the foreign policies of U.S. and Italian governments.

Police, gathered from cities around northern Italy to face feared violence, estimated about 27,000 protesters came to Vicenza via train and bus to participate. Organizers said they had about twice that many people in the streets, and the Associated Press quoted police estimates of the total number of demonstrators at between 50,000 and 80,000.

The main impetus for the protest was the decision by Italian Prime Minister Roman Prodi to permit the United States to use the Italian air base at Dal Molin in Vicenza. Protesters planned to march around downtown in a circle that took them by the air base.


A protester holds up signs in both Italian and English during a protest Saturday in downtown Vicenza, Italy, against the expansion of the U.S. presence in the city and Italian and American foreign policies.

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=43662




Female protesters chanting "Vicenza is mine. I administer it" (in Italian) carry a sign in downtown Vicenza, Italy, before the start of a large march around the city protesting the U.S. use of the Dal Molin airfield.

Anybody noticing an increase in the movement of military hardware across the country?

The plan was approved when Berlusconi was in office. When he got kicked out, Prodi said he would review the plan first. The vote within the city council was to allow expansion (by a narrow margin). There was an attempt to have a popular referendum, but that plan was defeated by one vote.

This article is a good explanation of what's going on:

http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2007-02-16_11661481.html

I miss being in Europe where smaller cars like this are normal.

It's done well since BMW took over.



Americans here are trying to unload their SUVs so they can buy the smaller cars.

VICENZA, Italy (AFP) - Tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated in Vicenza, Italy, against the planned expansion of a US military base, an issue which has split Italy's centre-left government.

The march, which drew more than 100,000 people from all over Italy, according to the organisers, and at least 40,000 according to police, passed off peacefully despite official warnings that "extremists" might foment violence.

The marchers encircled the picturesque city, swirling the red flag of the Refoundation Communist party, the rainbow flag of the pacifist movement, and the environmentalists' green standard, as police helicopters hovered overhead.

http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/070217205147.cwdi9tk5.html

I saw this earlier to day... It looks like Buschco is coming home to roost....

I defend America, Bush wastes and damages it.

Only Bush could appoint an ambassador whose name means 'spoil' in the native tongue.

interesting

is safer kind of thing, although I do take your point.

Italy is America's ally dont forget.

If all the allies put friendly pressure on the US instead of enabling the madman maybe we would all be safer.

because I have been a part of two Defense Ministers' protests consecutive years in Munich, protesting Rumsfeld, and the back of my T-shirt, and my signs, were in German.

I'm impressed.