From the newspaper "La Repubblica":

"The High Chamber says yes to Italy at war.
The common declaration [for intervention] has got the green light with 513 votes in favour, 35 contrary and 2 blank ballots."

We did it... it doesen't count how many troops (about 2700) but the fact that a non interventionist country like Italy, for the first time, agreed to go to war.

I know that our readiness is not comparable to the one of USA or France or UK... but a first step has been done. For the first time there will be also women in uniform on the combat zone.

See ya gentlemen

Is it true, during WWII, the only country Italy won a war against was the then tribal country of Ethiopia?

Oh those memories...

... good news [b]PaoloAR15[/b]!
... and perhaps if the Italian military runs short on small arms you can negotiate a loan of some of your fine hardware for them!

Actually, the war against Ethiopia was a disaster, if I recall correctly.  I think things only turned around after German troops arrived.

Italy at that time did not have a modern military.  More importantly, their troops were not well motivated.  Today Italy will make a fine ally.

Will those women be engaged in combat with the enemy, or will they be performing support jobs in the rear?  

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...Italian female rear-ends [moon]

Er, well, Italy did knock over Libya and Albania before. And grabbed a free piece of France and Yugoslavia after the Germans trounced them :)

I'm so proud of my Italian heritage. Rome will live again!

Good news....by the way America loves Beretta shotguns...

To think of it, when was the last time France won one?


Italy is a member of NATO, and since Sept. 11, NATO have invoked Section 5 of the Treaty which meant that an attack on one member is an attack on all NATO members. That means Germany, Turkey, Greece, France, Italy,Uk, Czech, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, plus more, are sending troops to fight in this conflict. Osama have no where to hide.

Paolo,

Forgive me if I offend, but you said you have [b]550[/b] members in your "high" chamber.  We have 435 (maybe, I am sorely lacking in my remembering of my US Gov. classes) in our "low" chamber and 100 in our "high" chamber.

How does anything get done in your country?  Then again, maybe that is a [b]GOOD[/b] thing--we could raise the number of Representatives to 2000 and the senators to 500, and require a 2/3 majority for everything, maybe then the gov.org couldn't mess up our lives quite so much.

Just remember, the Italians did very well in World War I against both the Germans and Austrians.  Most of their fighting was in the mountains and along the river valleys of northeast Italy.

GunLvr

I remember that up to few years ago the Low Chamber had 635 members (BTW, I apologize because I translated "Camera dei Deputati" in High Chamber. This is uncorrect. Parliament is Low Chamber = Deputates, High Chamber = Senators) but has been reduced recently.

Regarding to the Ethiopian campaign, it was a seven months war, we got some defeats similar to Little Big Horn (units surrounded and annihilated) but basically we ruled and won. The WWI we were unprepared at the beginning, but after our Alpini (Mountain Troops) rejected Germany and Austria.

WWII was another affair.

Actually, with the exception of some unit like 1st bn. CC. Paratroops. 9th bn. Paracommandos, Comsubin Navy commandos (equivalent to SEALs), and navy amphibious bn. "San Marco", the level of training and of the equipment is low.
Our assault rifle SC70/90 is a piece of garbage with some serious flaws. To explain you what I mean, I made a comparison with FIAT cars: excellent engines, reliable and performing, but the body of the car is rusting, the electrical plant is giving problem everytime is raining, and the cooling system is leaking. Results: you spend more time to fix than to travel.
Our trainers officer are more worried, for example, during shooting/assault training for the people not to be hurt than to achieve a complessive efficiency that brings to combat readiness.

Italy's going to be a very important ally in future operations after Afghnastan.  Remember, it doesn't end here.  You can bet there's some small office in the damaged Pentegon that's planning the next campagin as we speak.  

Italy is unique and important in several ways.  It's Navy is one of the best suited for operations in the littorals.  Sure enough, most of the potential areas of interest that we'll be engaged in the future are littoral (shallow water close to shore).  As a NATO member, Italy's Navy is already capable of working completely integrated with the US Navy.  It also provides the US Navy with a shallow water capability that the US doesn't have much of.  And it does it immeadiately without having to build ships, train crews and learn the hard way.  Not important right now against a land locked country, but when we start talking about future ops the view changes.

It's strategic location central in the Med has been used by us in the past, and will be no less important in the future.  While Afghanastan is a long way from Italy, North Africa and the Middle East are not.  US paratroopers have been stationed in Italy as part of NATO for decades.  

Sure 2700 troops is not a significant ammount, but in the overall picture Italy is going to be a pretty important friend.

Ross