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Italian FM says troops will leave Iraq by end of year
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Italy announced its intention on Wednesday to pull out all its troops by the end of the year, an action that further reduces the number of international troops supporting the United States in Iraq. Italian Foreign Minister Massimo DAlema said Italy would begin reducing the number of Italian troops in Iraq this month and the Italian military presence in Iraq will end by the end of the year.| My sprize meter wriggled a bit. I thought for sure they'd gone within days of Prodi's election. |
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Iraqis would be ready to take over responsibility for the southeastern area where the Italians are based. This withdrawal will not begin suddenly but it will be gradual, he said during a joint news conference at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. We have a security plan to transfer the security tasks from the Italian forces to the Iraqi forces starting end of this month.
| Thanks for the help, and wish you'd stay til the end. Your troops deserve the honor of finishing what they started. |
Posted by: Steve White 2006-06-08 |
