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Defense Minister Antonio Martino threw Italy's full military support
behind the United States Monday in its response to last week's terrible
terror attacks.
His action
underlined the dramatic pro-Washington swing in recent months Italy,
long considered to be a meek and loyal supporter of the French-led
major continental powers in the European Union against the United
States on a host of issues.
And Martino's
comments also sought to dispel remarks he had made on a radio show
in Italy Sunday which were widely reported as meaning that he would
not allow Italian troops to take part in such operations.
The comments
as reported, or misreported, Sunday, caused a small but brief popular
storm of protest against Italy in the United States, with small
but vocal demonstrations taking place.
That was particularly
ironic as Martino was one of the strongest, consistent pro-U.S.
voices in Italian politics over the past quarter of a century.
But it also
gave sobering notice at a time when emotions are highly charged,
and even light, casual remarks can be misconstrued or taken out
of context.
Martino lost
no time Monday in setting the record straight. He told the British
Broadcasting Corporation and other major news outlets that Italy
would give the United States full military support, and provide
both troops and aircraft for operations if asked. He also, and crucially,
pledged that the United States could rely on the use of Italian
air bases for its operations.
That could
be of extreme importance given Italy's strategic location, bisecting
the 1,000-mile-long Mediterranean Sea like a giant boot kicking
the soccer ball of Sicily.
Martino also
told United Press International he was misquoted concerning his
comments Sunday. He said intelligence would first have to clearly
identify the culprits responsible for last week's terrible attacks.
But, he said, once that was accomplished, Italy's commitment would
be total and absolute.
Martino, 58,
is a leader of the liberal faction of the Forza Italia political
party. He is a longtime ally of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
and served as his foreign minister in a previous government in 1994.
Martino's commitments
come as major European leaders appear divided on how far to support
the United States in the looming crisis.
German President
Johannes Rau said this week he doubted German troops would participate
in any U.S. or U.S.-led armed response. But Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
took some issue with that, "I cannot and do not want to rule
out (German military participation)," he said in comments carried
by the BBC.
And Schroeder's
foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, who ironically was a firebrand
young critic of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War in the 1960s,
said "Not to react would be an invitation to continue (with
more terrorist attacks)."
Spain, like
Italy, is one of the strongest mainstream European voices in favor
of supporting U.S. action. Like Italy, it has pledged unconditional
support. And, like Italy, it has promised the United States full
use of its air bases.
"Spain
will act without any reservations and as an active member of NATO
because we have suffered from terrorism more than anybody,"
said Spanish Defense Minister Federico Trillo.
On a visit
to Spain in June, President George W. Bush pledged U.S. support
for the Spanish government in its own security struggle with the
Basque separatist ETA organization, which has in recent years staged
deadly civilian bombings in Madrid and in the Basque country.
The French
government has continued its consistent policy of opposing the United
States or going out of its way to differ from it on major international
issues
Both French
Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine and Defense Minister Alain Richard
have urged caution on the United States in the use of military action.
However, President
Jacques Chirac, who "cohabits" uneasily with the Socialist
government of Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, is due to visit Washington
Tuesday and is expected by European diplomats to take a stronger
stand in support of the United States.
Copyright 2001
by United Press International.
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