Those left-wing, pinko-liberals will tell you that Italy’s military presence in Iraq [about 3,150 personnel] is part of an illegal occupation force. They’ll tell you that it’s all about oil, or somesuch [the Italians just happen to be based in the Nassiriyah area, securing an area with a gigantic oil field for which the Italian government secured a deal in 1997].
They just don’t listen though, these pinkos. The Italian force in Iraq is there to support peace and democracy, and is a humanitarian force [which according to figures from the Iraq Body Count has killed at least 24 civilians]. Confirmation of this has come in the unexpected guise of the budget figures for the operation.
The operation has thus far cost the Italian tax payers an estimated