IRAQ: FASSINO, Italy Cannot be Torturers' Accomplice

[Robbien]

(AGI) - Rome, Italy, May 11 – The “outrageous severity” of the news on the torture inflicted by Anglo-American troops on Iraqi citizens has completely changed the scenario of the military action: At this point it is “unrealistic to discuss the June 30 expiry, there’s no need to wait for that date… We need an immediate act of discontinuity” said DS party secretary Piero Fassino intervening at a convention on the reform of the secret services promoted by the Quercia. Fassino vehemently attacked the decision to use torture in Iraq and as a consequence the lax attitude of the Italian government. He repeated his request to the Prime Minister to refer to parliament on the Iraqi crisis before his trip to America planned for May 19 ("what the heck is Berlusconi going to tell Bush when he’s his most faithful ally”). Fassino is convinced that the use of torture “removes any credibility remaining for the military action and casts a sinister shadow not only on the US but on the whole of the West with images which will be impressed in the memory of future Arab generations. The most serious thing,” he underlined, “was that torture was chosen as a method, applied after training and instruction based on texts which defy an UN principle”. Fassino asked the government to be “less superficial and less reticent ” on the tortures”. In other words, he can’t get away with saying that he didn’t know anything about it because “It we are such Cinderellas it would have been better not to go to Iraq in the first place". Therefore for Fassino the government has to say whether or not it knew of the “detention conditions”. Also because “the only thing which Italy cannot afford is to be an accomplice to countries which practice torture... We want to be allied to a great democracy". (AGI) .
111949 MAG 04

http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200405111949-1258-RT1-CRO-0-NF11&page=0&id=agionline-eng.oggitalia

[LittleApple81]

1. Great. About time. n/t

[Shadder]

2. Freepers should love this...

Just think of all the new product names that can come up with.

[jayfish]

10. Freepers Are... Well, How Can I Put This?

DUMB. They don't think we need allies for anything. They believe that the US would win a conventional war against the rest of the world. They will get us all killed, or worse interned, at the rate they are going.

Jay

[PaDUer]

11. You don't see them

hauling ass down to the recruiting station, do you?! They're scumbags pure and simple! When are they going to wake up!

[Judi Lynn]

3. You'd think they would like to break the bad spell on them

since July, 2001, when the Genoa police chose to shoot and kill a protester at the G-8 Summit _Bush attended on his remarkable trip in which he was protested EVERYWHERE he went in Europe.

(You may recall the only people who harassed Bill Clinton on his trips abroad were our own "lib'rul" media guys.)

So glad to hear they are thinking of making a clean break. Very decent.

[Jim Sagle]

4. Spaghetti = freedom noodles.

[NNN0LHI]

5. They remember what happened to Mussolini and his crew

[Zhade]

6. Pardon my ignorance, but who is Fassino?

Is his party in power, or is he in the opposition party?

[paulk]

8. member of opposition party

known as DEMOCRATICI SINISTRA (democratics of the left) One of the reincarnations of the former Italian Communist Party. Fassino was former leader of the young communists (I think).

One of the good guys.

[Zhade]

9. Thanks for the info!

NT!

[eeyore]

7. Freedom Greyhounds!

EVILDOER!

[xchrom]

13. oh god is that cute!

[maxsolomon]

12. berlusconi doesn't care what you think.

he IS the media in italy, so this has the impact of fluffy bunnies.