Italy's prime minister Silvio Berlusconi called today for a "transition strategy" in Afghanistan, hours after suggesting that Nato forces should "get out soon" following the death of six Italian troops in a bomb blastç Guardian reported.
Berlusconi said on Thursday that "we are convinced it's best for everybody to get out soon" after Italian forces suffered their deadliest attack in Afghanistan to date.
Today, he sought to qualify his remarks, saying international allies must come up with a "transition strategy in order to charge the new government with more responsibility". He said the shift of security duties to the Afghan forces would go hand-in-hand with a decrease in international troops.
Italy has about 2,800 soldiers in Afghanistan. Thursday's victims, part of a contingent deployed in Kabul, bring to 20 the number of Italian troops who have died in Afghanistan, according to the defence ministry.
Comments from the conservative premier and some of his allies in government appeared to show some political confusion over what effect the attack will have on Italy's staunch commitment to helping the US militarily in Afghanistan.
Italy's defence minister, Ignazio La Russa, said early in the day that the "cowardly" attack in the Afghan capital would not affect Italy's commitment. But later on Thursday he indicated the role of Italy's mission would be reviewed.
And a key coalition partner in Berlusconi's government said he hoped Italy's troops could leave within three months.
"I hope that at Christmas all can return home," Umberto Bossi, the minister for institutional reforms, told reporters in northern Italy.
A poll for Corriere della Sera newspaper conducted last week before the bomb attack found that 58% of people wanted the troops out and 40% believed the mission had become "a war operation".
Italy's commitment to the US-led war in Iraq wavered after 19 troops were killed there in a single attack in 2003. It then pulled out of the Iraq mission completely in 2006.
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