Italian Troops Leave for Leading Role in Lebanon

[JLB]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-mideast-italy.html?hp&ex=1156910400&en=98a587953ffe1f94&ei=5094&partner=homepage

ABOARD THE GARIBALDI (Reuters) - The first 800 troops of an Italian contingent in a major U.N. peacekeeping force for Lebanon set sail on Tuesday on a mission that Rome warned would be ``long and risky.''

[SpikedLemonade]

We just have to remember to keep the short less evolved Southern Italians in the front of our froces so that the more important Northern Italians don't get shot at.

Call it -- Sub-Human Shields.

[rob on the job]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-mideast-italy.html?hp&ex=1156910400&en=98a587953ffe1f94&ei=5094&partner=homepage

ABOARD THE GARIBALDI (Reuters) - The first 800 troops of an Italian contingent in a major U.N. peacekeeping force for Lebanon set sail on Tuesday on a mission that Rome warned would be ``long and risky.''

I hope someone gave them the right directions.

The Romans pulled out of the Levant seventeen centuries ago, you know.

BTW, the last time they were there, this was how the Romans dealt with terrorists:

http://www.corazones.org/jesus/z_crucifixion.jpg

[JLB]

I hope someone gave them the right directions.

The Romans pulled out of the Levant seventeen centuries ago, you know.

BTW, the last time they were there, this was how the Romans dealt with terrorists:

http://www.corazones.org/jesus/z_crucifixion.jpg

Who's side weren't they on in WWII?

[JoetheDictator]

If you think the Frenchies have a terrible war record in modern history, just look at the Italian lack of finesse.

In the wars where Napoleon rose to prominence after the revolution the French wooped Italian, and I mean Northern and Southern, Italian ass.

Then there is WWI. Caporetto anyone? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Battle_of_the_Isonzo

Which was part of the much longer Isonzo campaigns. The battles of Vittorio Veneto and Piave were against an Austrian force that was the worst army in the world in WWI. Keep in mind that the Russians never lost against Austria in battle and only German intervention kept the Austrians from falling to Russian forces and we all know how bad the Russians were in that war.Then there is the Italian campaign in Ethiopia in 1896. Yet more egg on the Italian war record. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Adowa. In the 1930s they again got stomped on by the Ethiopians and had to resort to using mustard gas, banned by the Geneva protocols, to win. Yet another bad mark on Italy's record. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Italo-Abyssinian_War. Then there is the major bungling by Mussolini in WWII where a modern Italian navy was owned by the UK. A poorly armed Greek force was able to drive the Italians out of their homeland and it took the Wehrmacht to beat the Greeks. Then there is the North African campaign where Rommel was made famous bailing out the ultra incompetent strategy of the Italian Army. They just aren't a good army. Now this doesn't mean that they have never had good commanders. Douhet for instance was a visionary who had a major impact on the development of strategic airpower. Diaz of WWI was also pretty decent, but overall the Italian military is inept.

[JLB]

If you think the Frenchies have a terrible war record in modern history, just look at the Italian lack of finesse.

In the wars where Napoleon rose to prominence after the revolution the French wooped Italian, and I mean Northern and Southern, Italian ass.

Then there is WWI. Caporetto anyone? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Battle_of_the_Isonzo

Which was part of the much longer Isonzo campaigns. The battles of Vittorio Veneto and Piave were against an Austrian force that was the worst army in the world in WWI. Keep in mind that the Russians never lost against Austria in battle and only German intervention kept the Austrians from falling to Russian forces and we all know how bad the Russians were in that war.Then there is the Italian campaign in Ethiopia in 1896. Yet more egg on the Italian war record. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Adowa. In the 1930s they again got stomped on by the Ethiopians and had to resort to using mustard gas, banned by the Geneva protocols, to win. Yet another bad mark on Italy's record. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Italo-Abyssinian_War. Then there is the major bungling by Mussolini in WWII where a modern Italian navy was owned by the UK. A poorly armed Greek force was able to drive the Italians out of their homeland and it took the Wehrmacht to beat the Greeks. Then there is the North African campaign where Rommel was made famous bailing out the ultra incompetent strategy of the Italian Army. They just aren't a good army. Now this doesn't mean that they have never had good commanders. Douhet for instance was a visionary who had a major impact on the development of strategic airpower. Diaz of WWI was also pretty decent, but overall the Italian military is inept.

That's a hell of alot to read thanks Gibby Great Post!!