Italy sends troops to "long, risky" Lebanon mission

[maddezmom]

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."

The aircraft carrier Garibaldi, flagship of the Italian fleet, met four other Navy ships off the Mediterranean port of Brindisi for an official send-off for the landing force of 803 plus 1,350 sailors and air defense crew taking them to Lebanon.

Italy will eventually send a total of 3,000 troops, making it the biggest contributor to a force authorized by the United Nations to total up to 15,000. Rome has rallied support for the mission among European neighbors worried that the U.N. mandate for the troops was not clear enough.

Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Defense Minister Arturo Parisi were flown aboard the Garibaldi to address the troops.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060829/wl_nm/mideast_italy_dc

[enigma000]

1. The Italians have an aircraft carrier? - good for them n/t

[Johnyawl]

2. It's a small, straight deck carrier.

The first Italian carrier to become operational, this is a typical small VSTOL ship. She originally carried only helicopters, but now has 13 Harriers. In the same class as our amphibious assault ships (Wasp class), rather than with our big carriers.