Italy last Friday denied the United States the use of the Sigonella base for landing bombers .

The Corriere della Sera reported this, and the news was confirmed by informed sources. Chief of Staff Luciano Portolano called Defense Minister Guido Crosetto to inform him that the flight plans for some US aircraft called for landing in Sigonella and then departing for the Middle East, but no one had requested authorization or consulted the Italian military leadership , and the plans were communicated only after the planes were already in flight.

Once it was established that these were not normal or logistical flights, included in the US-Italy treaty, Portolano, on direct mandate from the minister, informed the US: those planes cannot land in Sigonella , because they are unauthorized and without any prior consultation.

Moreover, Crosetto himself, in Parliament, had pledged to have Parliament approve "any operation that does not fall within the treaties and therefore needs to be authorized."

A denial that could create a diplomatic incident similar to the one that occurred in 1985 when Bettino Craxi was in government and Ronald Reagan was in the White House. However, according to reports, there have been no reactions or protests from Washington.

The reactions

A "fair and correct" decision, according to Azione leader Carlo Calenda , who believes "there's no reason for a submissive approach toward the US." "Meloni," Calenda added on Skytg24, "has paid the price for her absurd closeness to Trump. I hope the referendum outcome will bring about a turning point in the government's efforts to build an ever stronger Europe. I remember that Trump called us cowards; we cannot accept being trampled on."

Giuseppe Conte, M5S : "It is our duty to deny American bombers the use of our bases. This is a necessary step, imposed by our Constitution. Now the government must take a further step, which is also necessary: it must also deny logistical support from our bases, considering that those American and Israeli attacks were carried out in clear violation of international law."

"It's a necessary act," according to AVS leader Angelo Bonelli , who calls on the government to go further. "The government has always maintained that treaties must be respected, and in this case, a decision was made consistent with this principle. However, we cannot hide behind hypocrisy. The Triton monitoring drone, which then goes on to bomb, regularly launches from Sigonella. Similarly, missiles and weapons are loaded from Camp Darby in Pisa, which then goes on to bomb Iran. Italy continues to provide logistical assistance to military operations in this war, which is devastating and destabilizing the planet, with dire economic consequences for our country as well. This is why I say we must have the courage to go a step further, take a clear and unequivocal position, and distance ourselves from the policies of this global bully, Donald Trump, who thinks he can rule the world through military supremacy."

(Unioneonline/L)

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