Italian court OKs expansion of US military base

Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:58 AM EDT

ROME — A top Italian administrative court on Tuesday approved the expansion of a U.S. military base in northeast Italy, local media reported. The expansion has caused angry protests by residents and leftist politicians.

The State Council overturned a June ruling by a lower court, saying it had no jurisdiction to suspend the expansion in Vicenza because the move was a political decision taken by former Premier Romano Prodi, the ANSA news agency said.

Phones at the court were not answered Tuesday afternoon.

The expansion at Dal Molin airport is part of the U.S. Army's plans to transform itself into a lighter, more mobile force. The move allows four battalions to transfer from Germany, uniting the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade, a rapid reaction unit now spread between Italy and Germany.

It will raise the number of active duty personnel in Vicenza to 5,000 from about 2,900.

The project has triggered angry demonstrations by Italian communists and environmentalists as well as by other residents in the city of 110,000.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who replaced Prodi in the spring, is staunchly pro-Washington and is going ahead with the plan.

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Matteo Faggiani

Vicenza's people was not consulted by any referendum. This is because probably the majority of inhabitants doesn't agree with the base expansion (not only environmentalists or leftist politicians).

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#1 - Tue Jul 29, 2008 1:28 PM EDT

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Italian court OKs expansion of US military base

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