Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi indicated that Italian troop deployment in Afghanistan may change. Berlusconi's statement came shorty after Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said some of Italy's 2,500 soldiers in Afghanistan might be redeployed to the more dangerous and combative south to fight the Taliban if NATO requested it. Berlusconi told Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper he was rethinking the rules on Italy's troop deployment "in a spirit of solidarity with its allies." Canada has around 2,500 troops in the region already and 82 of its soldiers have been killed there since 2002. The country's parliament voted in April to extend its military mission in the volatile southern Afghanistan to 2011, provided its allies sent reinforcements. ISAF, which comprises some 47,000 troops from 40 nations, is trying to spread the rule of Afghanistan's weak central government and foster reconstruction.
Italy's position might be coupled with the recent comments from Australia's military that they too sought a more active combat role in the Iraqi situation.
In addition, although the Coalition has sought a greater role from its European allies, elite German commandos are not permitted to kill known Taliban commanders. The Norwegians have no such qualms. Recently, Norwegian forces based in Badghis province came under attack, and they responded by killing thirteen Taliban during battle.
If I were to believe the major news media this should not be happening but some of the Allies are seeking a more active, combat role in operations. I would think that it is entirely possible that intelligence is being disseminated and the word is out that the Taliban and AQ are on the run. After years of combat the Coalition is coalescing.
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