The 19 Italian Soldier casualties of the Iraq conflict are PROPERLY mourned in a State Funeral, broadcast Live on Television, with the Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and Premier Silvio Berlusconi leading the government's delegation, with opposition leaders also on hand. Mourners came from all over Italy, many bringing their own red-white-and-green Italian flags.

The Groudswell of Unity should not be misconstrued as support for Berlusconi's policies, BUT in a show of National pride!!

Rome officials said they expected about a million people at the public viewing, scheduled to last through the night and until the midmorning funeral in St. Paul's Outside the Wall basilica, the second-largest Roman church after St. Peter's.

On Tuesday, the whole nation will pay tribute. The Colosseum will turn off its lights, schools will observe a minute of silence, shops will close briefly, workers will pause for 10 minutes and movie theaters will keep their marquees dark.

This is in STARK contrast to American casualties being quietly "shipped" into this country in the middle of the night to avoid ALL notice!!!
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Thanks to Bob Masullo
ITALIANS MOURN SOLDIERS KILLED IN IRAQ

The New York Times
By The Associated Press
November 17, 2003

ROME (AP) -- Their caskets draped in national flags, the 19 Italian victims of a bombing attack in southern Iraq lay in state Monday, while tens of thousands of mourners silently streamed past to pay tribute.

The somber commemoration was the last before a state funeral Tuesday at a Rome basilica, to be broadcast live on television to a nation in mourning since Wednesday's attack in the city of Nasiriyah.

``I'm here to pay homage to these boys who have fallen for a just cause,'' Pietro Bernardini, 76, said as he waited in line to see the coffins at Rome's Vittoriano monument. ``They should not have ended up in this barbarian way.''

Another mourner, 53-year-old Vilma Zangheri, thought of the family members left behind. ``They should know that all of us Italians are close to them, with the greatest affection,'' she said.

The area around the monument to Victor Emmanuel II, Italy's first king, was already filled with people when the coffins were carried inside the building The Piazza Venezia in front was partially closed off to traffic.

Mourners came from all over Italy. Some left notes and bunches of flowers at the foot of the monument. Others had video-cameras, or brought their own red-white-and-green Italian flags. Most had to wait hours for a look at the coffins.

Italy's top officials were the first to pay their respects.

President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who returned from the United States early for the funeral, wept as he hugged the father of one victim. Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who also spoke with the victims' families, led the government's delegation. Opposition leaders were also on hand.

The deaths of the 19 Italians -- 12 Carabinieri police, five army soldiers and two civilians -- stunned the nation and created a groundswell of pride in the work Italian troops are doing to help rebuild Iraq. It was Italy's worst military disaster since World War II.

``I feel pain and admiration,'' said Tamara Crolla, a 19-year-old student who came from Caserta in southern Italy. ``This feeling has brought everyone together.''

On Sunday, the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Majalla said it received an e-mail in which al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the bombing. The claim has not been confirmed.

The attack killed 33 people, including the 19 Italians, and wounded 80. The 19th Italian victim, Cpl. Pietro Petrucci, was pronounced dead Saturday after he was taken off life support at a Kuwait hospital. His remains arrived at Rome's Ciampino airport early Monday.

Rome officials said they expected about a million people at the public viewing, scheduled to last through the night and until the midmorning funeral in St. Paul's Outside the Wall basilica, the second-largest Roman church after St. Peter's.

On Tuesday, the whole nation will pay tribute. The Colosseum will turn off its lights, schools will observe a minute of silence, shops will close briefly, workers will pause for 10 minutes and movie theaters will keep their marquees dark.

Italians Mourn Soldiers Killed in Iraq
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/
AP-Italy-Iraq.html?ex=1070112017&ei=1&en=2be1e6d536626ee2