- An Italian member of the US-led coalition has resigned,
accusing the Bush administration of inefficiency and failing to understand
Iraq.
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- His resignation came as US forces killed six alleged
rebels in Saddam Hussein's home town, Tikrit, as they pressed their search
for a former Saddam deputy believed to be orchestrating attacks on Americans.
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- Before resigning, Marco Calamai, a special counsellor
of the Coalition Provisional Authority in the southern province of Dhi
Qar, criticised Paul Bremerâs administration for its handling of
Iraq. The charges come as Russia and France objected to the US timetable
for handing over power to the Iraqis by July 1.
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- Rising casualties added new urgency to the task. Three
American soldiers died yesterday - one in an ambush on a patrol, another
by a roadside bomb and a third from a non-hostile gunshot wound.
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- In Rome, the Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday
that Calamai had resigned but gave no reason.
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- In an interview with the left-wing daily L'Unita, Calamai
complained that the British and Americans had marginalised the Italians.
"They don't consult us, they don't involve us."
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- Calamai said only an interim authority headed by the
United Nations could turn things around.
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- He told Italian reporters in Nasiriyah on Sunday that
the failure of the coalition to understand Iraqi society had created ãdelusion,
social discontent and angerä among Iraqis and allowed terrorism to
ãeasily take rootä.
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- He cited last week's truck bombing at an Italian paramilitary
garrison in the city, which killed 19 Italians and 14 others.
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- http://www.news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2189254
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