One More Gaffe

[Dog Walker]

Harper’s Government seems to be set on self-destruct mode.

Harper's staff makes major gaffe on Afghanistan
Updated Thu. May. 29 2008 7:20 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Reporters travelling with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on his European tour were wrongly told Thursday that Italy was removing restrictions on what their soldiers can do in Afghanistan.
CTV's Roger Smith said the gaffe occurred just before the prime minister's plane was to leave Rome for London on Thursday morning.
"The prime minister's press secretary, Carolyn Stewart Olsen, came back and told us that after having dinner with Stephen Harper last night Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had just issued a statement saying Italy would remove the caveat that restricts what their soldiers can do in Afghanistan," said Smith.
"That was big news because the Italian soldiers... are restricted to mainly non-combat operations and Canada's been pressing for sometime to get countries like Italy to remove these caveats so they can help out more."
After hearing the developments, journalists, including Smith, reported the breaking news.
But then, after the plane departed, Stewart alerted reporters that she had got it wrong.
She said there was a wire story saying that Berlusconi was reconsidering the caveats but he hadn't made any decisions.
"The prime minister's staff was so anxious to have the story corrected that they allowed us to go up to the front of the plane and use the prime minister's secured satellite phone to call our news desks," said Smith.
"It seems the prime minister's staff was just in some unseemly haste to claim some sort of diplomatic triumph that they rushed out this news without checking the facts and it's a big embarrassment."
Harper is now in London where he will deliver a speech to the Chamber of Commerce.
He will also hold a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Queen.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080528/Harper_london_080529/20080529?hub=TopStories

 

[Greymatters]

What, like nobody else has ever done this before?  Lets go ahead and make the extradordinary out of the ordinary.  Must be a slow news day...    :

 

[The Bread Guy]

I guess nobody (else) reads the Italian media - from the ITA nat'l wire service.  Note how many days ago this was sent.....

» 2008-05-26 19:15
Afghanistan: a giugno cambio caveat
Frattini: riduzione a 6 ore tempi di risposta del governo
(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 26 MAG - Entro fine giugno la modifica dei caveat delle truppe italiane in Afghanistan, annuncia da Bruxelles il ministro degli Esteri Frattini. L'obiettivo e' di portare da 72 a 6 ore il tempo di risposta del governo a un'eventuale richiesta di uno spostamento temporaneo delle truppe proveniente dagli alleati, spiega Frattini al termine dell'incontro con il segretario generale della Nato Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. E in proposito, precisa: 'Non ho detto che si tratta di uno spostamento permanente'.

Rough Translation
Afghanistan:  Caveat changes in June
Frattini:  Reduction to six hour response from government

By the end of June, caveats on Italian troops in Italy will be modified, Foreign Minister Frattini announced in Brussels.  The objective is to reduce the response time to any request for a temporary displacement of Italian troops from 72 hours to six hours, explained Frattini at the end of a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.  By the way, precisely:  "I never said we were considering a permanent displacement."

 

[The Bread Guy]

A little bit more just in from the ITA wire service - roughly translated highlights:

- US General Dan McNeill expresses gratitude to Italy for the announced intention to make caveats more flexible
- McNeill doesn't clarify whether the new caveats will mean Italy will be asked to move troops to hotter areas of the fight, especially in the south, but he says the Italians are already doing a good job
- McNeill is also quoted saying "It's better than nothing"

POSTING CAVEATS:
Italian reporter translating from English to Italian
Me translating from Italian back to English

 

[stegner]

Yikes! In Rome the Canadian Ambassador must be getting a stern talking to.  This might seem silly, but in the realm of international policy 'saving face' is everything.  This might encourage Italy NOT to change its caveats lest be seen as being bullied by international light-weight Canada. 

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

Yikes! In Rome the Canadian Ambassador must be getting a stern talking to.   This might seem silly, but in the realm of international policy 'saving face' is everything.   This might encourage Italy NOT to change its caveats lest be seen as being bullied by international light-weight Canada.   

Which part of milnewstbay's post showing a new release on May 26 did you fail to comprehend?

The announcement of a change was already made....by the Italians.

It looks like CTV has blown the story....


Matthew. 

 

[The Bread Guy]

Also, let's remember "change" does NOT (necessarily) equal "remove" - have to wait to see more from ITA's side to see if there's more than  "yeah, we'll get back to you quicker on whether we can move or not".

 

[The Bread Guy]

Tiny bit more on the same issue.....

NATO Secretary General congratulates Italy on its engagement
NATO statement, 26 Jun 08

The Secretary General travelled to Rome to hold talks with the new Italian Government. The SG met with President Napolitano, Prime Minister Berlusconi, Defence Minister LaRussa and the President of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate, Mr Dini.

In his discussions, the SG welcomed Rome's intention to enhance the Italian contribution to the Afghan mission, including in particular to relax the restrictions on the use of Italian forces in theatre. The SG also congratulated the Italian authorities on its intensive diplomatic engagement in NATO, Kosovo and Afghanistan. They also agreed on the importance of continued engagement with Russia, and of ensuring that the appopriate arrangements are in place to ensure a secure environment in Kosovo through this period of transition.