ROME, March 16, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Two years after the US-led war on Iraq, a majority of Americans called the war a mistake and believed that their troops were bogged down in the Arab country as the US-led “coalition” started shrinking after close ally Italy decided to begin troops pullout in September.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll showed Wednesday, March 16, that 57 percent of the Americans disapproved of President George W. Bush’s handling of Iraq, and 70 percent said the number of US casualties, including more than 1,500 deaths, is an unacceptable price. 

“Over the past two years, Americans rallied around Bush in the initial stages of the war but grew increasingly disillusioned,” the Post commented.

“While 43 percent believe the administration deliberately misled the country, for the first time in a Post-ABC poll, a majority (51 percent) called the war in Iraq a mistake.”

On the day Baghdad fell in April 2003, just 16 percent called the war a mistake and 81 percent said it was the right thing to do.

“Plurality of Americans said the war has damaged this country's standing around the world, with 41 percent saying the US position is weaker, 28 percent saying it is stronger,” showed the survey.

Two years ago, 52 percent said the war had made the US position stronger, vs. 12 percent who said it was weaker.

In a fresh blow to wartime Bush, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Tuesday, March 15, that his country would begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq in September.

“We will begin a progressive reduction of the number of our soldiers in Iraq in September,” Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted Berlusconi as saying, shortly after lawmakers voted to maintain the 3,000-strong force for another six months.

Berlusconi said he had spoken with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and had concluded that public opinion in both countries favored a troop withdrawal.

“I spoke to Tony Blair about it, and public opinion in our countries is expecting this decision,” he said.

Italian deputies voted by a large majority Tuesday to maintain Rome's 3,000 troops in Iraq for another six months, mirroring the approval of the upper house Senate last month.

Berlusconi's center-right government deployed the peacekeeping force in June 2003, following the US-led invasion of Iraq. Italy fields the third-largest contingent of foreign troops in the country, after the United States and Britain.

Pressure has mounted on him to withdraw the troops since intelligence agent Nicola Calipari was killed earlier this month by US soldiers shortly after rescuing an Italian hostage.

Reporter Giuliana Sgrena was wounded when US troops opened fire on her car as she was heading for Baghdad airport with Calipari, who shielded her from a hail of gunfire.

The incident soured relations between the United States and Italy, whose government is one of Washington's closest allies in the war on Iraq despite hostile public opinion.

Sgrena was operated on Monday, March 14, for the bullet wound.

Specialist Sandro Luziatelli, announcing the operation, said her condition was improving but a second operation would probably be necessary.

A file photo of an Italian soldier in Iraq. (Reuters)

“(Bush) knows that he can't let down a loyal ally,” Reuters quoted Berlusconi as saying, adding that the killing of the Italian agent was a “serious mistake.”

The United States, however, downplayed Berlusconi’s statements and said there was no link to a dispute over the slain Italian security agent.

“We certainly appreciate the contributions of the Italians. They have served and sacrificed alongside Iraqis and alongside other coalition forces,” said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

Italy expressed on March 8 skepticism over a US version on the shooting incident.

Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini dismissed Washington's view that a lack of communication was responsible for the death of Calipari, and demanded that the United States “identify and punish” those responsible for the shooting.

Sgrena herself said US occupation forces in Iraq deliberately tried to kill her because Washington opposed negotiations with her kidnappers.

Just hours before Berlusconi announced his decision, an Italian solider died in Iraq during a target-shooting exercise. Twenty-one Italian soldiers have died in Iraq.

Several thousand people took to the streets of Rome during an anti-war demonstration in October, demanding the pullout of the Italian troops from the Arab country.

Earlier on Tuesday, Bulgaria's president said his country should withdraw its 450 troops from Iraq by the end of this year after a Bulgarian soldier was accidentally killed by US forces. A final decision is expected by the end of the month.