Prodi Mideast Policy Begins to Take Shape

Recent world events have forced the Prodi administration to quickly form a coherent Mideast policy, and as the policy takes shape, Italy's soft power is on the rise, and its status as an honest peace broker is becoming an increasingly viable option. In the Mideast the U.S. and U.K. are often seen as dishonest brokers, inextricably linked to Israel, whereas France's historical ties to Lebanon and Syria, make France's role unpalatable to Israeli politicians.

Prodi and D'Alema's announcement to send Italian troops to the U.N.-run zone south of the Litani River in Lebanon was praised by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, and President Bush. Italy's Defense Minister, Arturo Parisi, warned today that, "without being given clear rules of engagement, Italian troops will not leave for Lebanon."

Italy's recent Mideast diplomatic efforts go beyond Lebanon, however. Unlike other great continental European powers, Italy is part of the coalition in Iraq. Italian troops are also in Afghanistan, Prodi has offered to faciliate negotiations in the Israel/Palestine crisis, and in May, La Repubblica reported that Italian negotiators staved off a recent attempt by U.S. and Ethiopian forces to speed up contingency plans for joint military operations in Somalia, an Italian colony from 1920-1960.

Somalia was part of the Italian African Empire, which also included Ethiopia, Eritrea and Libya.

Italian troops are due in Lebanon "within a week," and the holding of the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, and Prodi's handling of the crisis, could potentially boost Italy's standing in the Mideast, and re-enforce ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's assertion -- as well as Prodi's -- that Italy's role in the Mideast is one of peace, not war.