War is ever closer and more and more weapons are circulating in our country. They think so in San Piero La Vettola in the province of Pisa, home to one of the largest ammunition and armament depots of the American army in Europe. A long line of military vehicles, vehicles destined for battlefields around the world, recently arrived by sea. Most are HMMVs, the basic military vehicle of the US Marines, landed in Genoa from a cargo ship destined for Camp Darby, in Tuscany. And in the Tuscan hamlet, citizens no longer feel safe and talk regarding movements that have not been seen for decades, since the Vietnam War. Collecting their testimonies is Fuori dal coro, Mario Giordano’s program on Rete 4, which with his correspondent documented what is happening outside the base. “This area of ours – underlines Alberto Madrigali, Arci Vettola secretary – is at the center of a whole series of military activities that it is clear that war feels close”. An old nightmare, that of war, which in the perception of citizens has returned to disturb their peace.
Local committees have been fighting once morest the presence of the military base for years. “We have a real fear that, in the event of war, the areas adjacent to the areas of military bases will be the first sensitive targets – explains Federico Giusti of the ‘No Camp Darby’ committee -. We also asked to know an evacuation plan in case of nuclear risk because we don’t know what is inside the military base.” Concerns that have remained unheeded at the moment. But San Piero, says the Mediaset reporter, is only a “small cog in a much larger mechanism”, that of the arms market, in which Italy “is a global protagonist”. France, United States, Saudi Arabia, Great Britain and Türkiye are our largest buyers. A business volume of over six billion euros in 2023 alone; a market where Italy excels in the export of aeronautical, naval and light weapons materials. Exports which consequently increase the “military expenses” of our country.
But weapons are not the only resource that Italy deploys and General Francesco Paolo Figliolo clarified this in the Senate: “Defense for 2024 participates or is ready to provide its contribution to 41 international missions and operations. On average approximately 7,800 units will be employed, with a maximum authorized contingent of 12,000 units.” Data is growing and will grow, or at least so it would seem if you hear the opinion of Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, expressed in the Defense commission, and reported in the Fuori dal coro report: “Do we have enough men? No, absolutely no. Times have changed, threats have changed.” And to a specific question from the commission “So you made the request to have more men?” he replies: “Yes and I will keep asking until they kick me out.” Chronicler who concludes his report by underlining: “A clear message, peace seems to be over for us too.” This is echoed by a citizen of San Piero La Vettola, who closes the issue with tragic realism: “If they were to strike there, everyone would disappear, don’t worry.”
#War #times #Vietnam #fear #conflict #base #Pisa #Tempo
2024-04-21 02:39:00
