Rome Correspondent - After a week's showdown with the government which is the main ally, the Northern League has managed to vote in the House Wednesday, May 4, a motion requiring the setting of a deadline, in agreement with the allies, the Italian intervention in Libya. The text voted by 309 deputies (cons 294) excludes "any Italian participation" in any ground operations.
But this crisis and its resolution in extremis were all of a psychodrama in Italian. Neither Berlusconi nor Umberto Bossi, head of the Northern League, are dupes. The concept of "fixed-term war" on which they agreed has laboriously only advantage to save their alliance to ten days of the municipal elections of 15 and 16 May (first round).
For the Northern League, the Italian intervention in Libya in a conflict that is "a war of tribes" is a "mistake". The regime of Muammar Gaddafi was able to prevent the departure of immigrants to the Italian coast and to ensure economic contracts between Rome and Tripoli signed in the margins of the friendship treaty between the two countries in summer 2008.
For the majority party, Gaddafi can not be regarded as the guarantor of the agreement and must therefore leave office. Anxious not to totally expose Italy to ridicule on the eve of the meeting of "contact group" on Libya on Thursday in Rome, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said he "was not possible today to say what the date "from the end of the Italian mission in Libya.
"It will be the result of a discussion with international organizations, primarily with NATO allies." The new Italian position may again raise doubts about the reliability of the commitment of the Peninsula. Having said "sorry" about the fate of his "friend" Gaddafi, Berlusconi has limited the participation of Italy to the use of air bases for missions to neutralize the defense radars and anti- Air forces loyal to the Libyan leader.
Change of course the Easter weekend. After an interview with Barack Obama on the eve of receiving Nicolas Sarkozy in Rome, the Prime Minister announced the participation of Italian planes bombing on Libyan soil, but on condition that there be "no civilian casualties." Mr Berlusconi explained that slip softly into a response in due form of Italy, claiming the risk of "killing civilians".
Philippe Ridet 
But this crisis and its resolution in extremis were all of a psychodrama in Italian. Neither Berlusconi nor Umberto Bossi, head of the Northern League, are dupes. The concept of "fixed-term war" on which they agreed has laboriously only advantage to save their alliance to ten days of the municipal elections of 15 and 16 May (first round).
For the Northern League, the Italian intervention in Libya in a conflict that is "a war of tribes" is a "mistake". The regime of Muammar Gaddafi was able to prevent the departure of immigrants to the Italian coast and to ensure economic contracts between Rome and Tripoli signed in the margins of the friendship treaty between the two countries in summer 2008.
For the majority party, Gaddafi can not be regarded as the guarantor of the agreement and must therefore leave office. Anxious not to totally expose Italy to ridicule on the eve of the meeting of "contact group" on Libya on Thursday in Rome, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said he "was not possible today to say what the date "from the end of the Italian mission in Libya.
"It will be the result of a discussion with international organizations, primarily with NATO allies." The new Italian position may again raise doubts about the reliability of the commitment of the Peninsula. Having said "sorry" about the fate of his "friend" Gaddafi, Berlusconi has limited the participation of Italy to the use of air bases for missions to neutralize the defense radars and anti- Air forces loyal to the Libyan leader.
Change of course the Easter weekend. After an interview with Barack Obama on the eve of receiving Nicolas Sarkozy in Rome, the Prime Minister announced the participation of Italian planes bombing on Libyan soil, but on condition that there be "no civilian casualties." Mr Berlusconi explained that slip softly into a response in due form of Italy, claiming the risk of "killing civilians".
Philippe Ridet
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