Remember this BBC headline from August 24, 2004?
"Italy says it has no intention of withdrawing its 3,000 troops from Iraq in the face of demands from kidnappers who have seized an Italian journalist."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3595618.stm
As of Sep. 21, 2006, Italy has about 1,600 troops in the country, mostly in Nasiriyah, and that force is expected to be withdrawn by year’s end.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14935006/
While they are withdrawing now, at least they
have been there since near the beginning!