The Italian government denied landing of US bombers at the Sigonella (Sicily) Air Base last Friday, March 27. Sigonella is an Italian base which is also used by NATO. For any use outside NATO, permission must be asked and a decision made by the Italian Parliament, according to bilateral agreements. Last Friday, as flight plans of the US bombers were made known, the Italian government denied landing authorization.
The news was kept secret until Tuesday, March 31. A few hours earlier, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto had told the daily La Repubblica that he cannot sleep at night because of what he knows about the war. “I live with this war and its possible consequences 24 hours a day. I’m forced to learn things that keep me awake at night,” Crosetto said.
The announcement from Italy comes just one day after Spain confirmed that not only will it deny the US use of its bases for Iran war operations, as announced on March 1, but was also closing its airspace to US aircraft involved in the Iran war.
Becoming increasingly freaked out by the lack of support by the European nations for the Iran war gambit, Trump took to social media on Tuesday morning, first railing against the UK for not coming to open the Strait of Hormuz, writing “All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT. You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself.”
Trump also let loose against France, claiming that the country had also closed its airspace to US planes carrying military supplies to Israel. “France has been VERY UNHELPFUL,” Trump wrote. No such closure has yet been confirmed by the French government.
