Italy now has Troops on the streets

[Troll]

The Defense Ministry says hundreds of soldiers have been deployed in cities across Italy as part of government measures to fight street crime.
In Rome, some 400 men and women are deployed at subway and railway stations and at an immigrant center.
They are not expected to be immediately deployed in the capital's historic center.

In Milan, troops are patrolling the Duomo cathedral and sensitive sites such as the U.S. consulate and the synagogue.

Spokesman Lt. Col. Mario Busi says the deployment of soldiers -- 3,000 in total -- began Monday and will continue through the week.

The measure proposed by Premier Silvio Berlusconi's government was approved by parliament last month and will remain in effect for six months.

Troops on the street - would it work in the UK? Or too reminiscent of Stalinist / Fascist policies

[Diver]

Troops on the street - would it work in the UK? Or too reminiscent of Stalinist / Fascist policies

With Id's and checkpoints, don't see why not. It would really knacker the illegals up

[PRC1964]

Italian troops eh?

Do they turn and run at the first sign of trouble?

[Diver]

Italian troops eh?

Do they turn and run at the first sign of trouble?

Or hang the President from a lamp post?

[Bob Dalek]

Troops on the street - would it work in the UK? Or too reminiscent of Stalinist / Fascist policies

Assuming that the Italian government has had no other option other than deploying troops this way, then it's a sad reflection on their policies, which have led up to this military solution.

Cops on every street could, I suppose, be seen as the same thing, but it's less disturbing for the majority of citizens who are, by and large, law abiding.

It's always the same old story: goverment does feck all, craps its pants when it all starts to go horribly wrong, then introduces a sledgehammer approach.

Will it happen here? Possibly - because we, as a nation, have failed for some time to nip stuff in the bud.

[Troll]

Or hang the President from a lamp post?

Blair

[HairyArsedBloke]

Or hang the President from a lamp post?

[thunderlizard]

Anybody remember the tanks at Heathrow about 3-4 years ago? Felt like a tinpot dictatorship.

[HairyArsedBloke]

Anybody remember the tanks at Heathrow about 3-4 years ago? Felt like a tinpot dictatorship.

Yeah, they’ve had a bit of practice and it no longer ‘tin-pot’.

[BrilloPad]

Troops on the street - would it work in the UK? Or too reminiscent of Stalinist / Fascist policies

Try to go anywhere near Downing Street and you get surrounded by armed police.

We are very close to it.