Vicenza (Italy), Dec 8 (IANS/AKI) Italian peace activists opposed to the construction of a US airbase in the northern city of Vicenza have travelled to Oslo to challenge the presentation of the Nobel Peace prize to US President Barack Obama.
“Our goal is to protest against president Barack Obama, who will be receiving the Nobel peace prize for his war policy,” said the No Dal Molin organisation on its website.

“It materialised in Vicenza with the construction of a new and devastating military base.”

No Dal Molin says that the base, which will house the 173rd Airborne Brigade, plays a leading role in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The city of Vicenza also hosts Africom the US headquarters for military operations in the African continent.

“The US military presence is an occupation that the ‘Vicentini’ reject,” the activist said. “The man who will receive the Nobel Peace prize refuses to respect democracy in a European city… With this decision president Obama loads a further magazine in his war machine-gun.”

The group defines itself as a movement led by ordinary people of all ages from across political, social and cultural boundaries mobilised to oppose the new US military base in Vicenza.

There are currently four major US Army installations in the country and several other naval bases.

The Americans established a military presence in Vicenza immediately after World War II.

Obama has been criticised for receiving the peace prize immediately after announcing an extra 30,000 more troops would be sent to war in Afghanistan.

After it was announced that Obama had won the award, a Gallup poll in the US found that 61 percent of Americans did not believe he deserved the highly-coveted prize.

He will accept the award at Oslo’s town hall Thursday and will be accompanied by family and close friends.

–IANS/AKI

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