The Italian Armed Forces (italian: Forze Armate Italiane) encompass the Italian Army, the Italian Navy, the Italian Air Force and the Carabinieri. The President of the Italian Republic heads the armed forces as the President of the Supreme Council of Defence. The total number of active military personnel in 2011 is 319,529 (including the national gendarmerie, but excluding Guardia di Finanza, a military corp under the authority of the Italian Ministry of Economy). Italy currently runs the ninth or tenth highest military budget in the world.
Read more about Italian Armed Forces: Italian Constitution, The Four Branches of Italian Armed Forces, NATO Membership and UN Missions
Famous quotes containing the words italian, armed and/or forces:
“Until recently the word fascist was considered shameful. Fortunately, that period has passed. In fact, there is now a reassessment of how much grandpa Benito did for Italy.”
—Alessandra Mussolini, Italian actor, politician, and medical student. As quoted in Newsweek magazine, p. 19 (February 17, 1992)
“A woman’s beauty is a storm-tossed banner;
Under it wisdom stands, and I alone
Of all Arabia’s lovers I alone
Nor dazzled by the embroidery, nor lost
In the confusion of its night-dark folds,
Can hear the armed man speak.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“Progressive art can assist people to learn not only about the objective forces at work in the society in which they live, but also about the intensely social character of their interior lives. Ultimately, it can propel people toward social emancipation.”
—Angela Davis (b. 1944)