Berlusconi 'defends values of freedom'

Capping a two-day visit to the United States, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi received an award for “defending the values of freedom” through his staunch support of the US-led war in Iraq.

Upon accepting the Intrepid Freedom award last night at a gala dinner aboard the USS Intrepid, a World War II aircraft carrier anchored in New York, Berlusconi called on all democratic nations to meet their “duty to stay with America to advance this war for our freedom, for the freedom of everybody”.