Calling the war in Iraq a "grave error," that actually served to fuel terrorism rather than stop it, Italy's new prime minister, Romano Prodi, said he would withdraw his country's 3,000 soldiers from the country as quickly as possible in his first speech as leader before the Senate in Rome.

"We consider the war and occupation in Iraq a grave error that hasn't solved, but has instead complicated, the problem of security," Prodi said in Rome on Thursday. "Terrorism has found a new base and new excuses for internal and external terrorist action," because of the war.

Prodi said he would recommend to parliament that, in consultation with its allies, Rome start the process of bringing its soldiers home. He said a "technical time plan" still had to be agreed to by all sides.

Still, Prodi hinted his center-left coalition wouldn't entirely abandon support for Washington's war on terror, saying Rome will still participate on the "front lines." Under his leadership, Prodi said, Italy would continue to take part in anti-terror operations as long as there is an international mandate -- under the auspices of an organization like the United Nations.

"We are convinced participants in the war against terrorism, even militarily, when it is legitimized by an international organization to which we belong," the prime minister said.

Prodi has long been one of Italy's most vocal critics of the US-led war in Iraq. During his election campaign, he pledged to remove Italy's troops as "quickly as possible" if he came into office. His pledge, however, follows a similar promise by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to pull out all Italian troops by the end of the year.

Prodi's government -- sworn in on Wednesday -- has a weak mandate after a very close election. And on Friday, it will already face its first confidence vote in the Senate, where it holds a razor-thin majority.

dsl/reuters/dpa/ap