Posted on 03/02/2006 5:21:09 AM PST by fabrizio
(AGI) - New York, Mar. 2 - All the world must be "another, extraordinary America", all democracies "must understand that we cannot take advantage of America's generosity". Silvio Berlusconi from the United States will wake Europe up: "Some of my European colleagues are blind and deaf to this responsibility that we have to duty to take on".
The prime minister even goes so far as to point out one of the countries he's talking about: "On the occasion of the Iraqi crisis, France conducted itself with detachment towards the US, like in '63 when General De Gaulle wanted to create a group of countries that were to deal with the Soviet Union, beyond relations with the US". And so, Berlusconi suggests that everyone should "follow America in its defence of freedom. As 'extreme ratio' also the war, which must be only the last resort in the case of a non-democratic country preparing weapons of mass destruction". The premier speaks of 'necessary shooting': the war "should only be used in the case of imminent danger", war, he insists, "is legitimate only if there is concrete risk on the part of any country with nuclear weapons".
Silvio Berlusconi concludes his American trip [...] with the "freedom medal", "armour for the next battles to dedicate to American and Italian soldiers", and explaining to Americans that in Italy "the vast majority of citizens are convinced (of the necessity) to take on the responsibility of spreading democracy. And we have shown it". Now this responsibility, and the prime minister's line of reasoning, must be taken on by those countries that have not yet fought this enormous battle in defence of freedom.
[...]Berlusconi's address to Congress came after his meeting Tuesday with President Bush. The Italian leader faces a tough re-election campaign at home, and his U.S. trip is seen as an attempt to parlay into votes his closeness to Bush, even as his main rival tries to score political points by attacking U.S. policies.
Berlusconi spoke first in Italian, with lawmakers reading a translated copy of his remarks, then briefly in English. He was interrupted several times by loud applause and, at the end of his speech, a long standing ovation.[...]
So, what got into HIM? His wife doesn't want to wear a burka when the moslems complete their highjacking of his country?
viva Italiano
Berlusconi is besieged with corru[ption scandfals etc at home, I hear.
Well, so is Chirac.
If moving towards the US is seen as a vote-getter in the old world, then hey, that speaks well of the changes in public perception sweeping the continent.
Between 9/11 and the Iraq war. old europeans decided to oppose American aims in the mid east and even now continue in stubborn support of the Hamas led PA. But mehtinks between the 'negotiations' with Iran and the cartoons crisis, they've realized that sometimes in order to live with honor, you have to fight with honor. Cheapshots against the US isn't fighting with honor.
Good, and I hope he's right about the vast majority of the Italian people. This is a serious problem we're facing and it's best to face it together.
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