Liberalism – Did anyone forget about that ?

“I disapprove of what you say,
but I will defend to the death
your right to say it”

- Evelyn Beatrice Hall

Mastella: real or unreal ?

I wish we had a government. You might say, “you already have a government in Italy! You have Mr. Prodi !”. Prodi is not a real person: Prodi is a ghost. Later an year ago, when this “ruling” coalition won the election I was full of happiness and hope: after 5 devastating years ruled by his broadcasting Silvio Berlusconi, I told myself: “everything is going to be better, – of course -, everything is going to be alright”. I was wrong, I was dramatically wrong. I was just a little bit anxious thinking of the communist parties inside of the government: “Comunisti italiani”, “Rifondazione comunista”. “They will topple the government, they will topple Prodi”, I used to repeat myself, “they will make Berlusconi come again, stronger than ever.” My previsions have been invalidated by facts; communist have been quite quiet so far. This is amazing !, totally amazing ! But the government is going to fall in a few weeks, despite communists. Why ? Who’s guilty for this walking dead government ? Look at the picture below, but pay attention: you have to be strong! If you any health problem, you’d better not to watch it. Ok. this is the moment. Scroll down this page and uncover the picture. Take a deep breath.

Don’t be scared, this is a picture only. Reality is even worse. The man you see is Mr. Clemente Mastella, Minister of Justice. It happened something strange just a few weeks ago. An important magistrate of Catanzaro, – a city in southern Italy -, was ordered directly by the justice minister to move to another tribunal. Why ? The minister directly orders a judge to move. This magistrate is De Magistris. Why ? What’s happened so serious ? What has he done so grave ? It had been a mistery until three days ago. Through the press it has leaked out that De Magistris was investigating on an inquiry about Mr. Prodi and Mr. Clemente Mastella. The modus operandi adopted by the minister is quite similar to those used during the fascism period. But this not enough. Now that he is in justice troubles, he’s asking for help to the government, through a simple choice: “you help me; otherwise your government is falling tomorrow”. Nothing easier: a blackmail.

 

Dear Mastella of mine, you are repellent.

So, the question is: can a man like him be real ? Do I really have to think that god created something so disgusting as Mastella ? No, no. Mastella can’t be real. No. I can’t think Mastella is a real person. Of course, Mastella is the projection of my fears, Mastella is my nightmare, I work too much, I work too much. This is not reality, this is a nightmare. Wake me up!, please!, wake me up!

Destroy one of them to terrify them all

On June 9th George W. Bush was in Rome to meet the italian prime minister Romano Prodi and the president of the italian republic, Giorgio Napolitano. Like in any other visit of the U.S. president held in any other part of the world, also in Rome had been scheduled demonstrations against Bush and his foreign policy. I’ve never been in favour of the Iraq war; I never believed about the mass destruction weapons of Saddam, or stuff like that. The same concept of “preventive war” is indecent; A preventive war cannot exist; a war of occupation cannot be justified at all.

I do believe that the true reasons of this war can be found by taking a look at the map:

Click to enlarge

First of all: are you able to find U.S. military bases on the map ? U.S. have their own bases in:

• Turkey;
• Iraq;
• Afghanistan;
• Kuwait
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia.

Now, try to have a guess: who is in the middle ? Iran. Nowadays Iran is surrounded by the U.S. military forces from every angle. Iran borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east, and Turkey and Iraq to the west. Are you able to recognize another surronded state ? Syria. Syria borders the Mediterranean Sea and Lebanon to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north.

As far as I know, the U.S. do not have “good relations” with both Syria and Iran. The U.S. have not had diplomatic relations with Iran since the occupation of the U.S. embassy in Theran in 1980. On Jenuary 29th 2002 in his “State of the Union Address” George W. Bush used the term
“Axis of evil” to describe governments that he accused of sponsoring terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction. Bush named Iraq, Iran, and North Korea in his speech. Syria is accused by the Bush administration to support the terroristic groups Hezbollah and Hamas. Hezbollah and Hamas are the first problem of Israel, therefore of the U.S., too. It’s pretty clear that the Bush administration is seeking for the control in the middle east, in a region included between Lebanon and Afghanistan; U.S. invaded Iraq to get this purpose: destroy one of them to terrify them all. So you might ask yourself: “if the U.S. are seeking for the control over the middle east, why they invaded Iraq and not Syria or Iran ?”. Because Iraq was an easy prey. Saddam didn’t have many friends in the region, thanks to his wars against Iran and Kuwait.

The following question is “why the U.S. are interested on control over middle east ?”. In another “State of the union Address” George W. Bush declared that
“America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world” Most of the world wide consumed oil is from middle east region. Controlling the entire middle east can be a safe way to control the oil production in the region. But man cannot live by oil alone; we need gas, too. Gazprom article comming soon.

A few useful links:

• Iraq – Wikipedia
• Iran – Wikipedia

The Miracle. Maybe.

Those time I hear some politicians on the TV I happen to ask my self: “How is it possible that Italy is one the richest nation in the world ?”. Italy is even in the G8, together with Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, U.K. and the U.S. “It’s a miracle, it is to be a miracle”, I happen to reply to myself, “only a miracle can justify the welfare that we have in Italy”. When I think of my country, I think of a great nation paralyzed by a great deal of privileges. Those who reached the power defend with teeth and claws the position they got; if you are a young man, it can be a very hard work to find your own space.

This kind of behaviour is well reflected on every angle of the italian social life. This is what I call geriatricity, in contrast with meritocracity. For example: the president of the Republic is Giorgio Napolitano, 82 years old; our prime minister is Romano Prodi, 68 years old; the leader of the right-centre coalition is Silvio Berlusconi, 71 years old. Even in a musical contest, the festival of Sanremo , Johnny Dorelli, – a 70 years old guy -, got a better position over other younger singers.

Besides, we have a managing class too busy in the pursuit of power. Take a look at the current government: it’s going to fall within a few months, but they still keep on saying that everything is alright. Take a look at the opposition: Berlusconi is preparing himself and his friends to the reconquista: he wants the power for the sake of power, to rule for his own interests.

These and other reasons make me ask myself: “how is it possible ?”. Maybe I am mistaken; maybe, we have that welfare no longer. After the introduction of the Euro we are facing a change into the italian families economy: leaving the economy of saving, we are going towards the economy of debt. Italian families do not save money, because the cost of life turned too high. To spend what we do not have, we began to get into debt.

I wish someone woke up, I wish someone remembered that what we need now is the good of Italy.

Where is the italian politics going to ?

Versione in lingua italiana
Are you able to answer the object of this post ? If the answer is “no” don’t worry; I’m not able too. Trying to understand italian politics can be a very hard work if you are not italian, but it can be even harder if you are italian. Just a few months ago the polls were won by the left-centre coalition led by Romano Prodi; although they spent seven days and seven nights celebrating the victory, it was immediately clear that that was not a victory: “l’Unione” ( the left-centre coalition) had got the control of the senate by two senators. In a country ruled by Berlusconi for the last five years, a so small advantage over the right cannot be considered a victory.

When I knew the results of the polls I asked myself: “how long is this government going to last ?”. I became sad. I already knew that in Italy a government like that was going to last twelve months, no longer. But I would not consider the man who was going to change the game: Pier Ferdiando Casini. As leader of U.D.C., a party of the right-centre coalition, I was expected to see him against Prodi, but this is not what is exactly happening.

On March 27th the senate confirmed the italian effort on foreign peace-keeping military missions, including the one in Afghanistan under the NATO control. Even though the same confirmation law had passed at the low house with a bipartisan vote just a few days before, it did not happen again at the senate. “Forza Italia” ( the party owned by Silvio Berlusconi ), “Alleanza Nazionale” and “Lega Nord” voted against. U.D.C., instead, voted in favour, together with the left. Why ?

It’s preatty clear that the irresponsible behaviour followed by the other parties of the right-centre coalition was intented to put in difficulty the current government. However: how is Berlsconi going to justify this choice to his american friends ? Berlusconi voted in favour to the afghan mission just a few days ago, and that choice seemed like an inalienable thing. What changed during these few days ? Is not he Bush’s friend any longer ? Italian politics is funny because everything, every fact, every story can change at any time ( something similar to 1984 ? ).

Casini, the U.D.C. leader, voted togheter with the left-centre coalition. Today, March 30th, Berlusconi declared that “after the senate poll of yesterday, we will consider Casini and his party no longer inside the right-centre coalition”. So the matter is: where is Casini ? What is he traying to do ? It is for sure that if he left the right wing of the parliament to ally to the left side, he would likely lose most of his electorship. To survive, he has to remain inside the right-centre coalition. This is the reason why I do not undestand the current situation.

Is there anybody out there able to explain me what’s going on ?