Silvio Berlusconi- King of Italy, Right Wing Pustule

**Ninjahedge** · February 17th, 2011, 08:25 AM

Two things.

A country usually needs power to be burned in effigy. If a country has little to do in world affairs and is not known as a world power (militaristically or economically) it is rather ineffective to get groups of people together to hate it in public. Very few burn Canada in effigy. Who would really take you seriously if you did?

Second thing, that billboard? Looks a little like Pee Wee Herman.

**lofter1** · February 21st, 2011, 01:20 PM

Libyan Wild Card: The Qaddafi-Berlusconi Pact

Mother Jones
February 20, 2011

***

Italy and Czech Republic back Gaddafi despite bloodbath

EU Observer
February 21, 2011

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The EU is struggling to speak with one voice following a massive loss of life in Libya over the weekend and the regime's vow to fight protesters to the "to the last bullet. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has spoken of her "extreme concern," while Rome does not want to "disturb" strongman Moammar Gaddafi and Prague has warned of a "catastrophe" if he falls ...

On the other side of the EU divide, Italy is horrified at the possible loss of a close ally. Foreign minister and ex-EU-commissioner Franco Frattini is trying to convince other European states that Mr Gaddafi has promised constitutional reforms and that the bloc should allow him to make good. "Italy as you know is the closest neighbour of both Tunisia and Libya so we are extremely concerned about the repercussions on the migratory situation in the southern Mediterranean," Mr Frattini told reporters on Sunday.

The previous day, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he did not want to "disturb" his long-time friend with appeals for restraint. "We are worried about everything happening there, in all the area," he told reporters. "I haven't yet heard from Gaddafi. The situation is evolving and so I don't feel I should disturb anyone."

On Sunday, Mr Frattini spoke about Gaddafi's reform promises with US secretary of state Hilary Clinton.

He raised with her the "possibility of a reform of the constitution that could be taken up soon by the People's Congress," a foreign ministry statement said. Both Ms Clinton and Mr Frattini agreed on the importance "in this delicate phase, of offering signs of political solidarity," the statement added.

The Czech Repblic has also warned against speaking out in favour of human rights in Libya.

Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg said the EU should not "get involved too much" and that high-minded EU appeals would only serve to "prove our own importance".

"If Gaddafi falls, then there will be bigger catastrophes in the world," he told journalists in the EU capital on Sunday. "It's no use for anyone if we intervene there loudly, just to prove our own importance."

Copyright © 1999-2011 EUobserver.com

**ablarc** · February 21st, 2011, 03:34 PM

What is the Czech Republic's special interest in this?

**lofter1** · February 21st, 2011, 03:37 PM

The tide begins to turn ...

Berlusconi condemns "unacceptable" violence in Libya

REUTERS
ROME | Mon Feb 21, 2011 2:58pm EST

(Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Monday condemned violence by Libyan forces against civilians as "unacceptable" and said he was "alarmed" over the situation in the North African state.

The statement by Berlusconi, who has cultivated close ties with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, comes after he was criticized widely for not speaking up earlier on Libya and saying that he did not want to "disturb" Gaddafi during the crisis.

Berlusconi also called on the European Union and the international community to do everything to prevent the situation in Libya from degenerating into a civil war.

© Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters

**Fabrizio** · February 21st, 2011, 03:54 PM

There's a lot of money involved.....

2008 cooperation treaty Italy-Libya

"On 30 August 2008, Gaddafi and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi signed a historic cooperation treaty in Benghazi. Under its terms, Italy will pay $5 billion to Libya as compensation for its former military occupation.

In exchange, Libya will take measures to combat illegal immigration coming from its shores and boost investments in Italian companies. The treaty was ratified by Italy in 6 February 2009,and by Libya on 2 March, during a visit to Tripoli by Berlusconi."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Libya

I'm curious to know how many installments we have left to pay ...or if it was paid up-front in a lump sum.

And I wonder how many suitcases you would need for $5 billion...

**ablarc** · February 21st, 2011, 04:04 PM

Being a bipolar country (Benghazi, Tripoli), wouldn't it make sense to split Libya in two, like Sudan?

**lofter1** · February 21st, 2011, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Fabrizio

There's a lot of money involved.....

I'm curious to know how many installments we have left to pay ...or if it was paid up-front in a lump sum.

And I wonder how many suitcases you would need for $5 billion...

This 2008 NY Times article says some of the payments by Italy to Libya are for projects that will take place over the next 25 years ...

Italy to pay Libya $5 billion

More on the deal (and some of its connected problems) from Bloomberg News August 2010:

Qaddafi Urges Conversion to Mark Italian ‘Friendship’ Treaty

***

The agreement was a two-way deal ...

Gadhafi's Visit Raises Ire Over Libya's Role In Italy

NPR
September 7, 2010

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s behavior during a trip last week to Italy has stirred controversy. His remarks on Islam angered church officials, and many politicians worried about the Libyan leader’s growing clout in the Italian economy ...

Growing Economic Clout

Critics of Gadhafi — the onetime sponsor of terrorist groups — say the 2008 Italy-Libya friendship treaty has given the Libyan leader a big role in the Italian economy.

In the past two years, Libya has invested nearly $40 billion in Italy, according to economic journalist Stefano Feltri.

“It is the most important foreign investor in terms of strategic investments, so they are the only foreign country who can buy shares in companies like our biggest banks and biggest energy firm,” Feltri says.

Gadhafi’s Libya is now the largest shareholder in Unicredit, Italy’s biggest bank. It is planning to raise its stake in ENI, the state-owned energy company, to 15 percent, and it has interests in construction, helicopters, telecommunications and insurance as well as in the Juventus soccer team.

Libya is currently the fifth-largest investor on the Italian stock market. And the friendship treaty stipulates that Italy will provide $20 billion worth of infrastructure to Libya ...

Copyright 2011 NPR

**lofter1** · February 21st, 2011, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by ablarc

What is the Czech Republic's special interest in this?

Most likely oil. Russia cut off oil deliveries to the CR in 2008.

A 2006 overview of trade between the CR and Libya from the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Tripoli.

Today, from the Czech Foreign Ministry:

Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic on developments in Libya

The Czech Republic has been following the events in Libya and is greatly concerned for the future of the country, which is in many ways crucial for the peaceful development and security of the whole region.

21.02.2011 16:47

The Czech Republic calls for an immediate stop to all repression and use of force against peaceful demonstrators. We deplore the violence which caused a great number of civilian casualties and extend our condolences to the families of the victims. "It is important to stop the violence and to start a comprehensive political dialogue," said Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Karel Schwarzenberg who attended today's discussion on the situation in Libya at the FAC meeting in Brussels.

We urge the Government of Libya to start a political dialogue, which will lead to necessary reforms, the application of the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It is especially important to respect the freedom of speech and assembly.

The Czech Republic stands always ready to share its experience with the transition to a democratic system of government.

**lofter1** · February 21st, 2011, 05:22 PM

Seems it's a bit more complicated for Silvio ...

Is Gadaffi after Uganda’s oil?

WORLD NEWS JOURNAL
Sunday Monitor
20 December 2009

Editor's Note: The Ugandan government says claims that Col. Gaddafi is after Ugandan oil are untrue.

Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gadaffi plans to buy up to 10% shares in Eni, the Italian company that on Friday signed a deal with Heritage to take over its oil fields in Uganda.

That would make Libya the second biggest shareholder of the company after the Italian state, which has a 30% stake. Libya already owns 2% of Eni.

Heritage, the operator of two of Uganda’s largest oil fields, on Friday signed a sales and purchase agreement to sell its interests to Eni for $1.5b, formalising a preliminary agreement made on November 23.

Gadaffi has, on three occasions in the past year, announced his interest in Eni, according to the Italian media.

He first mentioned it in August 2008 after the signing of a ‘friendship treaty’ under which Italy would pay compensation for misdeeds during its colonial rule of Libya ...

The Gadaffi-Berlusconi connection

The $5b friendship treaty signed in 2008 was portrayed by Gadaffi as reparation for colonial wrongs. More than 100,000 Libyans are said to have died during Italy’s violent occupation from 1911 to 1943.

But Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi provided a different spin. He reportedly quipped during the signing ceremony that the treaty was about “less migrants” and “more oil”.

Berlusconi was voted back into office last year mainly because of a promise to crack down on migration and crime. In May this year, for the first time, Gadaffi agreed to take back African migrants intercepted by the Italians in international waters.

His remark about “more oil” was clearly a reference to Eni’s ventures in Libya and Gadaffi’s interest in investing in the company.

But the two leaders are connected by more than oil and political opportunity. Their families have a common business interest, according to John Hooper of The UK Guardian. Both Gadaffi’s and Berlusconi’s family investment vehicles have taken up shares in Quinta Communications, a cinema company.

Quinta Communications and the Berlusconi-founded TV empire, Mediaset, own each a quarter in a new satellite TV channel for northern Africa, called Nessma TV, which targets Libya as one of its markets.

As a result, Berlusconi and the project’s founder have handed part of the station’s ownership to the Libyan regime. “It will be interesting to see the extent to which Nessma’s journalists will feel free to criticise Gadaffi’s running of the country,” wrote Hooper ...

**lofter1** · February 21st, 2011, 05:24 PM

Are any of Silvio's gal pals from Libya?

**lofter1** · February 23rd, 2011, 02:10 AM

For Whom the Bell Tolls ... Pronto!

Originally Posted by Fabrizio

There's a lot of money involved.....

2008 cooperation treaty Italy-Libya

... And I wonder how many suitcases you would need for $5 billion...

Berlusconi Goes Bunga-Bunga

"Muammar and Silvio should zip it up and go back to the freaking circus where they belong. From Bunga-Bunga to the big top, it's all in a day for Europe's silliest leader."

**Fabrizio** · February 23rd, 2011, 03:27 AM

^ Last week it was Berlusconi = Mubarak

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The press is anxious to make the Berlusconi-Gheddaffi connection as if it is something particular to his administration.... but memories are short:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...fTReg&refer=us

**lofter1** · February 23rd, 2011, 03:56 AM

That old fecktard used to have a big house in Le Rughe near Formello, yes? I lived nearby when the Mani Puliti rolled across the countryside. Bad time to be trying to earn a living in Italy

Not sure if it's still there, but many moons ago there was a great little tavola calda e rosticceria near his villa just off the main road from Rome, where they served up some delicious Pasta e Lenticchie. Memories.

Sorry for sidetracking.

**Fabrizio** · February 23rd, 2011, 04:17 AM

Mmmmm.... these dishes are easy, fast and great for the winter. The tavola calda owners were probably from Naples.

**lofter1** · February 23rd, 2011, 12:21 PM

Yes, yummy.

These folks used a short tubular pasta (ditalini rigati). Would that give any indication of their origins?

And of course they served great sheet pizza, cut in squares. My fave was Pizza con i Fiore di Zucca (although the Pizza di Patate was pretty darned good, too).

I'm surprised that sheet pizza like this has never caught on in NYC.

Do you think Silvia served pizza at his bunga bunga parties?