Comments on: Berlusconi’s disaster diplomacy

By: Angela

Angela — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:26:39 +0000

What maybe in the foreign press hasn’t come out is that Berlusconi is not only a disaster in diplomacy but also in domestic politics. After the recent earthquake, he advised people from the hit areas, who had just survived but many had lost family members and friends, to take the temporary tents as a “camping weekend” and to bring the suncream.
This tragedy could have been of much lesser proportions, if only the relevant authorities, such as the “Protezione Civile,” had listened to the tecnician Giampiero Giuliani, who had detected this quake a month ago. It’s sad seeing now all politicians going to the region only looking for cameras and publicity.
Abruzzo is a very sismic area, and the recently-built hospital that fell like a house of cards was apparently not adequate. The builder was “Impregilo,” company financed by the government and involved in a mafia related case. Once again Italian people are victim of malgovernance, political collusion with mafia, corruption and incompetence.
And if that wasn’t enough, the prime minister is making jokes out of it.

By: Eva

Eva — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:05:21 +0000

Ha. I assumed this would be about his comment that displaced survivors living in shelters should view it as a holiday… The man’s a useless blowhard but in this case, I don’t see why he should be peer-pressured into accepting aid.

By: Lisis | Quest For Balance

Lisis | Quest For Balance — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:04:01 +0000

I think it’s fantastic that at least ONE person (country) is NOT asking for money. Very refreshing!

By: Hal

Hal — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:26:48 +0000

I’m lacking an intimate knowledge of European/Italian relations, but his actions don’t seem out of line to me. Did the U.S. accept foreign aid after Katrina?