US alert sparks political row (US terra alerts for Italy's election)

[struggle4progress]

Premier, opposition leader clash over pre-election warning

(ANSA) - Rome, March 23 - A security alert by the United States advising Americans to take "precautions" while visiting Italy ahead of next month's election fuelled tension on Thursday between Premier Silvio Berlusconi and opposition leader Romano Prodi . <snip>

Prodi expressed concern that the alert "so close to the election could create a climate of anxiety," stressing that it was "pointless" .

The centre-left leader said he had asked US ambassador to Italy Ronald Spogli "for an explanation" and had been told the advisory was "routine" procedure .

Berlusconi subsequently accused Prodi of "meddling" in US affairs, adding that Washington "had every right" to launch the advisory . <snip>

http://ansa.it/main/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2006-03-23_1239861.html

[CTyankee]

1. I am travelling to Italy this year and every year that I can

until I see it in its entireity. One reason was to get away from this toxic political environment at home, a little rest, to eat good food and drink good wine and enjoy great art.

This makes me sick. BASTA! Leave us alone. We Americans are going there to take a rest from all the bickering here. We've had it up to here! I want to go and drink cappucino, eat pasta, look at art and just get the f*** away from everything in the US for awhile. I'll be back, because I will miss the US too much, but I long for this wonderful rest from yucky politics.

[movonne]

2. I think this is a ploy of the US to help Berlusconi get elected..we

do not want anymore leftest..sorta like our terra attacts...

[struggle4progress]

3. In 2004, Blair and Howard seemed to be using W's playbook so ..

.. I find your idea quite credible ...

[tom_paine]

4. Almost certainly - 90% chance

They used fake terra alerts here to very good psychological effect, and Osama Bin laden's pro-Bush campaign tape released the night before the 2004 "election" helped them steal it more easily.

It used to be (and still is) that the Busheviks took what they learned in toppling emerging Third-World Democracies and applied it to their efforst to end American Democracy (with great success so far).

Now the circle closes, as more advnaced techniques used to destroy American Democracy areexported to ensure Italy remains under BushPutinist Tyranny.

[Binka]

5. The US & Berlu Know The Italians Are Voting For Prodi

In spite of Berlu and the press he holds in his hand, Silvio is going to lose, people are sick to fucking death of Bush & Berlu.

[stephinrome]

6. Can you say fear mongering?

There was some violence in Milan, but it was almost TWO WEEKS prior to this announcement. If they were really concerned, what took so long to warn people? The announcement says to stay away from demonstrations, but there are no more planned before the elections. The last one was March 18, days before the announcement and was perfectly peaceful. On that occasion our group, U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice marched together with 100,000 Italians, proudly waving our U.S. peace flags and carrying our signs indicating we are U.S. citizens, and no one attacked us ;-) See photos: http://www.peaceandjustice.it/g-march-18.php

The announcement does include some text that makes it sound as if it were written together with the Italian government. For example, the war in Iraq has been renamed "multinational activities." The government here goes on about the fact that though there are Italian troops in Iraq, they have nothing to do with the war. They went in "after" the war and are on a humanitarian mission. This because Article 11 of Italy's constitution repudiates war "as an instrument of offence against the liberty of other peoples and as a means for settling international disputes."

Here's the actual text of the announcement: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_2853.html

The government has been justifiying this saying it is normal, the U.S. has the right to "protect" its citizens, etc. The demonstrations in France have also been mentioned as an example, however faling to note that no "public announcement" has been issued for France. They've even gone back to mentioning Genova and the G8!

The only thing I'm afraid of is Belusconi being re-elected!