Berlusconi goes europe !

[theavonlady 2]

Getting back on the subject and in a serious way, I just saw this commentary by Mark Steyn on today's Jpost.

I'll just quote the beginning. You have to subscribe to the Jpost to read the entire article:

No Smoke Without Firing, by Mark Steyn

Quote[/b] ]The European Union ground to a halt last week because the Italian prime minister said a German parliamentarian would make a good Nazi.

We are all Nazis now. Well, okay, not all of us, but George W. Bush is, and so's Don Rumsfeld, and Ariel Sharon, and I must get an average of 30 e-mails a day headed "More Nazi hate from Steyn."

The German Euro-MP offended at being called a Nazi by the Italian prime minister had himself just denounced the Italian government as neo-Nazi. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the goosestepper, one would have thought. But call a German a Nazi and the Continent reacts like a dowager duchess coming across the footman in cutaway breeches.

In The Daily Telegraph Alexander Chancellor thought Germans calling Italians Nazis was okay, but not vice-versa. "It is a sign of how much Germans feel liberated from guilt about their Nazi past that they now feel free to accuse others of Nazi leanings," he noted approvingly.

That said, he couldn't agree that Silvio Berlusconi was the new Hitler. Rather, he was the new Mussolini. Others were less sanguine. According to the Irish fellow who runs the European Parliament, Berlusconi's ghastly breach of etiquette has plunged German-Italian relations, the European constitution and even the Middle East peace process into crisis.

Really? I would say the strategic interest of the rest of the West lies in the EU becoming as big a laughingstock as possible, so I enjoyed the week immensely.

Much of this was all news to me. If accurate, it throws the same light on others and not just Berlusconi. Worse, Berlusconi may have done nothing more than counter-flame and may never have said it in the first place without a provocation.

Don't get me wrong. I've read enough about what's going on in Italy's politics to know what Berlusconi's done and doing in general.

[FallenPaladin 0]

When did our German politicians call other people Neo-Nazis? Are there links, because I don`t want to subscribe the J-Post? I`m really curious, because I heard not a single thing about it, no matter in which media.

[theavonlady 2]

When did our German politicians call other people Neo-Nazis?

I am finding it impossible to get a full transcript of what was said by MEP Martin Shulz that day. It's as if the entire WEB was censored.

Still searching.

[theavonlady 2]

BTW, simply a perfectly backdropped pic:

[theavonlady 2]

FallenPaladin, are you a blonde?

[FallenPaladin 0]

As a matter of fact dark blonde. My hair turns black around my ears and my beard is black, too, if I`m not shaved.  

But in contrast to the normal German tourist (I hate that word!) I fit in quite well if I`m in a foreign country. When it comes to Italy my third name is Mario and I understand and speak a little Italian. Unfortunately I can tell from my own experience as German that there is truth in what the Italian minister said. Most of the German tourists indeed behave like brain-amputated when being on vacation.  

[theavonlady 2]

I've emailed Mark Steyn, asking for substantiation of his claim. Wait and see..................

[Postduifje 0]

The articles in the dutch newspaper I read about this said Shulz made a comment about Berlusconi's possition in politics and media, and that it was inapropriate to let them coexist. Nothing I heared of about nazi-accusitions from Shulz' side  

-Post

btw I am very blonde, though not a German

[NurEinMensch 0]

Yea thats what I heard,too. But it's still possible we just don't get the whole truth in our media, which wouldn't be so surprising, would it.

I'm sure avon will keep us informed.  

If Schulz really called did what Steyn accuses him I think he got what he asked for.

To be honest I doubt that, tho.

edit: Oh, it's outing day. I'm blonde, too, with a touch of red.

[-TU--33ker 0]

still waiting for news from avon...

I don't think Steyn really has some evidence that Schulz called Berlusconi a Nazi unless he was there.

It isn't right to say that Germany feels free from the guilt of the past. Remember that Female minister that compared Bush's methods to Hitler's? Her political career is over now after really every German newspaper or TV station criticised her very harsh. The Nazi past is still a critical topic in Germany. and accusing other people to be a Nazi is one of the worst things you can do here.

BTW I was blonde when I was a kid... but I'm only half German.

[raedor 8]

i doubt that schulz said something like this, too. i'm sure that if schulz said that, he wont be an german politican now. because then he would have to resign.

[Tamme 0]

I've been searching and searching but I just couldn't find any new info. What is odd is that there's nothing about this Berlusconi-Schulz conflict in EUs own press releases.

[Postduifje 0]

I've been searching and searching but I just couldn't find any new info. What is odd is that there's nothing about this Berlusconi-Schulz conflict in EUs own press releases.  

The dutch newsreporter said on the very first newsitem about this the chairman asked to take this out of the report. So there's no record of it.

-Post

[theavonlady 2]

$33ker @ July 09 2003,19:26)]still waiting for news from avon...

I don't think Steyn really has some evidence that Schulz called Berlusconi a Nazi unless he was there.

Still haven't received a response. But the guy could be in Timbuktoo at the moment.

If I hear, you'll all know.

[-TU--33ker 0]

Schröder defenatly has cancelled his holidays in Italy now. But the Germans keep visiting Italy anyway. Still going to Italy is a good way to annoy Stefani even more IMHO.

Italian officials regret Stefani's remarks

[der bastler 0]

@[TU]$33ker:

Yeah, let's send in more troops..er...tourists.

It's even worse to punish all italians just because one of them talked rubbish. On the other hand... you could say that Schröder spared Italy.

(Oh no, if he stays here in Hannover... OMG, I can see the headlines of the local newspapers: "the chancellor's diary --yesterday he clipped the hedge; what's up today?" )

Anyway, Schily will travel to Italy, Struck will spend his holiday in California, so what?

[Renagade 0]

Hey guys do u like my new avatar

[-TU--33ker 0]

Stefani has resigned today as a result of his anti-German remarks.

[Tamme 0]

Hey guys do  u like my new avatar  

And I thought that the old one was bad...

[Guest]

Berlusconi.

Hmmmmm...can't stand him. I think he is a corrupt sleazeball who will one day end up in jail or murdered. But on the bright side, he is from Italy....so his likely term in office is about a year

[brgnorway 0]

Dear God - he's at it again:

Quote[/b] ]Mussolini never killed anyone. Mussolini used to send people on vacation in internal exile

The shame of Italy!

[Bluesman 0]

I was actually surprised to see that as many as 1 million died by Mussolinis hand. I allways thought him as the same type as Franco or Pinochet.

Of course being early with Anti-Jewish laws talked against him.

Having part Italian ancestry myself I am ashamed of this man. I'm almost glad he didnt make any comment on Lindh.

BM

[ralphwiggum 6]

well, if he keeps it on, good bye moron!

Quote[/b] ]In an apparent attempt to calm down the row, Mr Berlusconi later said he "never meant to re-evaluate Mussolini".

since he is already a benevolent leader in his twisted fascist mind.

[Renagade 0]

hush,he got the trains to run on time

[brgnorway 0]

hush,he got the trains to run  on time

.....and Ara Pacis was saved for the years to come

Quote[/b] ]Finally, thanks to a technique of freezing the waterlogged soil in the area, Mussolini's government, with a strong interest in the inherited glory of ancient Rome, conducted complete systematic excavations in 1937-1938, so that we can be sure that we now have all of it.

Ara Pacis

.....plus he made sure Piazza del popolo was opened in front by tearing down a few buildings. However, many disagree and suggest it should never have been done.

Apart from that he was a real geezer!