The newly formed government of Mario Monti has just received the green light from 281 Italian senators over 306. It is a new record of its sort. Our new Premier should have no problems at winning parliamentary approval also in the Lower House. Yesterday however, another Italian named Mario (Draghi) - the newly appointed president of the ECB - has warned Europeans leaders on the severity of the present financial crisis and called for a much more “robust economic governance” to be adopted at a continental level.     

At a time when Europe’s future, and even its financial present, has been called into question, the fact that the picture is in some ways gloomy does not mean that the malady is irreversible. Despite its very real problems, Italy is a case in point. In fact, the country is moving toward recovery. (Pajamas Media)

Foreign Minister Frattini’s call for a ceasefire in Libya was presented as being motivated by humanitarian reasons. Yet in reality it stemmed from pressure from the Northern League. The party’s contradictory antics are causing problems for Berlusconi as he struggles to govern the country from within an uneasy coalition.

Northern League leader Umberto Bossi, has just laid down the conditions for the political survival of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi after the heavy losses the two men’s parties suffered in recent local elections across the country. In Italy all parties involved in national government have to up the ante at every opportunity to win back popular approval. But recent recent upheavals in Italy sometimes seem to be in a class of their own. (This article is cross-posted on The Commentator)

It isn't exactly easy to understand what's going on in Italian politics right now. Berlusconi's no saint, that's for sure. There is, however, a struggle for power going on in our country now: Berlusconi's enemies are using every weapon at their disposal to make sure his legacy will be terminated as soon as possible. The reality of course tells the same old story: the "Italian Left" is trying to push him out of office. (tratto da Hudson New York)

"The new untouchables", Thomas Friedman's editorial on the New York Times is a perfect example of how the same word "financial crisis" can have two very different meanings. In the Us, they are already thinking about what have caused the economic downturn and how to address the issue, while in Italy, we are still stuck in the middle of the quagmire. The new untouchables in in the Us are the young workers who can invent new ways of making money, in Italy creative young people tend to live the country as soon as possible. 

In conversations with senior European officials visiting Washington, and at a transatlantic conference sponsored by Italy's Magna Carta Foundation last weekend, I heard an earful of Euro-anxiety about the strategy review Obama is conducting... Tratto da The Washington Post

Mohammed Game, the Libyan alleged “lone wolf” suicide bomber who attempted to blow himself up at the military barracks in Milan on October the 12th, is now in a coma and cannot be questioned by the Italian authorities. In the meantime, his two partners were arrested.

Just as tragic as the recent deaths of Italian soldiers in Kabul at the hands of a suicide bomber, was the reaction by many in Italy’s political and media establishment who immediately began calling for the withdrawal of Italian troops.  Unwittingly, they only embolden the determination and radical agenda of the insurgents who seek to remove the international presence in Afghanistan and restore their tyranny and oppression which lasted from 1996 to 2001.

What the Italians are really doing is fighting a tough war against tough enemies and their “splitting the troops strategy” is not only brave, but is also paying off. And this strategy is risky. It goes without saying that if there were more troops on the ground everything could be easier. The insurgents would have to plan their attacks more carefully and their suicide bombing missions. That would take them more time and time is everything in this war.