Berlusconi puts 2,500 troops on streets of Italian cities to patrol alongside police

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Scotsman

Berlusconi puts 2,500 troops on streets of Italian cities to patrol alongside police
Published Date: 16 June 2008
By Nick Pisa

SOLDIERS are to be deployed in Italian cities as Silvio Berlusconi, the prime minister, cracks down on crime as part of his government's new domestic security package.
The troops – drawn from those who have served abroad – will patrol alongside regular state police and carabinieri paramilitary police.

They will be able to stop, search and identify suspects but will have no powers of arrest. Instead they must cADVERTISEMENTall for support or take suspects to the nearest police station.

~snip~
"If it was possible to recruit and train 2,500 police officers immediately then I would be delighted not to use troops."

Opposition MPs and police unions did not share his enthusiasm with Antonio Di Pietro, of the Party of Values, saying: "Troops on the streets are only seen in places like Colombia against terrorists and armed insurrectionists. The idea of militarising cities gives an impression of insecurity and will affect tourism and the economy."



Read more: http://news.scotsman.com/world/Berlusconi-puts-2500-troops-on.4187402.jp

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http://www.september11news.com.nyud.net:8090/02Sept14_ItalyPMBerlusconiBushCmpDavid.jpg

[Ian David]

1. That Nazi hasn't wasted any time, has he? n/t

[KamaAina]

18. He is not a Nazi so stop saying that!

He is a fascist. Big difference. No mustache, for one thing, and no swastika armband, either. :sarcasm:

[Ian David]

20. Oh yeah! I forgot! n/t

[Judi Lynn]

2. Anger at Italian 'army police' plan

Anger at Italian 'army police' plan
Tom Kington in Rome
The Guardian, Monday June 16 2008

A plan to put 2,500 soldiers on the streets of Italy to fight crime has come under fire from opposition politicians, police unions and a former top military commander.

"It does not give a good impression to see soldiers doing in our cities what they've done in Kosovo and Albania," said former military chief of staff General Mario Arpino. Opposition MP, Antonio di Pietro, said "only Colombia" used troops to patrol its streets, while a police union spokesman called it "a publicity stunt".

Announcing the plan on Friday, the defence minister, Ignazio La Russa said that veterans of foreign peacekeeping operations could be sent out at night in major cities alongside regular police patrols, with powers to stop and search suspects but not to make arrests.

The idea is a response to growing public alarm over security and claims that a disproportionate number of crimes are committed by immigrants.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/16/italy

[ixion]

8. "growing public alarm over security" is a red herring, IMO

the 'alarm' is being thrown over the totalitarian monster that is growing in our midst.

[Judi Lynn]

10. They're not close to allowing actual democracy anywhere, if they can prevent it.

If they allow other people to run things for a while, something you might expect to encounter in a democracy, it will simply be over their dead bodies, or, rather, the dead bodies of all the soldiers they can force to do their bidding.

[Spouting Horn]

28. Crime has skyrocketed

in many areas of Europe, with a disproportionate amount of it being committed by third world (and in Italy's case, Romanian gypsy) immigrants.

The coming backlash in Europe will not be pretty (it never is).

Their Politicians would do themselves well to wake up.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Row in Italy over army deployment

Page last updated at 14:03 GMT, Sunday, 15 June 2008 15:03 UK

Row in Italy over army deployment

Italian soldiers may have to target pickpockets in Milan
A political row has broken out in Italy over the government's decision to deploy troops on the streets of major Italian cities to fight against crime.

About 2,500 soldiers are to be deployed for a maximum period of one year.

The opposition has described the move as a mistake. "We are not in Colombia," said opposition MP Antonio di Pietro.

The police say it will not work - the government's decision is tantamount to saying they are not up to the task of maintaining law and order.

Travellers at Milan's main railway station could be among the first to experience the government's new strategy, says the BBC's Mark Duff in the northern Italian city.

'Authoritarian?'
Up to 300 soldiers are expected to carry out patrols and security checks there to help combat muggers and pickpockets.

More:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7455561.stm

[PSPS]

4. His supporters call him "Duce" for a reason.

[CatholicEdHead]

15. More like "Il Duce II"

[Charlie Brown]

26. self-delete

[atreides1]

5. Oh Well

This must have been what the Italian people wanted, maybe some miss the good old days under the Emperors or maybe they felt a little nostalgic about Benito and his black shirts.

They put him back into office, with the assistance of a Parliament that couldn't work out it's differences!

[havocmom]

6. Crack down on crime or crack down on the voicing of dissent?

Crime at the very top of all societies seems well tolerated these days. The working classes shouldering the weight of the top's lifestyle is the only group that seems to see law enforcement and brown shirts.

In other related news: Stocks in pitchforks and torches continue to rise worldwide.

[Judi Lynn]

7. A quick stroll down memory lane: the G8 summit in July 2001, during Bush's visit to Italy

G8 summit death shocks leaders
July 21, 2001 Posted: 1:43 AM EDT (0543 GMT)

GENOA, Italy (CNN) -- World leaders called for calm as streets stood empty Friday night outside the site of the Group of Eight summit, in marked contrast to the violent demonstrations during the day that left one man dead from gunfire and more than 100 other people wounded.

Security forces have detained more than 50 people.

Italian police sources identified the dead man as Carlo Giuliani, 23, a Genoa resident originally from Rome. The Italian Ministry of the Interior said judicial authorities were investigating and the ministry would report its findings to Italy's parliament Monday.

~snip~
Inside the summit, a senior White House official said President Bush had been informed of the toll among the 50,000 to 80,000 protesters in the streets.

"The president regrets the violence, believes the violence is regrettable, the tragic death and the injuries to the protesters and to the police officers is highly regrettable," the official said.

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/07/20/genoa.protests/

Berlusconi showed he doesn't hold back with protesters back then, didn't he?

[no_hypocrisy]

9. That's has the auspices of fascism right there.

The military being used to "control" civilians? On behalf of the government?

[UTUSN]

11. Are their shirts, uh, BROWN?!1 Are our Minutemen volunteering?! So many questions!1 n/t

[pattmarty]

12. Maybe all this will get the trains to run on time again.

[Indenturedebtor]

13. Bush has shown the world that facism isn't dead

I wonder how many more countries will look to the "Shining Beacon on the Hill" for an example.

[electropop]

14. I thought he got booted out and arrested?

:wtf:

[Judi Lynn]

16. Can't determine the outcome of his latest trial. His fraud trial was delayed, according to this:

Last Updated: Tuesday, 26 February 2008, 09:03 GMT

Berlusconi fraud trial suspended

Italy's court has suspended a trial of opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi until after general elections in April so that he can focus on campaigning.
The trial concerns alleged fraud at Mr Berlusconi's private TV company.

The case will now resume the week after the 13-14 April poll, when the accused could be Italy's new prime minister.

Mr Berlusconi, Italy's richest man, has been the focus of numerous corruption inquiries but has always either been acquitted or had the cases dismissed.

The court in Milan on Monday upheld a defence request to freeze the trial to allow Mr Berlusconi to campaign.

The case concerns alleged fraud at Mr Berlusconi's Mediaset TV company.

It centres on US film rights which prosecutors allege were bought by Mediaset at artificially inflated prices for the purpose of tax evasion. Mr Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing.

More:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7264237.stm

On edit, here's a Wiki look at his trials. They indicate it needs to be updated, so it doesn't have the fraud trial outcome, either. He has been involved in a LOT of trials!

Trials involving Silvio Berlusconi

Contents
1 Completed processes
1.1 False testimony on Propaganda 2
1.2 Bribing a member of the Financial Police (corruption)
1.3 All Iberian 1 (illegally financing a political party)
1.4 Medusa Cinema (false accounting)
1.5 Lodo Mondadori (corrupting a judge)
1.6 All Iberian 2 (false accounting)
1.7 SME-Ariosto (corrupting a judge)
2 Trials still running (September 2004)
2.1 Macherio estates (embezzlement, tax fraud and false accounting)
2.2 Lentini affair (false accounting)
2.3 Fininvest media group consolidated (false accounting)
2.4 SME-Ariosto (false accounting)
2.5 Mediaset television and cinema rights (false accounting, embezzlement and tax fraud)

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

[electropop]

17. Too powerful to prosecute.

We have one of those too. Dammit.

[mogster]

19. Previous dictator

See the film Citizen Berlusconi:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7507586179468920585

App. 55 min, in English with italian subtexts and some segments with Italian language only. It gives a good view of Berlusconi's dubious career though ;-)

[damntexdem]

21. No police state for him --

no, instead a military dictatorship!

[sofa king]

22. I guess Italy has no posse comitatus laws... either.

[eppur_se_muova]

23. "Give it a trial run, Silvio, and let us know how it goes."

"You can send the report to DDDDDick -- he actually reads those things."

[AlphaCentauri]

24. Do we have a plan Brucia La Terra for Italy?

[lala_rawraw]

25. did you expect something else from a member of P2

and Gladio? the guy is and has always been quite literally an Il Duce clone:(

[Charlie Brown]

27. somewhere in hell I'm sure Mussolini is smiling nt