THE SHORT-TERM and self-interested policies of Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi have not only damaged Italy but have made the country an international laughing stock, according to documents released by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks and published yesterday by L’Espresso magazine.
In a February 2009 dispatch, then US ambassador to Italy, Ronald Spogli, accused the prime minister of systematically putting his own interests above those of the country.
“His [Mr Berlusconi’s] frequent gaffes and his poor choice of words have offended just about all Italians as well as many European leaders . . . He has damaged the image of Italy in Europe and he has made Italy something of a joke in many sectors of US government . . . He has become the symbol of the incapacity and inefficiency of Italian governments when it comes to confronting the country’s chronic problems.”
For all that, Mr Spogli argued that if “we lead him by the hand . . . and make him feel important” then Mr Berlusconi can prove himself an invaluable ally.
Mr Spogli said: “The combination of its economic decline and idiosyncratic politics has led many European leaders to denigrate the contribution both of Berlusconi and of Italy.
“We should not make this mistake. We should realise that a long-term commitment to Italy and its leaders will yield strategic dividends both now and in future.”
Among those “dividends”, Mr Spogli cited Italian military contributions to peacekeeping missions in both the Lebanon and in Afghanistan, and its influence in areas as diverse as the Balkans and Iran. Above all, he cited willingness to allow five US military bases on Italian soil – those of Aviano, Vicenza, Camp Darby, Aversa and Naples – which house 15,000 military personnel.
The US ambassador expressed his concern about Mr Berlusconi’s penchant for “presenting himself as the great mediator in international crises”, in particular when he claims to be able to negotiate between Russia and the West and with organisations such as Hamas and Hizbullah.
Furthermore, as revealed by previous WikiLeaks releases, the new documents confirm the Obama government is particularly concerned by the close relationship between Mr Berlusconi and Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin, with specific regard to energy deals. In order to “separate” the two leaders, the ambassador suggested the US should assert itself, make Mr Berlusconi feel that “he has a special relationship with us and underwrite his conviction that he is a skilled statesman”.
Despite various scandals and judicial problems, Mr Spogli concluded that Mr Berlusconi remains the only politician who has “his finger on the pulse of the electorate”.
Meanwhile, Mr Berlusconi continues to win new parliamentary support as the centre-right dissident party, Future and Liberty, has begun to haemorrhage with five deputies and two senators moving over to Mr Berlusconi. This led party leader Gianfranco Fini to complain about the “seductive powers” of Mr Berlusconi’s media empire and of his wealth.