Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has vowed to defeat the organised crime in the country by 2013."The mafia is a pathological phenomenon that we want to defeat once and for all by the end of this term in office," Mr Berlusconi told Italy's national radio.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has vowed to defeat the organised crime in the country by 2013.
"The mafia is a pathological phenomenon that we want to defeat once and for all by the end of this term in office," Mr Berlusconi told Italy's national radio.
rack·et·eer (rk-tîr) n. A person who commits crimes such as extortion, loansharking, bribery, and obstruction of justice in furtherance of illegal business activities.
extortion = bonuses loansharking = CDOs bribery = lobbying obstruction of justice = politics You can't be me, I'm taken
Outside territories such as in Lombardia (which is far more important to the `Ndrangheta than the Lazio region where the Camorra has made major inroads) rival criminal organizations seek tactical alliances to divide up specific roles, businesses or territories.
The modern mafia sends its children to the best business schools in the world. This new generation is educated, very well mannered, impeccably dressed and could likely hold down a job as secretary to the Council Presidency. I suppose minimum requirements to become a member of the mafia may have been relaxed. It's hard to imagine a dapper young man with a British accent and a masters in international law strangling a designated victim.
It has utterly nothing to do with the government. The government does not investigate crime nor can authorize arrests. It can contribute through legislation and earmarking funds.
To the contrary, "No government in the history of the republic has acted with as much determination and efficiency in forwarding the cause of criminal organisations" through legislation and blocking of funds to both the judiciary and the police.
BBC straight reporting at its best.
Earlier this month, mafia informant Gaspare Spatuzza made an allegation that a Sicilian Mafia boss convicted of 1990s bombings had boasted of ties to Mr Berlusconi.
Spatuzza is not a mafia informant. He's a major military mafia commander who has entered the State Witness program. He confirmed the allegation that Giuseppe Graviano said he had ties to Mr. Berlusconi concerning the bombings.
Mr. Berlusconi's indirect business ties with the Gravianos are already spelled out in the Dell'Utri sentence. Spatuzza also confirmed that, although it is superfluous.
Giuseppe Graviano refused to respond to the judges in Palermo to Spatuzza's allegations. The whole scenario was a lesson in Mafia dialectics. Essentially, Giuseppe Graviano offered his testimony for a price. We will see what measures Mr. Berlusconi will take to favour Giuseppe Graviano's situation (as well as those of other mafia bosses) in exchange for his testimony.
Of course, their testimony is beside the point. Dell'Utri was condemned on hard material evidence, not testimony. What Giuseppe Graviano is offering is a major televised scoop that would be played to the hilt by the strategic media in Italy to debunk Berlusconi's longstanding mafia ties. And of course the BBC will act as a faithful echo chamber.
thanks for filling us in on the real deal, as i would have done, had i your knowledge, and way with words.
i apologise if i was misinterpreted, and humbly wish you the best of holiday wishes, plus many thanks for your always superlative coverage of all things italian through the years. ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
I can imagine BBC reporting of similar statements by Hitler, Lukashenko, Idi Amin, you name 'em. "The chancellor declared today on radio that no government in the history of the republic has acted with as much determination and efficiency in establishing equality and the rights of all citizens regardless their race, colour or creed."
A shameless, self-serving lie is still a lie. As Goebbels said, you must think and do the unthinkable. Berlusconi follows in step the time-honoured machiavellian tradition of outrageous bullshitting.
