Blimey, Buffoon Berlusconi's Bad

[Peter Lemkin]

Propaganda Due (Italian pronunciation: [propaˈɡanda ˈduːe]), or P2, was a Masonic lodge operating under the jurisdiction of the Grand Orient of Italy from 1945 to 1976 (when its charter was withdrawn), and a pseudo-Masonic, "black", or "covert" lodge operating illegally (in contravention of Article 18 of the Constitution of Italy banning secret associations) from 1976 to 1981. During the years that the lodge was headed by Licio Gelli, P2 was implicated in numerous Italian crimes and mysteries, including the collapse of the Vatican-affiliated Banco Ambrosiano, the murders of journalist Mino Pecorelli and banker Roberto Calvi, and corruption cases within the nationwide bribe scandal Tangentopoli. P2 came to light through the investigations into the collapse of Michele Sindona's financial empire.[1]

P2 was sometimes referred to as a "state within a state"[2] or a "shadow government".[3] The lodge had among its members prominent journalists, members of parliament, industrialists, and military leadersincluding Silvio Berlusconi, who later became Prime Minister of Italy; the Savoy pretender to the Italian throne Victor Emmanuel; and the heads of all three Italian intelligence services (at the time SISDE, SISMI and CESIS).

When searching Licio Gelli's villa, the police found a document called the "Plan for Democratic Rebirth", which called for a consolidation of the media, suppression of trade unions, and the rewriting of the Italian Constitution.[4]

Outside Italy, P2 was also active in Uruguay, Brazil and in Argentina, with Raúl Alberto Lastiri, Argentina's interim president (between July 13, 1973 to October 12, 1973) during the height of the "Dirty War" among its members. Emilio Massera, who was part of the military junta led by Jorge Rafael Videla from 1976 to 1978, José López Rega, minister of Social Welfare in Perón's government and founder of the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance ("Triple A"), and General Guillermo Suárez Mason were also members.[5]

[Jan Klimkowski]

For P-2, see also here.

[Jan Klimkowski]

Lovely fascist family.

Berlusconi frere calls Mario Balotelli a "little nigger" and everyone laughs.

I'm sure Silvio will blame the media and the judges for persecuting his family....

The younger brother of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been filmed making racist remarks about AC Milan's newly-acquired striker Mario Balotelli at an electoral campaign meeting. Speaking at an event for the People of Freedom party in Lombardy, here's what Paulo Berlusconi said about Balotelli at the end of his speech.

"That's all. Now let's go and watch the household's little nigger, the crazy head [Mario Balotelli]. Girls are also invited if they want to come with me. You'll also have the chance to meet with the president [Silvio Berlusconi]"

Paulo, the publisher of the right-wing newspaper Il Giornale and head of investment group Paolo Berlusconi Finanziaria, has previously been found guilty of fraud and corruption for his involvement in a landfill scandal in Cerro Maggiore, near Milan.

His remarks come ahead of Italy's elections at the end of February, with Silvio Berlusconi recently closing in on front-runner Pier Luigi Bersani of the Democratic Party to five percentage points after the signing of Italy' star striker Balotelli to Milan, one of the best supported clubs in the country who Berlusconi has owned since 1986

[Jan Klimkowski]

I'm delighted to see David back here at DPF.

Some things haven't changed since he began this thread.

Here's Berlusconi buffooning his way back to Power:

Silvio Berlusconi reiterates call for grand coalition government in Italy

Former PM says 'no other solution' than a coalition including his own Freedom People party can break political deadlock

Lizzy Davies in Rome
guardian.co.uk, Friday 29 March 2013 19.29 GMT

Silvio Berlusconi has positioned himself as a benevolent statesman acting in the best interests of Italy as he reiterated his call for a grand coalition government with his opponents to break the political deadlock after last month's election.

As he emerged on Friday from a meeting with President Giorgio Napolitano, the head of state who has led a series of day closed-doors consultations with the parties, Berlusconi said there was "no other solution" than a broad coalition government that included his own centre-right Freedom People (PdL) party.

Touting it as a government of "professionalism and responsibility as well as common sense", the three-time prime minister said his rightwing alliance with the regionalist Northern League would accept Pier Luigi Bersani, the centre-left Democratic party (PD) leader, as premier.

[David Guyatt]

I'm delighted to see David back here at DPF.

Some things haven't changed since he began this thread.

Here's Berlusconi buffooning his way back to Power:

Silvio Berlusconi reiterates call for grand coalition government in Italy

Former PM says 'no other solution' than a coalition including his own Freedom People party can break political deadlock

Lizzy Davies in Rome
guardian.co.uk, Friday 29 March 2013 19.29 GMT

Silvio Berlusconi has positioned himself as a benevolent statesman acting in the best interests of Italy as he reiterated his call for a grand coalition government with his opponents to break the political deadlock after last month's election.

As he emerged on Friday from a meeting with President Giorgio Napolitano, the head of state who has led a series of day closed-doors consultations with the parties, Berlusconi said there was "no other solution" than a broad coalition government that included his own centre-right Freedom People (PdL) party.

Touting it as a government of "professionalism and responsibility as well as common sense", the three-time prime minister said his rightwing alliance with the regionalist Northern League would accept Pier Luigi Bersani, the centre-left Democratic party (PD) leader, as premier.

Thanks for the welcome back Jan.

These people can't stop themselves spinning can they. Buffoon's "Freedom People Party" should more correctly be called the "Corruption, Control and Shagging Party" - and should comprise largely of 16 year old girls.

[Dawn Meredith]

I am delighted as well. Missed his voice. Wisdom. Humor. And deep political insights.

Loved his old site too ....
(Deep Dark LIes I think it was called, been a long time since I visited)

Dawn

[David Guyatt]

I am delighted as well. Missed his voice. Wisdom. Humor. And deep political insights.

Loved his old site too ....
(Deep Dark LIes I think it was called, been a long time since I visited)

Dawn

Thanks also Dawn. Deep Black Lies. Nothing new posted there as I'm now retired, but otherwise all my material is there.

[David Healy]

I'm delighted to see David back here at DPF.

Some things haven't changed since he began this thread.

Here's Berlusconi buffooning his way back to Power:

Silvio Berlusconi reiterates call for grand coalition government in Italy

Former PM says 'no other solution' than a coalition including his own Freedom People party can break political deadlock

Lizzy Davies in Rome
guardian.co.uk, Friday 29 March 2013 19.29 GMT

Silvio Berlusconi has positioned himself as a benevolent statesman acting in the best interests of Italy as he reiterated his call for a grand coalition government with his opponents to break the political deadlock after last month's election.

As he emerged on Friday from a meeting with President Giorgio Napolitano, the head of state who has led a series of day closed-doors consultations with the parties, Berlusconi said there was "no other solution" than a broad coalition government that included his own centre-right Freedom People (PdL) party.

Touting it as a government of "professionalism and responsibility as well as common sense", the three-time prime minister said his rightwing alliance with the regionalist Northern League would accept Pier Luigi Bersani, the centre-left Democratic party (PD) leader, as premier.

Thanks for the welcome back Jan.

These people can't stop themselves spinning can they. Buffoon's "Freedom People Party" should more correctly be called the "Corruption, Control and Shagging Party" - and should comprise largely of 16 year old girls.

By GOD maybe we'll get that drink yet, at that old Bucket of Blood Saloon way up there in Virginia City, Nevada. Great to see your words again Mr. Guyatt!
--David Healy

[David Guyatt]

By GOD maybe we'll get that drink yet, at that old Bucket of Blood Saloon way up there in Virginia City, Nevada. Great to see your words again Mr. Guyatt!
--David Healy

Hey David, likewise, great to hear from you again too. My thirst is long, and my tongue is dragging on the floor. I'll feed up, and saddle up, my old moth-eaten Burro and wind my way up to them thar hills!

[Jan Klimkowski]

Bunga Bunga.

It had been proved beyond reasonable doubt, she argued, that the "girls invited [to Arcore] were part of a prostitution system organised to satisfy the sexual pleasure of Silvio Berlusconi".

Berlusconi had many powerful friends and guests staying overnight.

I remember quite a few from the British Labour government in particular....

Silvio Berlusconi bunga-bunga trial: prosecutors demand six years in jail

Prosecutors sum up, saying there was 'no doubt' that then PM paid for sex with underage prostitute and abused his office to cover it up

Lizzy Davies in Rome
The Guardian, Monday 13 May 2013 16.50 BST

Silvio Berlusconi at a political rally in Brescia on Saturday which he turned into a protest against the Italian judiciary. Photograph: AGF s.r.l./Rex Features

Prosecutors have demanded that Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian prime minister and key backer of the fragile new government, serve six years in prison and face a lifetime ban from holding public office for allegedly paying for sex with an underage prostitute and abusing his office to cover it up.

Presenting her long-awaited closing arguments in the so-called Rubygate trial, Ilda Boccassini, the prosecutor who has led the case against Berlusconi, said the centre-right billionaire should be convicted on both charges involving Karima el-Mahroug, a former nightclub dancer from Morocco whose stage name was Ruby Heartstealer.

A verdict is expected in the coming months. If he is found guilty, Berlusconi will be able to launch two appeals, a process which would take years to complete.

Boccassini argued that there was "no doubt" that the then prime minister had paid for sex with Mahroug when she was 17 under the legal age for prostitution in Italy. She also argued that when, in May 2010, the teenager was arrested on suspicion of theft, Berlusconi had put pressure on the police to release her, claiming she was a relative of the now-deposed Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

Berlusconi, a three-time premier whose Freedom People (PdL) party shares power in Enrico Letta's grand coalition government and is leading once again in the polls, strongly denies both charges, claiming the trial is just another episode in his "persecution" by Italy's magistrates.

On Saturday, he turned a political rally in the northern city of Brescia into a protest against the Italian judiciary which was attended by Angelino Alfano, the new interior minister much to Letta's irritation.

And, in a bizarre intervention on the eve of the summing up, Berlusconi appeared on one of his own television channels on Sunday to insist that he had never been anything but a benevolent friend to Mahroug and had given her some money purely out of a desire to help her build a life for herself.

The young woman also appeared on the show, which gave viewers a glimpse inside the Arcore villa near Milan where so-called "bunga bunga" soirees took place, including a dimly-lit basement area and dining room with crimson tablecloth and candelabra.

Mahroug, now 21, denies sleeping with the billionaire media tycoon and says she lied to him about her age and about her "fantasy" connection to Mubarak. She insisted on Canale 5 on Sunday night that, though it might have been the easy option for her, prostitution was "against [her] principles".

Boccassini, however, painted a very different picture of Mahroug, arguing in court that she had bought into a negative "Italian dream" of getting into show business to make money. Raising eyebrows, the prosecutor referred to Mahroug as "an intelligent person … with that oriental cunning of her origins".

She added: "Let there be no doubt that Karima Mahroug had sex with Berlusconi and received benefits for it." It had been proved beyond reasonable doubt, she argued, that the "girls invited [to Arcore] were part of a prostitution system organised to satisfy the sexual pleasure of Silvio Berlusconi".

Monday's summing up had been delayed for weeks first because of an eye condition suffered by Berlusconi and then over a request by his lawyers, which was rejected, to have the trial moved from Milan to nearby Brescia.

In the meantime the former prime minister's conviction for tax fraud which carries a four-year jail sentence and a five-year ban from public office was upheld. He denies the charges. The penalties will not come into effect unless the verdict is made definitive after a second appeal, by which time the statue of limitations may well have expired.