'Mussolini wasn't that bad, says Berlusconi'

[Aidoneus]

Mussolini wasn't that bad, says Berlusconi

John Hooper in Rome
Friday September 12, 2003
The Guardian

Even some of Silvio Berlusconi's own supporters and allies were last night squirming with embarrassment at their leader's latest extraordinary gaffe.

In an interview published yesterday by the Spectator, Italy's prime minister appeared to defend the actions of his country's fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini.

"Mussolini never killed anyone," the magazine quoted him saying.

"Mussolini sent people on holiday to confine them {banishment to small islands such as Ponza and Maddalena which are now plush resorts}."

Italy's fascist leader ordered the brutal 1935-36 occupation of Ethiopia, led Italy into the second world war and headed a Nazi puppet government which rounded up and dispatched Italian Jews to Hitler's concentration camps.

Coming from a prime minister who relies heavily on the hard right, "post-fascist" National Alliance, Mr Berlusconi's comments touched a hyper-sensitive nerve in a country whose postwar democracy was founded on an anti-fascist consensus. It raised for the first time since his return to power two years ago the issue of how long his more moderate allies can afford to support him without losing their credibility.

--snip--

http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,12576,1040340,00.html

[redwitch]

1. someone should introduce him to Annthrax

they both have such rosy memories of such awful people!

[cprise]

2. But but but... Berlusconi is the 'business' PM !

And we all know 'greed is good' has nothing to do with Fascism.

Right?

[LoneStarLiberal]

3. From the great big book of "DUH!"

Berlusconi is...well...very Italian. Like The Moose himself.

[pschoeb]

4. glad they put "post-fascist" National Alliance in qoutes

Everyone knows a large segement of the National Alliance is from Movimento Sociale Italiano(totally fascist), which was headed by Benito's grandaughter, Alessandra Mussolini, who still thinks her grandfather was the greatest leader Italy ever had. National Alliance still has Alessandra Mussolini as a party member as well as most of the MSI members, the "post facsism" is just a ploy.

The rest of MSI are in Fiamma Tricolore, which is also an important part of Berlusconi’s coalition govt.

Patrick Schoeb

[LeftistGorilla]

5. This guy talks too much....

how embarassing for Italy....