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News :: Miscellaneous |
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Berlusconi-Objectivists-Falwell & tea. |
Current rating: 0 |
by Guardian (via Steven Hicks)
Email: hugoles (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified!)
Phone: 367.6241 |
28 Sep 2001
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"The Italian prime minister, who has been under pressure over the handling of demonstrations at this year's G8 summit in Genoa, also used his trip to claim a link between Islamist terrorism and the anti-globalisation movement. He said there was a "strange unanimity" between them.
Both, said Mr Berlusconi, were the enemies of western civilisation." |
Now Berlusconi (as if he couldnt before...) can join the UIUC Objectivists and Jerry Falwell for tea.
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Berlusconi breaks ranks over Islam
John Hooper and Kate Connolly in Berlin
Thursday September 27, 2001
The Guardian
Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, yesterday went out of his way to stress what every other leader backing America's "war on terrorism" has been desperate to deny - that the looming conflict is, at bottom, a clash of civilisations.
On three occasions during a lightning visit to Berlin, Mr Berlusconi enthusiastically proclaimed views that will appal western leaders and be seen by many Muslims as confirming their worst suspicions. He boasted of the "supremacy" and "superiority" of western civilisation and called on Europe to recognise its "common Christian roots".
The Italian prime minister, who has been under pressure over the handling of demonstrations at this year's G8 summit in Genoa, also used his trip to claim a link between Islamist terrorism and the anti-globalisation movement. He said there was a "strange unanimity" between them.
Both, said Mr Berlusconi, were the enemies of western civilisation.
Standing beside the German chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, at a joint press conference, he declared that he and his host "consider that the attacks on New York and Washington are attacks not only on the United States but on our civilisation, of which we are proud bearers, conscious of the supremacy of our civilisation, of its discoveries and inventions, which have brought us democratic institutions, respect for the human, civil, religious and political rights of our citizens, openness to diversity and tolerance of everything."
A broadly smiling Mr Berlusconi said his discussions with the chancellor had been carried out "strong in this pride, this awareness".
He had earlier told Italian journalists covering his visit: "We should be conscious of the superiority of our civilisation, which consists of a value system that has given people widespread prosperity in those countries that embrace it, and guarantees respect for human rights and religion."
As if to rub salt in the wound, Mr Berlusconi added: "This re spect certainly does not exist in the Islamic countries".
Heedless to warnings that the anti-terrorist coalition must make a clear distinction between the Taliban regime and the Afghan people, Mr Berlusconi congratulated the US and its allies on isolating "the country - I'm not sure if you can call it a nation - of Afghanistan".
The singer-turned-TV magnate-turned-politician's views were launched on the world just as policymakers in the US and allied states had begun to hope they had limited the damage done by President George Bush's description of the campaign as a "crusade".
In Tehran this week, the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, was at pains to reassure the Iranian government that the allies were not at war with Islam, nor with the Afghan people.
Mr Berlusconi began his eventful day with a surprise breakfast with Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, who is also visiting Germany. The prime minister emerged to tell reporters that "Europe must revive on the basis of common Christian roots".
That remark will not only dismay ethnic minority leaders, but will also be seen as deeply offensive by Albanians, Bosnians, Kosovans and other European Muslims.
But Italy's ebullient prime minister was not the only politician in the German capital yesterday to get into hot water over their choice of words.
The German culture minister, Adrienne Göhler, was under pressure to resign after describing the World Trade Centre towers as "phallic symbols" two days after they were destroyed on September 11. Ms Göhler said her remarks, made at a podium discussion in Berlin, had been taken out of context. |
