This latest move by the Italian coalition government is sure
to anger Washington. One thing the United States won't stand for is Non-Alignment.
During the Cold War it led to serious opposition on the part of the United
States.*
The move is interesting because just a few weeks ago it
appeared that Italy was moving toward an international coalition of the Right.
The new Bolsonaro regime had extradited a fugitive communist fighter charged
with terrorism from the Years of Lead.
It immediately led me to think of the Condor Years and the
relationship established between Right-wing regimes in Latin America and
nations like Italy and Spain... all shepherded by Washington.
And yet, Deputy Prime Minister and Five-Star leader Luigi Di
Maio is indicating that Italy isn't interested in supporting Washington's
latest coup project in Venezuela. Additionally they've gotten into quite a
tangle with France which has added yet another layer of tension within the battered
edifices of the EU and NATO.
Among the American Establishment the greatest amount of
support probably belongs to former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza
Italia. They had almost made it back into power in a coalition with the Lega
party but the talks collapsed and Lega formed the current coalition with the
Five Star Movement (M5S). At this point the next general election isn't
scheduled in 2023. A lot can happen in the next four years but at present the
Lega/M5S coalition is creating some serious enemies in Paris, Brussels and
Washington.
There have been hints of diplomatic overture between Italy
and the increasingly anti-EU Visegrad group. The European Council is clearly
alarmed and one wonders if the present Italian coalition will survive until the
2023 election. Though united at present it would seem there are so many forces
angling to take them down that it will be hard for them to remain viable. It's
a story that bears watching.
*Yugoslavia's Tito was an exception as his NAM membership was
a provocation against the Soviets. But Nehru, Sukarno and Nasser would all face
serious opposition from Washington including what many believe were CIA
assassination plots. Sukarno was ultimately overthrown in a bloody 'transition'
which culminated in the US backed Suharto regime.
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