Tim Blair

Silvio:
'Just read Repubblica, just read Unità, they are newspapers completely at the service of the Left. If you read Unità, you think you are living under a tyranny.'

Me:
'Just read The Age, just read the Sydney Morning Herald, they are newspapers completely at the service of the Left. If you read the Sydney Morning Herald, you think you are living under a tyranny.'

I'm getting to Like Silvio more and more. It takes a fair bit of courage to stand up state your opinion in a hostile atmosphere, and he does it with humour and style.

Viva Silvio.

I want to have Silvio's baby.

"the (Italian) state is old, obsolete, with a public administration that is plethoric, inefficient and very expensive. We have abolished inheritance tax, and tax on gifts. We have increased from 1m lire to 1.5m lire the tax deduction for each child. I have reduced corporation tax to 35 per cent, and in five years I intend to keep my promise and bring the tax on personal incomes down from 47 per cent to 33 per cent."

This man should rule Europe, not just Italy.

Ilyka, I work for Mr Berlusconi and he regrets that he is unable to service every attractive young woman who wishes to have his baby. If you could present yourself to the nearest Italian embassy a specially delegated impregnator will attend to your needs.

Ahh Silvio - media mogul and strong willed politician ... ready to take on the left ... and kick the sh%t out of them!

but what about Australia

what if Kerry Packer had decided to enter politics. Wouldn't that be interesting.

DH

I especially liked his statements about the potential for a "community of democracies". I have posted why I think such a thing would be more "legitimate" than the current U.N..

That was a great post, Tim. Keep up the good work.

Ahh Silvio... I like him so much, I want to have his baby, and I'm a man!

As the old Australian saying goes, "fine words butter no parsnips." I'm glad Sr. Berlusconi is saying what he is, but need some persuasion that it is not just talk. The last I looked Italy was not planning any large increases in its defense budget, and it occurs to me that the biggest single beneficiary of the tax reductions Berlusconi is bragging about will be Berlusconi himself. There is also that corruption business. I'd like to wait a while on this guy before throwing him any parades.

It is nice to hear Silvio back up his tough talk on Saddam with action. We should thank him for all those thousands of troops he sent to help us out in Iraq.

Alex,

Don't know if you're being sarcastic or not because I haven't heard of any Italian troops in Iraq but maybe I just missed it. But anyway the guy isn't a dictator so he can't just snap his fingers and send troops to a foreign country. Those things need to get voted on even in Italy I would assume, and just because Silvio is one badass Italian doesn't mean the rest of the politicans in Italy have the balls like Silvio.

VIVA SILVIO!!!

In the interview, Silvio explained that he was forbidden sending troops by the Italian Constitution without the 2nd UN Resolution. He was, however, able to send 3,000 peacekeeping forces that are currently in Iraq.

Viva Silvio!

We like'im damn fine here in Texas!

GOP Elephant--Kerry Packer has been in politics for quite some time, though of course he's more of your 'silent partner' than executive politician.