It's Official

Italy is worse than useless as an ally. Not content to pay multi-million dollar ransoms and assist in smuggling terrorists/insurgents to secure the release of photogenic aid workers in Iraq, the Italian government has now released Taliban fighters in order to secure the release of a journalist in Afghanistan. The Italians have made fairly useless military contributions to Iraq and Afghanistan. In Iraq, when their base got shelled, they ran away. No, really - they got in their vehicles and ran like screaming girls to the Americans. In Afghanistan, they embody the pathetic European reluctance to actually fight the Taliban (honourable exceptions: British, Dutch, Romanians). But to actually release dangerous fighters to buy your way out of a politically difficult situation is surely a new low. They know that these men might well kill the soldiers of their allies. But they don't care. Their shameful tradition of appeasement and protection payments to terrorists continues. The only certainty is that more of their countrymen will be targeted in the sure knowledge of more concessions - money for arms, prisoners for fighting, whatever. The Italians have always cut a pretty disgraceful figure on the battlefield, but if they're going to go around undermining their allies' war effort, maybe it would be better just to send them back to their lattes and girly football dives. Make me some gelato, Massimo! At least you'll be doing something worthwhile.