Sorry to say this but not knowing and appreciating the richness of Italian culture (from art and music to religion and law), which has enriched Western civilization, shows prejudice, crass ignorance and racism.

[Daphne – With the exception of music, in which my interest is marginal, I probably know more about it than you do, ‘David’. And that is also how I know that it is fossilised in every area, and that pride is actually taken in that fossilisation. I take it from your comment that you are one of those people who think that the word ‘culture’ means the creative arts. It doesn’t necessarily, and I for one certainly never use it in that context because it sets my teeth on edge. When I say culture I mean social culture, society, ways of being and doing, attitudes and mores. Italian culture is innately hostile to change and resists it on all fronts. It is hugely conservative and non-dynamic. It is also xenophobic, fearing and regarding with contempt other cultures and different ways of doing things, from eating to getting dressed. I would bet that the great art you are thinking about was made 500 years ago, which is roughly the last time the Italians were innovative. Oh sorry, I forgot the tomato, which they condescended to accept 200 years ago though they haven’t taken on a single new ingredient since.]

Kev, not for the first time I fail to see what your point is. Michael Briguglio wrote that the UN should send a peace-keeping mission and I responded that there isn’t any peace to keep. It is yet to be achieved.

Once Gaddafi has been ousted most of Libya will rejoice and there won’t be any need for foreign peacekeepers either.

Surely, to ploughshares?

Who, me? I do not condemn repression, unless I can personally intervene. I see condemnation as being your sort of statement: pure rhetoric to salve your conscience.

The only thing I condemn is stupidity. And AD is incredibly stupid in foreign or defence policy, starting from the untenable position of “give peace a chens”.

P.S. Jien kont qed naqbdel mal-kumment tieghek, jigifieri ma nibdewx argument iehor.

Here’s one throwing stones in a glasshouse, and she wasn’t posting comments on timesofmalta.com

http://www.timesofmalta.com/mepelections/view/20090531/news/eu-should-accept-libyas-proposal-on-immigration-ellul-bonici

Ms Ellul Bonici welcomed Libya’s proposal for $€707 million in EU aid in exchange for collaboration to stem illegal immigration. She added that Malta should urge the EU to assist Libya and ensure that this led to an EU-Libya readmission agreement.

“Some people are saying this is blackmail on Libya’s part, but I don’t see it that way. Combating illegal immigration is costly. The EU should take this opportunity and make sure it paves the way towards a readmission agreement with Libya,” Ms Ellul Bonici added.

The PN didn’t condemn Gaddafi either, like the Labour Party, they condemned “violence”.

Meanwhile, Nouri al-Maliki’s police have killed 23 protestors in Iraq’s ‘Day of Rage’ yet we hear no condemnations – not from Obama; not from any heart-bleeding ‘democrat’ here.

And Israel? Oh, but Israel is a democracy, even if it has squeezed over 1.5 million Palestinians into an area around the size of Malta while bombing their infrastructure to ensure they will not thrive.

Tell me, have you any idea of life in the Gaza strip or is Libya the farthest your sentiments can go?

Anti-Italy, ah so that is not a racist comment. I still think mediation is a possible way forward.

[Daphne – No, it’s not. It’s perfectly acceptable (indeed, it is the moral thing to do) to be against racism and fascism. Italian culture and the country’s political system are inately totalitarian, absolutist, racist, fascist and intolerant. It is why everything in Italy outside of Milan appears to be fossilised.]

As if this would make Gaddafi any less responsible then and now. Get Berlusconi another tube of lube. He needs it!