154. My Letter to Gheddafi: An Italian Paradox
Dear Mr Gheddafi,
My guess is that Italians, both Left and Right like to have their bread buttered on both sides and those that say they don’t are merely avoiding to face the issue directly. In effect it was you yourself who said that Italy was once strong, referring to the period of Italian colonization, but now it is Italy that has need of Libya because of its resources- in other words- gas, petrol. Adding, of course, that one day Libya will be as strong as Italy was once, obviously nourishing certain expectations.
However, in spite of pinning a provocative photo of an anti-Italian fascist resistance hero on your breast, you did concede the fact that you were on foreign soil after all and a dose of flattery upon your host would not go to waste at this point of the proceedings and said that it was thanks to the courage of this generation of Italians the chapter of Italian colonization was finally closed. Actually, we thought this was over and done with a long time ago and was sealed with a kiss when Berlusconi, a year ago offered you $5 billion as compensation for past injustices upon your people. For your part you said you would stop illegal immigrants coming to Italy- did you keep your word on that? Of course we never mentioned that in 1969, with just a few hours notice you kicked out quite a number of Italians, confiscating their land, homes, personal objects and even defrauding them of their birthrights as they were born on your land and cherished it as much as one cherishes the memories of childhood.
You took it with a smile when there was opposition as access to our Upper House was denied and you had to do with quite a prestigious Palace adjacent, but nevertheless was not the “Senato” itself which just was not the same thing, however, it certainly had no effect of intimidation upon your person as you had well much else on your mind: wondering whether it was best to put on the white, black, green or sandy shaded outfit- you decided on the white.
So after dutifully thanking Berlusconi for archiving the past which as I mentioned before the only person not to do so was yourself since not only did you pin the photo of he whom the Italian fascist government at the time, which agreed was hardly one of the best in Italian history, considered a rebel and was consequently hung, on your breast but you brought his aged son who was hardly able to put two steps together, his sons, and their sons to parade before what you expected the beating of the breast Italians falling on their knees to beg pardon in adulation of a Cesar; having proposed, in one of your speeches your own candidature for position of Emperor. That in itself would have exhausted Job’s patience but to describe the 1986 bombing of the US on Tripoli as akin to the attacks of Bin Laden on September 11th and saying the US being as much terrorists as Bin Laden is something only you can conceive. A statement which left our poor Minister of Foreign Affairs stammering an apologetic, “We can’t agree upon everything!” given that we host numerous US forces basis on Italian soil.
But then you turn round and calmly state that if you want peace you have to put aside arrogance. Of course kicking Libyan born Italians in the ass out of your country after stripping them even of their memories, is not arrogance, is it? It is not arrogance burning down the US embassy in Tripoli, is it? Even if you yourself did not do it, nothing would give me more delight if you can prove someone else did. Nor is it arrogance to throw bombs in the airports of Rome and Vienna in 1985 which Libya denies but claims as “heroic operations carried out by the sons of the martyrs of Sabra and Shatila.” And do I really have to mention the Lockerbie disaster? I think one of the Italian Senators did well to pin a photo of that on his chest, now don’t go crying to mother because we have humiliated the Arabs again- remember you started it first.
Photo: Mr Gheddafi with the Mayor of Rome saluting the crowds with his provokative Fist closed Salute
I hope I have explained the difference between the 1986 American attacks and that of 11 September sufficiently, but I’m sure deep down there really was no need as the difference was plain enough if only one wants to look. Immediately after which you asked another question: “If Saddam is a dictator what have you got to do with it?” It’s obvious that the West doesn’t go around and destroy the regime of a country just because it is a dictatorship otherwise there would be no dictators left- dictatorship is not an issue. But if a country supports, arms, funds terrorists so as to destroy my country then I’ll jolly well pellet him with all the marbles I’ve got in my granary. The US attacks on Saddam was for this reason, a thank you card for the 9/11 attacks. Is that so difficult to understand? The question of humiliation has got nothing to do with it at all.
Photo Students in hall: Not particularly overcrowded
when you take away the plain clothed military intelligence
The same goes for Afghanistan who is probably arming, supporting, funding terrorists to blow up our churches, airports, monuments and so on- it has nothing to do with the type of person who is running the country. If that person did none of those things no one would touch Afghanistan, not even with a barge pole. Can’t you see, this is merely a question of self-defence and the defence of our freedom to be citizens of the world... If Afghans want to be governed by the man on the moon, that’s their problem. And if we have a theocratic state within the state of Italy, the Vatican, that is our problem. The only difference is that the Pope has no earthly power whatsoever and more importantly, doesn’t go around throwing bombs at people he doesn’t take a fancy to.
Photo: A greeting for Mr Ghaddafi: Students and Police, protected by shields, face to face
One thing that really amazes me is that you have put forward quite unfounded reasons to justify terrorism, none of which as you can see holds water. The only real claim you may have for redress which has nothing to do with Africa but concerns the Arab world is that of the condition of Palestine. Palestine has a right to be a nation of her own. Yet of this you make no mention. As far as I recall history tells me the land of Israel belonged to the Jews two thousand years ago but was subsequently usurped by the Palestinians until about half a century ago when the Jews usurped it in turn from the Palestinians... Has the time for this tit-for-tat usurping of land not come to make an end of it and create two separate distinct nations? And yes, you are right it is time for the Western world to support this ideology and not support one nation against another- but if some of the Arab countries insist that Israel does not have a right to being a state, denying that the holocaust ever happened and continue terrorize us, to hell we will support them? And do you blame us?
Having spoken your mind at the Upper House in the morning you were a little milder with the students at the university of Rome “La Sapienza” who prepared a real welcome for you- red paint. As a red carpet was not available they did the next best thing spilt red paint all over the place to remind you of the blood of your people who are allowed to leave your shores as unwanted carnage to seek asylum on our shores even after the promise you made when you received the $5 billion compensation from Berlusconi last year. That money was meant to create work in your country so that your people can support themselves not send them to perish in foreign lands who have not the means or resources to host them.
It was at this meeting with the ladies that you proposed your candidature for Emperor of Italy with an already prepared programme by abolishing political parties, and forbidding elections, which quite titillated our dear ladies since we believe that democracy is the best of the worst methods of government. What I thought was noble of you is that after the strong speech from the beautiful Minister of Equal Opportunity and ex show girl, Mara Carfagna, you conceded that women in “your” world were treated like a piece of furniture and would need a cultural revolution in order for women to reach the same levels of equality as men. You also mentioned that Italian women were forced out of the home after the war because of lack of men, and that you would try to get women back in the home again... well I think you need to look at that bit of Italian history again! You also caused quite a bit of havoc with interpreters since you wanted to use your own dialect, fair enough, but you are also fluent both in English and Italian, an admirer of one of our women writers Matilde Serao who described ordinary Italian people living normal lives and of course, Claudia Cardinale, an Italian born in your neighbouring Tunisia.
You really did screw it up in the afternoon though, and I think on purpose, when you were expected at a meeting arranged by the President of the Lower House, Fini, who after two hours waiting for you decided to cancel the whole thing. I guess you got your informers to find out what Fini was going to say which was: “Democracy may make mistakes at times, but certainly we cannot be compared to being the same as terrorists.” Well, I couldn’t have put it better myself.
So you called in sick and then took to the streets to see Rome by night, mixed with the locals and dined, without the wine, of course, at a Roman restaurant- roasted fettucine- I believe.
Yours Sincerely,
Eva Ulian
BA London
P.S. Just thinking of our cold, cold winters, and I’ve got gas central heating- will you, Mr Gheddafi keep me warm? I wonder...
After calling in sick to avoid a meeting with the Powers that Be you took to the streets to mingle among the locals, canvassing for your Emperorship, I no doubt- then back to your tent- as you yourself say, a reminder of where you came from. Excellent philosophy Mr. Gheddafi!
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