Pro-US, Pro-War government in Italy poised to take power!

From PatDollard.Com

It looks like Silvio Berlusconi is about to retake power in Iraq. Bloomberg explains who he is:

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is leading in opinion polls, giving his pro-U.S., pro-business opposition an edge if a quick election is called.

On foreign policy, Berlusconi was one of President George W. Bush’s closest allies in Europe, backing the invasion of Iraq, a position opposed by more than two thirds of Italians. Prodi pulled Italian peacekeepers out of Iraq.

UPDATE: (AFP) - The Italian government of caretaker Prime Minister Romano Prodi decided Wednesday to hold a general election on April 13-14.

The Prodi government made the decision at a Cabinet meeting after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament following unsuccessful efforts to form an interim government.

The presidential action came after a no-confidence vote in January drove the Prodi government from power after only 20 months.

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the center-right coalition, and Walter Veltroni, leader of the center-left coalition, are expected to vie for the premiership.

Italian President Dissolves Parliament:

ROME (AP) - Italy’s president dissolved parliament on Wednesday, clearing the way for early elections just two years after the last parliamentary vote.

President Giorgio Napolitano made the decision after Premier Romano Prodi’s center-left government fell late last month and subsequent efforts to form an interim government to change voting rules failed.

Prodi will continue as caretaker premier until the election, which must be held within 70 days of the dissolution of parliament.

Italy was plunged into political crisis after Prodi’s government collapsed Jan. 24 after only 20 months in power.

The legislature was the second-shortest one in Italy’s postwar history, according to Italian media.

Early elections represent a victory for Silvio Berlusconi, the conservative leader who has repeatedly demanded a return to the polls since the fall of Prodi’s government.

Berlusconi has firmly rejected any possibility of an interim government. The 71-year-old former premier is hoping for a new stint in power as domestic opinion polls suggest his center-right coalition would win an early election.

The center-left coalition trails in opinion polls. Its leader and expected candidate for premier, Walter Veltroni, had hoped to delay a vote by supporting the possibility of an interim government.

Veltroni had been pushing for a change in the election law before any new parliament vote is held, saying the risk of instability is too high for whichever coalition wins the next election.

Prodi had to resign after a small centrist party withdrew its support, causing the government to lose a confidence vote in the Senate, where the premier’s forces had a minimal edge. Throughout his time in office, Prodi had to mediate between positions in a varied coalition that included several small parties.

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I think this comment, posted by Lamplighter, says it all:

OK, so Bush, who supposedly caused the world to turn against the US, can now take credit for, under his watch: France tossing its anti-US, anti-Iraq President out and putting in pro-US Sarkosy; Germany tossing it’s anti-US, anti-Iraq War Pres. and putting in US-supporting Merkel; Korea tossing out its viruently anti-US Pres. and putting in the new guy, who is very pro-US; Italy turning back to pro-US Pres.; Lebannon, which tossed out Syria and voted in “democracy” (albeit they have been fighting since); Libya, getting rid of WMD; Pakistan having a pro-US leader (we barely had a relationship with Pakistan during prior Admin.); Afghanistan, pro-US Karzai; Iraq, pro-US Mallecki.