Report from Italy by Liliana Gorini

Click here for Full Issue of EIR Volume 12, Number 6, February 11, 1985

Can the Communists topple Craxi? caluso took the opportunity offered by Angry over Italy's "rush to Washington" in support of U.S. the De Michelis/Scalzone controversy to list all of the possible causes of a defense strategy, they may have the opportunity in a new scandal. government crisis in Italy: the scandal itself; the freeing of SS Nazi war crim inal Walter Reder, sent to Austria where he was welcomed as a hero, T he official visit to the United States er Palmiro Togliatti in Rome, Pertini provoking a government crisis there; of Italian Defense Minister Giovanni had proposed that Togliatti 's mistress, the terrorist train massacre two days Spadolini was not yet complete when Nilde Jotti, a Communist leader who before Christmas-the Communists the Italian Communist Party began a now heads the Chamber of Deputies, accused the state of covering up fascist "Watergate"-style campaign to topple become the next President of the Re terrorism, because it had warned of a the Craxi government.After the state public! He was so concerned to give revival of left-wing terrorism a few ments in favor of U.S. beam-weapon publicity to the De Michelis/Scalzone days earlier; unemployment; and the development by Spadolini, who met scandal that he kept bringing it up dur snow emergency in Italy. with Defense Secretary Caspar Wein ing his state visit to Spain, astonishing While the Communists blame the berger and President Reagan, and aft his hosts when in the middle of a visit government for terrorism, Defense er the announcement that Prime Min to the Prado museum in Madrid, he Minister Spadolini in New York ac ister Bettino Craxi would meet with started shouting: "I am an honest man, cused the French authorities of safe Reagan on March 5, the Communists I would never shake hands with a housing terrorists. Paris still refuses to accused the regime of starting a "rush terrorist. " extradite 150 Italian terrorists now in to Washington." There is, of course, nothing wrong France. "My judgment on the French However, other grounds were in demanding the resignation of a min policy in this connection is very harsh," chosen to demand the government's ister who entertains relations with fu he said. "Paris shows an excessive tol "impeachment." An artificial scandal gitive terrorists. But the fact is, the eration toward the Italian terrorists." exploded toward the end of January: a Italian Communist Party, which not Spadolini also asserted that "France meeting in Paris between the present only entertains relations, but also sup hosts a terrorism multinational." labor minister, Gianni De Michelis, ports terrorists, is using the fight be The issue was also raised by Inte and the fugitive Italian terrorist, Or tween Palazzo Chigi and the Quirinale rior Minister Oscar Luigi Scalfaro in este Scalzone. Scalzone has been to demand Craxi's impeachment. discussions with French Justice Min sought by Italian authorities for var "Nixon was impeached for his lies," ister Pierre Joxe. Scalfaro pointed to ious crimes, including the 1978 kid they announce. Craxi should be im the role of the Italian terrorists in the nap-assassination of former Premier peached, too, for declaring, "There is assassination of French defense min Aldo Moro. no De Michelis case." istry official General Audran. his na The scandal exploded when Pres The Communists do not hide the tion's NATO coordinator, and re ident of the Republic Sandro Pertini fact that America's Strategic Defense minded the French that "there are su leakedto the press a confidential letter Initiative is the real cause of their an pranational terrorist centers" abroad to Craxi in which Pertini demanded ger. They have repeatedly attacked which use terrorism "as a way to con De Michelis' resignation because of Spadolini, "who stopped criticizing the duct war." Speaking at the opening his meeting with Scalzone. The "con 'Star Wars' strategy of the United ceremonies for the academic year at fidential letter" is now the talk of the States," and also attack the govern the Police School in Rome, the inte nation, and its publication provoked a ment for sticking to its decision to sta rior minister called for a stricter coor series of protest messages back and tion U.S. missiles in Comiso, Sicily, dination between the United States and forth from Palazzo Chigi, seat of the despite the decision of the Belgian Europe in the fight against terrorism Italian government, to the Quirinale, government to postpone their and drugs, emphasizing the collusion

seat of the President. installation .' "between right-wing terrorists, left A few weeks earlier. at a confer In an editorial in the Communist wing terrorists, criminals, and drug ence on the postwar Communist lead- paper L' Unita, editor Emanuele Ma- smugglers. "

48 International EIR February 11, 1985