ITALY VOTES

Lost amidst our domestic political combat is the fact that Italy has just voted, and pro-American former Premier Silvio Berlusconi was returned to power:

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's centre left lost power on Monday but gloomy supporters like Giuseppe Pelladone will tell you the worst is yet to come.

"The real nightmare is ahead of us," the 22-year-old student said. "We have five more years of Silvio Berlusconi".

Berlusconi is the nemesis of the left. The conservative billionaire, who is returning to power for a third time, has proved he has a rare ability in Italy to serve a full five-year term as prime minister. He did so from 2001 to 2006.

The centre left's fear is that he could do it again, as he promised in his first comments after the election.

That concern deepened the gloom at the centre-left Democratic Party's headquarters on Monday evening.

In a country where governments since World War Two have on average survived for only about one year, the centre left fears remaining in the political wilderness until 2013.

Goody.

So let's see:  Germany has a pro-American leader.  France has a pro-American leader.  Italy again has a pro-American leader. 

This guy Bush, he really wrecked our relations with our allies.

April 14, 2008.