The Past that didn’t pass. 1925-2025, Empires’ Resurrections

Russia, Turkey, and Austria-Hungary seem to be back. There are good reasons for this. But modernity pushes in new directions. The US must think ahead about it as it will also impact China. Just a hundred years ago, after WWI, three polities, which for centuries disputed the true legacy and, thus, the authentic spread of Rome’s […]

The Real U.S. Strength

China or other countries should consider what makes the U.S. strong and decide, accordingly, with a very Italian coda. On Jan 29, it’ll be the beginning of the year of the snake, a tricky time for everybody. It’s Chinese President Xi Jinping’s birth year 本命年. According to Chinese superstition, it can be very good or […]

UNIFIL’s Fig Leaf on Diverging Worldviews

The crisis between Israel and UNIFIL highlights the collapse of a unified UN perspective and differing agendas between Washington and Beijing. It is difficult to patch up the situation or dismantle the organization entirely. After World War I, the victorious powers created the League of Nations to avoid the mistakes and misunderstandings that led to […]

Does China need a Grand Strategy?

China might need a new Grand Strategy for the first time since the 3rd century BC unification, but it is quite elusive. Italy has parallel issues, and there could be lessons to be learned there. “Here begins our tale. The Empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been. In […]

Meloni, the Church, and the EU: An Existential Issue

There are both trivial motives of political opportunism and deeper reasons concerning the Church’s “mission” for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to pay close attention to the warnings of CEI (Italian Bishops’ Conference) president, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, regarding the controversial bill of “differentiated autonomy.” The bill devolves significant central powers to the regions, strengthening existing centrifugal […]

Italy’s Wounded Premiership

Italy was neither born one, nor does it have a deep-rooted tradition of political unity. For example, Siena fought Florence for centuries, and within Siena itself, there are still centuries-old rivalries between the districts, the contrade. The nation was forged through the gradual patching and soothing of the rifts created by a political merger, which […]

Good health to you, Mr. Berlusconi… and to Italy

He was the idol of many men and women. He had it all—the money, the power, the girls, the friends. The money: He was one of the richest men in the world, coming from nothing. The power: He was the most potent Italian politician in two decades. He dominated national politics and its culture. He […]