Berlusconi caves to terror

Always the wrong move

Excerpt:

Newspapers in Kuwait, where negotiators were based, reported that
the kidnappers had demanded, and received, $1 million for the release of
the two Simonas, volunteers who worked for the charity A Bridge to
Baghdad on school and water projects.

Asked if a ransom had been paid, a member of Mr Berlusconi's office
skirted the issue but said: "When you're talking about hostages, there
are no two cases alike.

"You can't compare how the Italian government reacts to how the British
Government does."

Mr Berlusconi told parliament that the secret services had located their
whereabouts earlier this week, but rather than risk violence, the
Italian government had preferred to negotiate.

I say:

It doesn't work that way.

Berlusconi has rewarded hostage taking, and thus encouraged it. Now
there will be more of it. Plus, he's funded future terrorist activities.
Inexcusable.

The memory of Fabrizio Quattrocchi has been betrayed.

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UPDATE: Berlusconi denies he paid a ransom. But what was there to negotiate, then?