In these days of blood and pain, from the mud of useless chatter that has always characterized our country, THE real question must emerge: sand it was our turn - or rather "when will it be" - our turn?
It's a legitimate question. We should have asked ourselves the problem on February 25, 2022, the day after the new "Sarajevo attack": the invasion of Ukraine. Unlike the others, we have stumbled along, accustomed to emergencies, facing them day by day, without planning or serious strategies.
On the other hand, in just 20 months, we are already at the second government. Let us remember that in the history of Italy the average in 162 years is 14 months. And not for lack of "sense of the State" (aka, attachment to the chair), it is System-like!
The result? The horizon is always a month away, a year at most.
Can a country system born and raised that is structurally precarious and unsafe change? The must do it immediately, before the anger and tears.
Using, for simplicity, a football metaphor, we don't need yet another "new team", we need a new Championship: healthy, solid and safe. The teams that enter to "put on a show" in the stadium must not damage the structures by vandalizing the boxes and changing rooms. Once the match is over: at home or in the audience.
But let's go back to Israel... The government called further 300.000 reservists. Do you know how many we could recall? A fraction.
Do you know how many would show up? Even less.
Here, the "selected reserve" has been considered a niche dedicated to missions for decades peacekeeping: architects, engineers, doctors, archaeologists, journalists. Professionals who quickly become officers, admittedly capable and very useful in their respective specializations, but nothing that is synonymous with fighting force. They are supported by "voluntary completion forces" made up mainly of enlisted soldiers and graduates on leave. Insufficient numbers.
According to the ranking published by the portal Globalfirepower.com Italy even ranks 62nd in the ranking of military reserves. The reality, for many professionals, would be even more merciless.
It's not just a question of numbers, it's also a question of ability and will. In Israel, the draft is still a sacred duty of every citizen: it lasts 32 months for men and 24 months for women. Ergo, any draftee is able to use a firearm and make himself useful more or less promptly.
In Italy? Compulsory military service has been suspended for almost twenty years (2004) and, except for a few "fools" (like myself), it has been anything but a duty to one's homeland.
Even if a dramatic event on the Peninsula led to hundreds of thousands of volunteers, how long would it take us to train and organize them? Too much time.
What to do then?
While waiting for the now inevitable "restructuring of the Championship", it would be enough to start with the simplest, quickest and relatively cheapest interventions.
Immediate creation of training areas: our military does NOT have constant combat training in urban areas, a real and very dear “Hell” for almost a century, the daily bread from Ukraine to Israel.
Abolition of Operation Safe Roads: today we make war equipment available to terrorists who could quickly assassinate (demotivated) soldiers forced to risk their lives (showing themselves in "camouflage", a paradox!!!) in the midst of crowds in squares, stations or airports.
Transparency and honesty: if we still have a large portion of public opinion that believes that "with dialogue" the "erring Nazi" could have been stopped at the gates of Moscow or Paris, we owe it to a (complete) century of cowardice. Italians have the right to be informed and understand the present as well as the past... Yes, we lost - badly - the Second World War, no draw, no "redemption"...
Weekly press conferences of Defense (as, for example, in France). When we are considered "citizens", it will be the duty of every elected representative or state manager to answer simple and spontaneous questions (whether we will work on it "sincerely" or not later, we cannot expect too much right away...).
FINALLY - Establishment of credible reserve forces: whether through the restoration of compulsory conscription or not, it will be a political choice. However, in light of events, having "Hungarian" numbers (20.000, on paper... and with a population 6 times larger) is decidedly embarrassing for a people who boast (games of?) international prestige.
The Third World War began over a year ago. Ritually bringing up NATO - or constitutional limits - will not save us. Within the Alliance we are the weakest link. The strength of an entire chain is measured on this element. We will inevitably be the first to be hit.
It is therefore not a question of "if", but only of "when". And this time the national sport of "passing the buck" will not be forgiven by the subjects.
Wakes up!
Photo: Presidency of the Council of Ministers
