Good evening. I read the Press release with which you gave information about the participation of an Army department in the activity in question (experimental campaign of the British Army whose final phase saw the participation of a team from the Italian Army Infantry School, ndd).
I focus on the lock.
I note that: the opening to Italy represented an enormous opportunity because it allows us to operate in an international context like other nations considered "strategic" partners, thus having "preview" access to the most advanced technologies on the market or under study.
I'm rereading!
I close my eyes, clean the lenses, maybe, I hope, they are those; in the meantime, images of our Heroes, of the humblest fighters, of the treatment that that enemy has too often reserved for our prisoners, for the brave "co-belligerents" (praised, incidentally, in their conduct of the fire in Mignano) crowd into my mind of Montelungo, also from the Duce, despite the particular situation!), to poor General Bellomo, to our Fallen whose Sacrifice has been debased!
I put on my glasses, my stomach tightens, I hope I read it wrong, even though I know that unfortunately it is more than plausible that I will find what I had read and reread...
Here, in fact: the opening to Italy represented an enormous opportunity because it allows us to operate in an international context like other nations considered "strategic" partners, thus having "preview" access to the most advanced technologies on the market or under study.
I close my eyes again, here is the memory of the Fecia Gold Medal of Cossato, of his testamentary letter: I understand the anguish, the greatness of his extreme gesture of love towards his homeland, after having finally separated the one from the other, due to the dynasty of the evil king.
The stomach remains contracted, I don't think that the specific medicine will have any effect this evening...
One hope: that at least this resounding "THANK YOU BWANA" has satisfied the Anglo-Saxon master, after 80 years of presumed alliance.
Marco Bosia
Dear reader, I understand your doubts. However, I believe at the same time that - after 162 years of Italian history under protection, of which the last 80 with "choke collars" (which is becoming illegal even for dogs) - we must become aware of the truth: Italy is not was made by the Italians, but rather by the interests of others, English and French in particular.
This awareness should derive from numerous episodes preceding the Unity: such as a landing protected by British ships of 1000 volunteers who "routed" over 100.000 (it is Christmas, let's not ruin the magic for those who still believe in it) or a battle of San Martino and Solferino (second war of independence) in which 37.000 Piedmontese beat an army of 131.000 Austrians... with the help of 97.000 French soldiers.
We were wanted by others. 100 years ago we pretended to forget it and were soundly defeated. There "unconditional surrender", which came to us 2 years before the last days of the war of others, is still told as a "redemption" while it should be told as a "defeat", the end.
The risk is that of often being disappointed by press releases, mortified by eloquent news (or corpses...) for that deserved collar which, when arrogance exceeds, is pulled sharply.
Decades ago I had a very dear friend who was a drug addict. I always remember his words: "I had been a parachutist, I had a good job and addicts in my eyes were shit, scum. And I... I got punctured! When (in the community) I realized that I too was a drug addict it was the most important moment of the my life!".
I believe that to move forward and overcome it we must accept the truth. We are not a "nation", we never have been... but soon we could be!
We are not independent, we never have been... but we could soon be part of a Europe, if not independent, at least just.
One day, with less than two centuries of history, we will be able to compare ourselves with others who have 1000 years behind them. For the moment... Thanks Bwana it is - if not correct or pleasant - at least honest. "Bwana" in swahili actually means "master".
There are also advantages. An example? The planes of our Air Force and our Navy have the same name as the English ones, "F-35", but they are extremely different: theirs are Stealth (like the US ones), ours are not. Have a common agenda (Tempest) for the next aircraft of 6a generation will allow us to (finally) have the same structures available.
I believe that we should leave behind us a painful past of Levantine betrayals (already in the First World War we changed sides... in 1914 we were allies of Germany and Austria!) and heroism: the blood of Italian soldiers has always had to wash away inadequacies and top-level blunders.
We are on the eve of the third world war. In Italy, each previous appointment has brought important changes. Aware of our past, of its heroes and everlasting clowns, let's look ahead, there's not much left left!
Andrea Cucco
Photo: army general staff