Stupid Italians, and other lessons from the marines incident

The Italian marines are back in India. Congrats Sonia, Sania and Sachin, but congrats Sonia in particular.

So, what were the Italians thinking? They thought they would give insincere assurances to the Indian Supreme Court, and then tell India to fuck off once the marines are safely back in Italy. They thought that using the argument of "international waters" will help avoid the question of justice. A few naive and gullible Indians, ever willing to lie down and play dead, bought that argument. But they were in a minority, and most Indians saw through the Italian duplicity. The Italians also thought that the EU would back them in any confrontation with India.

Once India increased the pressure, Italy found no way to resist. Italy's friends and neighbors maintained a studied silence, and all they could get from the EU was a brief statement from a low-level EU spokesperson structured as a hypothetical. Now the Italian government is left with egg on its face. But egg-on-face has been the official symbol of Italy's government since the end of the Second World War, so no biggie.

On the Indian side, what was the Supreme Court thinking when it let the marines go in the first place? Why did the government, whose responsibility is to prosecute the accused, support their return to Italy? We may never know the answers to these questions, but it is rather disturbing that the Supreme Court acted in such a gullible fashion. It is also disturbing that the government believed the Italian assurances. Together, the court and the government put India in a horrible situation, where its credibility would be seriously damaged.

After Italy said it would not send the marines back, the Court put its foot down and claimed that the ambassador had waived his immunity when he petitioned the court on behalf of the marines. That argument may establish precedent in future diplomatic disputes around the world. But it probably strengthened the government's position in its diplomatic negotiations with Italy. By arranging the return of the marines, India has demonstrated that it is a state that has to be taken seriously.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21889998

trofimov wrote:The Italian marines are back in India. Congrats Sonia, Sania and Sachin, but congrats Sonia in particular.

So, what were the Italians thinking? They thought they would give insincere assurances to the Indian Supreme Court, and then tell India to fuck off once the marines are safely back in Italy. They thought that using the argument of "international waters" will help avoid the question of justice. A few naive and gullible Indians, ever willing to lie down and play dead, bought that argument. But they were in a minority, and most Indians saw through the Italian duplicity. The Italians also thought that the EU would back them in any confrontation with India.

Once India increased the pressure, Italy found no way to resist. Italy's friends and neighbors maintained a studied silence, and all they could get from the EU was a brief statement from a low-level EU spokesperson structured as a hypothetical. Now the Italian government is left with egg on its face. But egg-on-face has been the official symbol of Italy's government since the end of the Second World War, so no biggie.

On the Indian side, what was the Supreme Court thinking when it let the marines go in the first place? Why did the government, whose responsibility is to prosecute the accused, support their return to Italy? We may never know the answers to these questions, but it is rather disturbing that the Supreme Court acted in such a gullible fashion. It is also disturbing that the government believed the Italian assurances. Together, the court and the government put India in a horrible situation, where its credibility would be seriously damaged.

After Italy said it would not send the marines back, the Court put its foot down and claimed that the ambassador had waived his immunity when he petitioned the court on behalf of the marines. That argument may establish precedent in future diplomatic disputes around the world. But it probably strengthened the government's position in its diplomatic negotiations with Italy. By arranging the return of the marines, India has demonstrated that it is a state that has to be taken seriously.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21889998

This is what one sees outside. If anyone thinks that the Mafiasos reversed its stand in a flat 48 hours under "pressure" from India, they need to retire from political analysis.

There must be a secret deal and I bet the Italians will not go to Jail. They will be convicted and released on parole, to the Mafia authorities, while they get to appeal for the next 20 years.

It is a win - win scenario for both the Idiotic governments - Italian and the Indalian