Italy has finally blinked. Afer two generations of delay, the first of three pieces of a third-century Ethiopian obelisk plundered by the Italian fascist occupation in the 1930s has touched ground in the ancient city of Axum, where it was met by a cheering crowd and pealing church bells. Engineers extended the runway to accomodate the four-engine cargo plane carrying the precious cargo from Rome. The remaining pieces are to arrive shortly, Italian authorities pledge. (UK Telegraph [2], April 21)
The move comes exactly as Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, his government coalition in deep crisis, has faced the music and resigned. If he cannot assemble a new coalition, snap elections could be called as early as June. (Financial Times [3], April 21)
The timing loans vindication to WW4 REPORT's speculation [4]that the supposed technical considerations which delayed return of the obelisk were bunk, and Berlusconi was really playing politics--unwilling to alienate the fascist-nostaligists on his right flank, or oversee a symbolic retreat from past military/imperial ambitions at a time when his involvement in the Iraq escapade is under fire,
