| Table of contents no. 3/2011 |
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| Sovereign funds and sovereign States |
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In the context of a series of meetings organized annually by the Training School AIS with scholars and experts on issues of institutional interest to enhance the knowledge of those working in the field of Intelligence, we propose certain of the most significant passages from the speech given by President Marzano. |
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Economic and financial crisis
voices from europe andelsewhere
by Emanuela C. DEL RE |
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Answers by: Mark Allen, Emmanuel Dupuy, Josè Maria Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado, Daniel Hamilton, Markus Meckel,Jacek Rostowski, Valdo Spini e Nicolas Tenzer
How is this crisis to be interpreted and resolved? What are the future developments? What impact will it have on the world order? The annual World Economic Forum of Krynica in Poland is an occasion of very precious exchange, not only because huge industries and multi-nationals are participating, but principally, because a climate of special reflection is created, which allows scholars, politicians, experts, businessmen and journalists to talk openly.
Furthermore, the participation of many Countries, from the European Union to the United States, from the Caucuses to Russia and from the Ukraine to others, means that speakers from Countries that are in conflict (for example, Armenians and Azeri on the question of Nagorno-Karabakh) or Countries that rarely meet in a “neutral” context, sit at the same table. A form of fundamental diplomacy, since without the exchange of ideas, opinions, proposals, especially in a world which, today, is called “globalized”, there is no real dynamism and what seems to be perennially unsolvable does not change, such as the “frozen” conflicts....
( Photo by http://sites.etleboro.com/) |
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| Essays and articles |
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 | To acquire or lose popular support results in de-construction of the power system in force, and contemporary legitimacy of hitherto voiceless movements, despite the diffusion in the society. Gene Sharp, who elaborated the theory of the “non-violent revolution” and the consequent technique of the revolt, which although functioning in past years, finds itself surpassed by a complex reality capable of operating within democratic or equivalent regimes, rather than against the dualistic contrast of the popular masses – dictatorship. The recent crises of semi-authoritarian regimes, and the consequent fall of Mubarak, in Egypt, and Ben Alì, in Tunis are, principally, the final consequences of internal crises, of class leaders who are increasingly less interested in maintaining the status quo. At the same time, it should be noted how the use of force and the maintenance of consensus, albeit a minority, allow the tyrant to apply the dose of repression, alternated with concessions able to curb the forces of revolt. The question, therefore, is “how to bring about a revolution” today, which reveals the necessity of different approaches in different situations, including the origin of sovereignty.
( Photo by www.lascintillaonline.org) |
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 | The “lone wolves”, that is, the terrorists without structure, terrorism without a scheme, but with an individual project, attributable to a confused vision of the world, easily defined as “mad”. It is a kind of terrorism which is difficult to foresee and, above all, to prevent.
The analysis that follows in an examination of the lessons learned from terrorist acts carried out by individuals with no history, no ties, apart from those that they themselves have created, at times, unbeknown to their interlocutors. The intermediary is Internet, a virtual space where persons of like thinking can be found. The “wolf” performs an individual action, but can be an expression of a group, of a widespread feeling, not yet perceived or externally expressed. A factor that fuels the uncertainty over the possibility and the ability of avoiding other similar massacres in the future. |
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 | In cyberspace, 2011 will be remembered also as the “Anonymous” year, the recent group of dark characters who, praising forms of civil disobedience, in the name of renovation of democracy at world level, have made themselves prominent by making attacks on web sites and information systems of government institutions and businesses all over the world. Despite the proclamations and noble announcements diffused on the Internet, the methods and techniques used by the group are configured as authentic informatics crimes and also the objectives and techniques utilized do not seem to be the fruit of a few young minds of hackers steeped in dreams and optimism. We are in the era of the digital conflicts, and the cyberspace appears more and more the favoured battleground to achieve more than questionable objectives …
( Photo by http://infofreeflow.org) |
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 | The Law 3rd August 2007 N° 124, as is known, in addition to revisiting the “State Secret”, has completed innovated the structural and functional discipline of the Information Services for the security of the Republic. Among the more interesting provisions, for the operative implications, must be numbered the express provision of a “cause of justification” for the operator of the Services who, in order to satisfy institutional purposes, is obliged to effect behaviour which is theoretically criminal. It is a new provision, accompanied by an analytical and guaranteed discipline – not always immediately clear – which opens new scenarios in the direction of a better flexibility and effectiveness for the activities of the Services, also testifying to an important “open credit” towards those called to carry out an obviously “obscure” activity, but of recognized and fundamental importance for the external and internal security of the Republic and the democratic institutions. These “functional guarantees” which accompany the actions of the operator of the Services, merit some reflection, to grasp the significance, dispelling, where possible, any applicative doubt that the legislation leaves unresolved.
(Photo by http://lucabagatin.ilcannocchiale.it/) |
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| Surveys |
NEWS
MEETINGS ON
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES |
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| MEDITERRANEAN OSSERVATORY |
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 | The popular wind of the Arab Spring, fed by the hopes and passions of the young, has made halls of power and despotic regimes fall. And the wind still blows. One day, it will die down and a start must be made on the reconstruction. And, with spirit of cooperation, the International Community must favour the transition of the Arab-Mediterranean Countries towards new forms of government respectful of political and social rights, of fundamental freedom and, above all, supported by an authentic popular consensus. This will be the actual test bench for the European Union, which, with the original spirit of the founding fathers, can finally confirm the bonds of solidarity which tie it to the Arab-Mediterranean Countries. In this new space, which has no claim to completeness, but wishes only to recall, from time to time, the attention to the role and to the initiatives that the European Union and, in particular, Italy, the bridge on the Mediterranean, could put into the field in the coming months, to pick up the threads of dialogue and cooperation. ( Photo by http://it.paperblog.com/) |
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HISTORY
FROM THE ARCHIVES |
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 | The origin of the National public debt goes back to the proclamation of the Reign of Italy. It was, in fact, with the very Law N° 94 of the 10th July 1861, that the then Minister of Finance, Count Pietro Bastogi, instituted the Great Book of the public debt of the Reign of Italy, in which were registered and unified, all debts contracted by the pre-unification States.
The recognition by the ‘new State’ of the debts of the ‘ceased States’ brought the first ‘unified public debt’ to an amount of around three million Lire.This will be the start of a strongly fluctuating course which will record an array of truly impressive figures, as is shown in Table 1, relative to the years from 1861 to 1961.In this time span of a good hundred years, numerous historical event have followed, the developments of which have inexorably influenced the financial state of our Country, with heavy consequences on the consistency of the public debt and on the GDP.( Photo by http://oneblood.tumbler.com) |
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| FACTS, ANECDOTES AND LEGENDS |
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 | The double agent is a classic in espionage stories, just like secret codes and encrypted messages. During the 2nd World War, the two things merged. The English identified and caught the majority of the agents of the Abwehr sent to England. Those who did not finish up by being executed were convinced to play the double game. The most incredible thing is that the terms in code that indicated the invasion of Europe, appeared in the cross word puzzle of the Daily Telegraph, sowing panic among the Allies. The Germans, although knowing the word “Overlord”, did not notice.
( Photo by www.normandy-sightseeing-tours.com) |
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CULTURE
'STUDIES OF INTELLIGENCE' |
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 | The Intelligence culture is the instrument through which we can understand the role and work of the modern Services of information and security.
An instrument realized by the closest examination of the studies and analyses of the principal ‘think-tanks’, research centers, Italian and foreign universities.
This Column will, therefore, select and periodically present the most meaningful studies on the subjects relative to the Intelligence structures, or those directly connected, facilitating the comprehension of the history, of the methods and functions of the most modern structure of the sector. A contribution to debunk the many myths and clichés which have always accompanied the image of the Secret Services all over the world and to acquire, instead, knowledge of the role and of the work. |
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| REVIEWS |
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 | During the 2nd World War, the Germans purloined 515 tons of gold – and it is an underestimation – from the occupied Countries, to support the war effort of the Third Reich. To this data the valuables looted from the Jews and other deportees must be added. A treasure which, in the spring of 1945, left the armoured rooms of the Reichsbank in Berlin, to become dispersed in various streams. In large part, it has been found, a huge part was stolen. Enzo Antonio Cicchino and Roberto Olivo have retraced the trail of the Nazi gold, but many mysteries remain to be revealed. To try to restore to the individual Countries what was robbed by the Nazis, at least in part, a Tripartite Commission worked from the end of the War until 1998 |
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CHRONOLOGY
ORGANIZED CRIME |
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 | File of the most significant arrests of the organized crime during first half of 2011 (Open sources dates - Photo ANSA) |
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| TERRORISM |
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 | “It is understood that an act of terrorism is a violent action, politically motivated, intended to strike objectives of symbolic value and destined also to intimidate a ‘targeted audience’leading back, socially or politically to the primary objective.
The act of terrorism, unlike that of ‘political violence’ (ascribable to individuals or groups who tend to act ‘in the open’) and that of the ‘guerrilla ’(carried out with instruments and paramilitary logistics) is usually performed by individuals or groups who operate in secrecy or undercover, or in any event, under disguised conditions within the threatened societies".( Photo by http://culmine.noblogs.org) |
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| A STORY |
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The story – of pure imagination – wishes to offer a pointer as to how the Calabrian Mafiosa criminality is evolving. A sketch is proposed of the adventure of an ‘ndranghetist boss who, once he is out of prison, tries to get back into the senior management roles of his family.
( Photo by http://digilander.libero.it) |
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