I think and hope it finally will be the end. All damage done can't be reversed easily. Both right and left in Italy are largely incompetent. There's a big chance he'll come back no matter the outcome of the ellections. This unless he finally goes to jail where he belongs.

I wonder if the ellections really will happen and if not, who mubarak II will be.

What is the stance of the army on religion btw? Cause this could go any direction.

It would have been electoral suicide for a president to go for a revolution in such an important country and loose it to fundamentalists like Iran. Especially if there's a lot of tension with israel afterwards.

If its clearly not the presidents doing, he could more easily afford a gamble and support democracy. If it turns out wrong, he's not to blaim. That explains Obama's behaviour.

In any case, an islamic revolution is still an unfortunate possibility, but is less likely i.m.o. as 30 years ago. It seems more difficult to remove these fundamentalist regimes as it has a larger support amongst the people. So maybe a dictator looked as the lesser of 2 evils to most who supported that regime.

besides, BS and that animal have a different colour of skin.

@east:
lonely man, who never had sex. They could either
a - watch Star Wars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zWNJHS9PBE&feature=related
b - go suicide into a crowd of protesters

"And when you shoot into a crowd of over a million, it's the fastest way to find your death. "
if you are alone, and don't drive a tank or plane.

"I can't help it that I keep bumping myself into attractive sluts and hookers."
Result!

or maybe the other way around, women have bad taste in media?

@zarf:
np,
it was hitting my nerves as well.

"he will actively ignore key arguments"
thats quit a funny coincidence as now:
we will actively ignore Key arguments.
If any

@eh:
true. Few people know it but it has been their tactic for a long time to let people go to foreign countries to collect valuable technological information then return. Teachers eg. But since their economic openness it works far more effective, as the tech comes to them.

In theory I'm not against this tax. From all taxes its about the only tax that combats nepotism effectively if it would be applied correctly.

BUT... that is only IF it would work like it should.

Main problem is how to apply the tax without corruption and the large and costly bureaucracy to fight it. I just don't see how. Its insanely difficult to prevent corruption in this area.
Secondly, other taxes should be lowered if you -miraculously - manage to do this effectively.
thirdly,I agree with Justinians argument about the assets, and how it should be dealt with.

None of the above three points will ever, ever happen.

@eh:
Russia has  tons of energy resources while worldwide supplies shrink and the biggest econ in the world (EU) needs it. That makes them very powerful.