Colonel Muammar Gadaffi's magnificent U-turn from terrorist-supporting dictator to darling of the West continues with Silvio Berlusconi's visit to Libya and his official apology for Italy's years of colonial rule. Not necessarily on a par with Bill Clinton's 'Sorry about slavery' speech in Uganda 10 years ago, the Italian premier is nonetheless setting a precedent for European states, hoping, perhaps to salvage something from the disaster of the Italian Imperialist mission, a catalogue of failures and injustices from Unification to Mussolini.
Beyond mere rhetoric, a deal was struck with 2.5 million pounds worth of reconstruction works promised from the Italians, much needed by the country that endured 35 years of state control until Gaddafi softened, no doubt realizing his state had ground to a halt. At least Mr Berlusconi is not shy about admitting the major reasons for the deal, he said:
"We have signed a historic agreement and now we will have fewer illegal immigrants from the Libyan coast and more gas and oil from them which is the best."
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