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The non-woke book that is causing an explosion in the Italian political and military world.

8 months ago babelfish

A book written by a general is revealing the profound contradictions between political power, of any affiliation, and Italian society, also highlighting fractures rarely seen before among the Italian armed forces.

General Roberto Vannacci is a well-known military officer. As the former commander of the paratroopers, he also led the Italian contingent in Iraq during the second Gulf conflict, during which he demonstrated strong operational capability and a great concern for the well-being of the soldiers.

Unfortunately for him, he also has a passion for writing. His latest self-published book, “The World Upside Down,” was a sharp and unyielding critique of the politically correct hypocrisies of the present world. The book, of which we will provide you with some quotes, has been an incredible success and has risen to the top of the sales charts, despite being a self-produced book. Here is a picture of the general

Here are some quotes from the book .

On environmental extremism : If I were to preserve the environment as it is, just as Mother Nature conceived it, I would have to give up fighting against small pox, a purely natural occurrence. I would need to abandon soil irrigation techniques because they divert the natural flow of water downhill. I would have to detest urban settlements because they irreversibly alter the original ecosystem.

On LGBTQ : The gay person, the masochist, the vegan, the eater of dogs or cats, they're all eccentrics, and all doors should be opened to them in the name of equality. However, they shouldn't flaunt their eccentricities at least out of respect for common behaviors and values. And common also means normal, as in “belonging to and shared by the vast majority.”

On legitimate self-defense : The proportionality of defense must therefore be aligned with the perceived threat to the victim and not with the value of the object that could have been unjustly taken. How am I to know that the criminal aiming for my wallet isn't ready to kill me even with bare hands? How am I to know if, even unarmed, they can't use blunt objects to endanger my life?

How am I to know if they don't have a hammer or a screwdriver in their pocket to use promptly? And if I thrust the pencil I have in my pocket into the throat of the assailant attacking me – killing them – why should I risk being charged with culpable excess in self-defense, since the poor individual was only attempting to steal my wristwatch? Why should I prove that in that sudden, frantic, adrenaline-fueled nanosecond available to decide what to do, I couldn't evaluate a less violent alternative that would spare the unfortunate attacker?

These are concepts that are actually contested by only a progressive minority of society, while they are close to popular roots. Furthermore, they are politically akin to the concepts originally expressed by the current governing majority.

The united progressive media confused the Minister of Defense who suspended Vannacci

These words have stirred up a storm in the mainstream media, closely aligned with the left, even the radical factions, which have attacked the general vehemently, straightforwardly labeling him as “homophobic.” The Minister of Defense of the current Meloni government, Guido Crosetto, despite coming from the center-right camp, has been influenced by these judgments, suspending the general from his current position at the military geographic institute. Furthermore, disciplinary measures within the Italian army have been initiated. For example Daniele Capezzone, journalist and centre-right commentator, wrote

Or the news outlet The Truth

The position of the Minister of Defense has been seen as a capitulation to the left-leaning media and the progressive establishment, closely aligned with the Woke ideology, which holds a strong presence within Italian institutions and is so unpopular among the general population. On the other hand, General Vannucci's stance has been defended by the leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, who championed the military officer's freedom of speech.

Divided Generals

The divisions haven't been solely political; they have also extended within the ranks of the military, which is quite uncommon in Italy where the armed forces traditionally remain closely aligned with the government and, for decades now, have shown little inclination to influence politics. As highlighted by Startmag , the generals have taken several positions, with some openly criticizing the Minister of Defence.

These are the words of General Mario Arpino, former Chief of Staff: “ There has been talk of authorization and sanctions. I left active service 23 years ago, has something changed in the meantime? I wanted to verify. The new code of the Defense Ordinance is indeed dated 2010 and comprises a total of 2272 articles. The 'Freedom of expression' for military personnel is outlined in Article 1472, effective since March 27, 2012, which reads as follows: 1. Military personnel can freely publish their writings, hold public conferences, and in any case, publicly express their thoughts , unless the subjects are reserved matters of military interest or service, for which authorization must be obtained. […]. ”

Here are the words of Lieutenant Colonel Gianfranco Paglia, also a paratrooper of the Folgore division like Vannacci: “ I don't want to delve into the merits; if the statements violated the disciplinary code, he will be sanctioned. But it's not politics that should judge us military personnel. I regret that it has become a political case. If you then ask me if I am for or against Vannacci, I won't answer. I want to be above the fray. I'm not someone who favors sides. I prefer to be a soldier and behave as such,”

A former Chief of Staff general, Luigi Laporta, has gone so far as to write an open letter to the Prime Minister, describing Minister Crosetto as “ inadequate for the role he holds .”

Other generals, such as the head of the military prosecutor's office or General Vincenzo Camporini, have considered the measures taken by the Minister of Defense to be appropriate.


According to La Verità, the stringent measures against Vannacci were reportedly requested by Crosetto himself due to reasons connected to the period when the President, a center-left politician, served as the Minister of Defence. During that time, he had clashed with General Vannacci over matters related to the health of soldiers on a mission in Iraq.

This case is explosive in the Italian landscape and highlights the significant contradictions between society and the Italian civil world. Few abroad have a clear view of the disconnect between politics and society that has been ongoing in Italy for years – a country that is paying for decades of misguided progressive policies and struggling to change course.

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The article The non-woke book that is causing an explosion in the Italian political and military world. comes from Economic Scenarios .

This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/the-non-woke-book-that-is-causing-an-explosion-in-the-italian-political-and-military-world/ on Sat, 26 Aug 2023 10:42:08 +0000.