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Silvio Berlusconi in happier times

Allegations in the Times of London that 10 French servicemen died in Afghanistan last year because their superiors did not realize the Italians who preceded them had been bribing the Taliban not to attack. are the latest blow to Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The embattled leader, plagued by sex scandals has also had his immunity from prosecution lifted and faces a series of charges of bribery and corruption. He has become an embarrassment to his country and the European Community, and may not be around long enough to follow up on the invitation of President Ricardo Martinelli, to visit Panama.
The First Post reported that , the French underestimated the Taliban threat as a result of the bribery deal and suffered a brutal attack on one of their convoys.
Insurgents later paraded trophies taken from the dead solders, to the disgust of the French
The accusations of bribing the were backed up with a quote from a Taliban commander, Mohammed Ishmayel, confirming that Italian forces paid protection money. Ishmayel said a deal was struck last year so that Italian forces in the Sarobi valley, east of Kabul, would not be attacked.
Ishmayel told the Times that it was agreed that "neither side should attack one another. That is why we were informed at that time, that we should not attack the Nato troops".
The Times also claims to have spoken to Afghan officials who say they were aware of the bribery, not just in the Sarobi valley but elsewhere in areas where Italian forces have operated.
Defense correspondent Robert Fox wrote in The First Post that the Italians have been suspected of bribing the enemy not only in Afghanistan but also in Iraq.
Both Silvio Berlusconi and his predecessor Romano Prodi have issued denials.
A statement from the Italian prime minister's office said the Berlusconi government had never authorized or allowed payments to insurgents.
The latest potential scandal for the Italian government came as the US magazine Newsweek used the cover of this week's European edition to urge Italy to "dump Berlusconi".
In an article that details the various sex scandals attached to the Prime Minister and written before the Times allegations about Taliban bribery surfaced , the magazine says: "Italy can no longer afford the antics of its playboy-in-chief... He's drunk on power and drunk on himself and if he stays at Italy's wheel, he's likely not only to wreck the country but also to damage Europe and possibly even the North Atlantic alliance.”