The West-Clark review has properly been scathingly criticized by, among others, retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Peters as evidence of a far-larger crisis.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Not saying the unsayable

Michele Dotti, writing in Il Fatto Quotidiano , focuses more on Mr Berlusconi's repeated claims that he is the victim of a political conspiracy conducted by what he considers to be a left-leaning judiciary, which he often refers to scathingly as "le toghe rosse" or "the red togas".

BBC: Italian press writes Berlusconi's political obituary