As soon as it became known that Silvio Berlusconi was traveling to London to offer a wartime alliance to Blair, 200 protester were there to met him. Chants of No War! No Oil! and "we all live in a terrorist regime...." kept people warm. What was produced via meetings in Downing Street was the alliance of Eight European countries backing the US.

As Berlusconi flew to london, it was revealed in the guardian.....Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, went into battle with the country's judiciary yesterday, making clear that even if he is found guilty of corruption by judges in Milan in coming months, he does not intend to resign.
"I will carry out my duty as prime minister right to the very end ... without ever betraying the mandate I was given by my electorate," he said in a stern-faced television address to the nation.

The defiant comments came the day after Italy's supreme court rejected the prime minister's appeal for his corruption trial to be moved to Brescia, on the basis that Milan's "leftwing" judges were biased.

The media tycoon - Italy's richest man - is accused of bribing a judge during a corporate takeover battle in 1986. The ruling means the Milan trial could conclude this summer and Italy could find its leader facing a long jail sentence for corruption just as it takes over the presidency of the European Union.

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,884890,00.html

Furthermore, berlusconi continues to be investigated into his links with the mafia and the question of the sentencing of mafia suspects to short jail sentences.

Mr Blair, look at who you are doing business with. a fascist and a crook. not an ideal ally for the war against terrorism.