Italy: New Image, New Influence

After years in the shadows, an old friend of the U.S. speaks up

When Italian President Sandro Pertini called on Ronald Reagan last week, he was welcomed with unusual warmth. As a military honor guard stood smartly at attention, Reagan spoke effusively of the "common ideals" shared by Italy and the U.S. The reception reflected more than the heartfelt kinship of elder statesmen (Reagan is 71, Pertini 85). During his eight-day U.S. visit, Pertini is being embraced as the leader of a staunch and increasingly important ally—a country that, as Reagan put...

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