Whos the real appeaser in this war?
The week's news at a glance.
Italy
Barbara Spinelli
La Stampa
The Americans have no call to mock Italy, said Barbara Spinelli in Milan’s La Stampa. No sooner did we secure the release, through a prisoner swap, of an Italian reporter held hostage by the Taliban than American commentators were denouncing us as “spineless and unreliable.” Giving in to hostage takers is no way to fight terrorism, they lectured. Forgive us if we’re a bit confused. Prisoner exchanges happen all the time in wars. Besides, the real appeaser here isn’t Italy, or any member of NATO helping the Americans in Afghanistan. It’s America, which has continued to arm and support Pakistan despite evidence that Pakistan supports the Taliban and tolerates al Qaida. “This, then, is the result of so many years of war: Al Qaida’s headquarters has moved a few miles, from Afghanistan to Pakistan.” And the U.S. is the one looking “unreliable.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
News organizations reject Pentagon restrictions
Speed Read The proposed policy is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest move to limit press access at the Pentagon
-
Trump declares end to Gaza war, ‘dawn’ of new Mideast
Speed Read Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel released thousands of Palestinian detainees
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime minister
In the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party