The epic gangster saga continues... A few thoughts..
I remember asking, " Have the Rizzutos been muscled out of their position as the preeminent Italian narcotics dealers in the Americas?" People were like they haven't been muscled out of anything. I'm like, okaaaaay......

I kinda saw this coming, not because I'm that well informed about the mafia in Canada, or the developments in Sicily, but I just follow the trail of drugs. And it seems the Rizzutos have been marginalized by the changing times. I've been wondering for the longest time, if the Calabrians control cocaine traffick in Europe, Austrailia, and most likely, Asia, and the Mexicans control Central America, United States, with influence in South America, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE THE RIZZUTOS?
Kinda crushed between the sides, if you ask me. They look to be in a position of role reversal with the Cotronis. I the 70s, it was Nicolo who had his marriage alliances forming his army, securing his narcotics supplies on the European end, he had his property in Venezuela With his , whatever it was powdered milk? The front to ship the drugs, like the Sicilians had every link in the chain, EXCEPT leadership of the local mob. Now it's the Calabrians who have the whole chain sewn up, and the Rizzuto clan that's marginalized, and THEY have been pushed out of the local mob leadership. The only difference really is replace heroin with cocaine. Not only that, but the Calabrians have way more territory all over.
This really brings me back to that Rizzuto thread, how I was explaining that their strength was based on them controlling the narcotics routes. With the calabrians holding that down, WHO NEEDS THE RIZUTTOS EXACTLY? The bikers and street gangs could just as easily make a deal with the Calabrians, and before people say " no they wouldn't" , they would, in fact I would say they HAVE to, unless they risk one of these groups making a deal with Mexican traffickers, and letting the cartels get a toehold in Canada.

As far as the hits being easy, well, I think they only look that way cause like someone pointed out, they are so well planned. The guys in Italy are more in tuned with what they are, gangsters. The Americanized mobsters tend to fall into that "Costello, Castellano, Corleone mentality" where they see themselves as more business men than gangster, even though everything they do is based of their gangsterism. Here's one of my favorite Machiavelli quotes

“prince must have no other objective, no other thought, nor take up any profession but that of war, its methods and its discipline, for that is the only art expected of a ruler. And it is of such great value that it not only keeps hereditary princes in power, but often raises men of lowly condition to that rank. It may be noted, on the other hand, that when princes have given more thought to fine living than to arms, they have lost their states. The first cause of losing them is the neglect of this art, just as the first means of gaining them is proficiency in it.”
See you can ride around in an armored convoy, it didn't save Falcone. Provezano lived in a fuckin hut and communicated with scraps of paper, but they still found him. Guys like Anastasiamwere killed,at the height of their power, there was a guy in Canada killed in JAIL. if they want you bad enough, they will get you. To hide suggest weakness, and the appearance of weakness begets weakness...
Fascinating stuff, any more thoughts fellas? Also @ Sinatra, good read on this situation my man, you we the one to,call the leadership change there....