Spain PM to withdraw Iraq troops

BBC ^ | 3/15/04

[kattracks]

Spain's Socialist Party prime minister-elect has confirmed his intention to pull Spanish troops out of Iraq. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said: "The war in Iraq was a disaster, the occupation of Iraq is a disaster."

The Socialist Party won a shock poll victory after voters appeared to turn on the government over its handling of the Madrid bombings.

Spain, with more than 1,300 troops in Iraq, supported the US-led war on Iraq despite much domestic opposition.

Mr Zapatero told Spanish radio that no decision would be taken until he was in power or without wide political consultation.

But the soldiers would be pulled out if there was no change in Iraq by the 30 June deadline for transfer of sovereignty.

Our world affairs correspondent, Paul Reynolds, says that the situation in Iraq may well have changed by 30 June, but whether that influences the new government remains to be seen.

By then the US and UK hope that the Security Council will have given UN approval to the handover plan.

In addition the interim Iraqi government will be asking foreign troops to stay as part of a UN-approved multinational force.

Outsider

Socialists won 42% of the vote, while the centre-right Popular Party won 38% in Sunday's general election, held in the wake of the Madrid train bomb attacks that killed 200 people.

The BBC's Chris Morris, in Madrid, says the bombings did more than shock Spain to the core; they proved to be the decisive factor in the general election that ousted the government.

Mr Zapatero was - until Thursday's bombings - considered an outsider for Spain's top job.

Despite his party's victory, however, there is expected to be much political horse-trading because the Socialists did not win an absolute majority.

While Mr Zapatero said his first priority was to tackle terrorism "in all its forms", he is thought likely to do it in a very different way than the outgoing government.

A larger than expected 77% of the electorate turned out to vote in the wake of last Thursday's attacks.

Our correspondent says the late swing to the Socialists raises one disturbing thought - if al-Qaeda was responsible for Thursday's attacks, it appears to have had significant influence in changing the government of a leading Western democracy.

Investigations are continuing into who was behind the bombings.

A videotaped claim of responsibility by a man identifying himself as al-Qaeda's military spokesman in Europe forced the government to change its stance on the most likely suspects.

The tape - claiming revenge for Spain's "collaboration with the criminals Bush and his allies" - was found in a litter bin on Saturday following a tip-off to a TV station.

'Suspect has al-Qaeda link'

Three Moroccans and two Indians are being held in connection with the attacks.

The three Moroccans being held have been named as Jamal Zougam, 30, Mohamed Bekkali, 31, and Mohamed Chaoui, 34.

The two Indians arrested were named as Vinay Kohly and Suresh Kumar.

Spain's El Pais newspaper reported that investigators had found links between Jamal Zougam and the Salafia Jihadia group held responsible for attacks in Casablanca last May in which more than 40 people died.

One of the targets of the Moroccan attacks was a Spanish cultural centre, where four Spaniards were among the dead.

Reports also linked Jamal Zougam to a Spanish cell of al-Qaeda which was headed by Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, also known as "Abu Dahdah".

Abu Dahdah has been indicted by the Spanish anti-terrorist prosecutor Baltasar Garzon on charges relating to the preparation of the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States.

El Pais said Jamal Zougam was cited at two points in Garzon's indictment, but was not charged.

[steveegg]

After seeing their success in Spain, I think they'll go after the big one next: Britain.

Actually, they'll leave Britain alone for a while, for a couple of reasons. First, the Labour Party isn't up for election for a while. Indeed, the Brits had an election last year.

Second, unlike Spain, Australia, and the US, there is no major party in Britain opposed wholesale to the War on Terror. Indeed, the Tories (the major opposition) are even more hawkish than the Labour Party.

Personally, I see them targeting us next, unless there's quick elections in Italy or Poland (Australia also had elections recently, IIRC).

[Burkeman1]

I speculate that he allowed the more radical of his followers to go the Germany to form their anti Communist Waffen SS Division as a way of getting rid of pests and potential trouble at home to his rule?

Do you think that theory has some validity?

[Cheetah1]

FRAKIN EUROPE....

THEY WANT THE USA TO SAVE THEIR A** EVERY SINGLE TIME SOMETHING GOES WRONG...

BUT IF WE NEED HELP...THEY TELL US TO F*** OFF.

GRRRRRR...I AM SO ANGRY THIS MORNING.

[CedarDave]

If the French are frogs, what animal represents the Spanish?
(Note: should be something with a yellow stripe)

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Doesn't much matter what you, kattracks or I believe.

No, it doesn't, does it?

[null and void]

*sigh* No.

Of course, here in Kalistan, the courts are alway happy to overturn any ballot measure the voters liked, and they didn't...

[FreeAtlanta]

Make some versions in Spanish;

DESEMEJANTE DE ESPAÑA, LOS E.E.U.U.. ¡CDE LA VOLUNTAD ENTREGA NUNCA!

I used an online translator, so it probably isn't too accurate. Maybe our fluent Spanish speakers can help out.

[Haymarket]

Actually, they'll leave Britain alone for a while, for a couple of reasons. First, the Labour Party isn't up for election for a while. Indeed, the Brits had an election last year

Britain's last General Election was in 2001. However, the whole of the EU votes in June this year for the European Parliament. I believe that this would include the ten new members, one of which is Poland.

[Fee]

Spain, Italy, Japan and Britain have the same problem. Their leaders are willing to support the US effort in Iraq, but the population is not fully behind it. I think AQ is going to do the same to these countries hoping it will influence their elections. We have an election in 2004, AQ may try the same here. If successful they will buy time, because President Kerry's approach is less aggressive than GWB approach and relies more on international consensus before acting. Problem is if it is hard for US to get allies and most countries become Spanish like in their response to a terror attack, US action will be far and few thus giving AQ time to regroup and reconstitute.

[RetiredArmy]

Just like Kerry would do, the Spanish PM would ASK THE UN IF IT WAS OK! Remember if it is a law enforcement matter, normally the police SHOW UP AFTER THE INCIDENT TO INVESTIGATE IT. SO, IF THE BAD GUYS BOMB SOMETHING AGAIN, THE POLICE WILL INVESTIGATE, NOT CATCH THEM BEFOREHAND!

[Vernon]

Kinda like one socialist supporting another, huh! IF John Scarry is elected, we are going to have a hard row to hoe!

[steveegg]

Thanks for the update. As the dominant forces in EU-wide politics (read, France and Germany) are pro-Islamist, I doubt that 311 will repeat itself in Europe..

[Vernon]

From my experience in Spain for 18 months, cohones is just something they have heard about, and only find them in the bull ring!

[Adam36]

But here's the thing, Spain still doesn't know if Al Qaeda or ETA did this bombing.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

""You're either with us, or against us."

[Feldkurat_Katz]

During the Spanish Civil War, Britain & France had a policy of "non-intervention" in that war, the Republican (communist) side was getting arms from Stalin (and deluded Americans) so the Nationalist side (Franco) had nowhere to buy arms except from the Fascist powers, who were happy to have a chance to field-test them before they started WWII.

There was an awful lot of backstabbing going on there. Stalin took Spain's gold reserves; Poland, while officially recognizing Nationalists, was profiting from selling arms to Republicans!

[steveegg]

But here's the thing, Spain still doesn't know if Al Qaeda or ETA did this bombing.

The new gubmint won't be too interested in finding out either. I'll leave it to you to figure out why.

[dmz]

Points well taken, but it does not minimize the fact that we definitely did not win WW2 on our own. I think in time we could have, but thankfully did not have to foot that bill (economic and human) on our own.

The soviet tactics were out of necessity, as they had surplus people but inadequate arms for those numbers.

[dmz]

LOL. Inappropriately, I know, but I can't help myself.

The Spanish populace is/was overwhelmingly against the Iraq involvement. This vote bears that fact out.

Sometimes a lost election is just that, a lost election.

[Vernon]

Probably. He was apparently very shrewd. It was virtually a police state when I was there. The La Guardia were everywhere.