New Spanish PM Blasts Bush, Blair; Accuses them of lying; Suggests force not answer to terrorism

Asia News Channel ^ | March 15, 2004 | nwrep

[nwrep]

MADRID : Spain's prime minister-elect Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero vowed to withdraw troops from Iraq and criticised US President George W. Bush after Spanish voters ousted governing conservatives who took the country into the controversial war.

"The war in Iraq was a disaster, the occupation of Iraq is a disaster," Zapatero, 43, told Cadena Ser radio on Monday.

He spoke just before the European Union held three minutes' silence in tribute to the 200 people killed in last Thursday's bombings of crowded Madrid commuter trains.

An ongoing investigation into the attacks has found growing evidence they were carried out by Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda as punishment for Spain's help in the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

Voters turned out in force for Sunday's elections. Many of them expressed anger at retiring Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar when he cast his ballot, jostling and booing him while some shouted "Aznar: your war, our dead."

Zapatero, whose Socialist Party ended eight years of rule by Aznar's Popular Party (PP) after winning 43 percent of the ballots to the PP's 38 percent, said near-total public opposition to the Iraq war had been key.

He said that barring new developments in Iraq before June 30 -- the date the United States has promised to hand power over to an Iraqi provisional government -- Spain's 1,300 troops in Iraq "will return home" as he had promised before the elections.

The other occupying states will be contacted for consultations on withdrawing the soldiers, he said.

Zapatero also said Bush and his main ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, need to engage in "self-criticism".

"You can't bomb a people just in case" they pose a perceived threat, Zapatero said in statements just five days before the first anniversary of the March 20 start of the war.

"You can't organise a war on the basis of lies," he said, alluding to Bush's and Blair's insistence the war was justified by their belief -- so far unfounded -- that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that posed an imminent threat.

"Wars such as that which has occurred in Iraq only allow hatred, violence and terror to proliferate," he said.

The head of the EU executive arm, European Commission chief Romano Prodi, agreed in an interview published by Italy's La Stampa newspaper Monday.

"It is clear that using force is not the answer to resolving the conflict with terrorists," Prodi said. "Terrorism is infinitely more powerful than a year ago," and all of Europe now feels threatened, he told the paper.

The loss of the United States' and Britain's main ally has left Bush especially looking exposed as he faces the November presidential election.

While Zapatero fielded congratulations from French President Jacques Chirac, South African President Thabo Mbeki and other world leaders, Bush had yet to make a call.

[kildak]

Looks like Spain is ready to welcome the Moors back with open arms.

[syriacus]

The leftists, here and abroad, had insisted there was no connection between al Qaeda and Iraq.

Now that Madrid is attacked by al Qaeda, the leftists insist that it is partly because of Spain's involvement in Iraq.

It's apparent from the knee-jerk Spanish response to the bombings, that
the Europeans already believed there was an Iraq-Al Qaeda connection

[chemicalman]

Another one added to the shtlist.

[petercooper]

stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid spaniards

[goldstategop]

The Eurotrash would rather purchase their lives with concessions to those who want them dead. We Americans - at least those of us who are of Sept. 12 stock - place liberty above mere safety. That's the difference between us and Europe and never shall the twain meet.

[Manic_Episode]

Yes, terrorism works, and appeasement is the answer. /sarcasm

Children also should never be spanked, and when they get out of hand always let them have their way. This will teach them the right lesson and will make the world a better place.

[roses of sharon]

But, I thought Iraq had nothing to do with terrorism?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you..."
--Samuel Adams

[ladtx]

Spain's prime minister-elect Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero vowed to withdraw troops from Iraq and criticised US President George W. Bush ...

Hmmm--funny, Zapatero doesn't sound French. However, if you throw up you hands after being attacked by terrorists and surrender you gotta be.

[dirtboy]

"It is clear that using force is not the answer to resolving the conflict with terrorists," Prodi said.

You don't reason with a mad dog, Prodi, or try to appease it by giving it a treat. You shoot it.

[syriacus]

Does that prove Saddam had links to Al-Qaeda?

The swiftness of the Spanish peoples' response to the bombing proves that a large number of Europeans believed there was a connection between Al Qaeda and Iraq.

Looks like Bush and Blair were right after all.

[goldstategop]

And Zapatero thinks Saddam was the Iraqi's people's free choice of a ruler? I wonder how much his Socialist Party was paid out of Saddam's slush funds to parrot this kind of sick garbage in the world media.

[Kakaze]

" "You can't bomb a people just in case" they pose a perceived threat, Zapatero said in statements just five days before the first anniversary of the March 20 start of the war. "

Even if he's not for preemptive strikes, his lack of, intestinal fortitude when confronted with an attack on his own people is sickening.

[Longbow1969]

Geeze, could Al-Quada have been more sucessful?

What a complete victory for Islamic terrorists.

The moral victory these Muslim extremists will be able to claim by this complete Spanish capitulation, might exceed any benefit they ever were as an ally to us in the first place.

Had we known the Spaniards were this prone to sheer gutlessness in the face of a single terrorist attack, we might have been better off relying on Spain for diplomatic support only, rather than having accepted any of their troops for duty in Iraq.

A larger display of sheer cowardice I have not seen from any nation within recent memory.

Longbow

[cajungirl]

I think Al Quaeda is done with Spain for a long while. Spain has now come to heel along with Germany and France. So Britain, Italy and our eastern bloc countries are next on the list. I believe their plan is to pick them off one at a time while hoping for "regime change" here and then their major opposition is gone. Then they make their move, slowly. It won't be a grand entrance into big cities in Europe but a slow takeover. Sort of like the leftist plans for this country. By the time people realize, they will be as helpless as those Saddam slaughtered, the Taliban crushed and so on. We are the only thing standing, with Israel, against these evil evil people.-

[bondjamesbond]

This is a preview of coming attractions if John F'n Kerry wins the White House in November. If the US decides that appeasement is the best approach to terror, the jig is up.

After hearing for years about how each and every election will be the key to the future of the civilized world, we are now faced with exactly that case. There are two paths before us, and on November 2, 2004, the American people will choose one.

If George W. Bush is elected, we have a chance. We will be in for a long, bloody struggle with an uncertain result. But if we fight and strive and oppose the Jihad whenever and wherever possible, we may just be able to save the World from the next Dark Age.

If John F'n Kerry is elected, we will withdraw. We will throw our friends to the sharks in the hope that we will be eaten last. We will avoid conflict with Jihad, make temporary peace whenever possible, and we will inevitably give up our World and our way of life, bit by bloody bit. Our children's children will live under the heel of the theocratic tyrant.

This is the choice. It could not be more clear.

[syriacus]

No more artichoke hearts, capers or saffron for me.

My husband told me not to buy Spanish olives any more. He's gone without his favorite German beer for a long time, so I guess he deserves to be listened to.

[MissAmericanPie]

You can bet the liberals in this country are going to turn out in force this election, along with all their dead relatives, to oust Bush.

Maybe the stupid party should have passed federal election standards since while they were in control of the house and senate, but no.

[Monty22]

spain's managed to makethe french look like noble warriors.

[LRS]

This Socialist dreamer seems to think that it is over for Spain: he is wrong. Once one gives into thugs, one starts paying a price, for the thugs are like sharks smelling blood. Get ready Spain: the next demand will be the release of certain prisoners, and the point will be driven home by another attack...