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.

[roses of sharon]

I did not hear Hayworth, but heard Tom Brokaw.

He was openly shilling for Kerry. And dissing Christians, Bush, and the right. He was not just being a pundit, he left NO daylight on who he is pimping for.

Sad. These elites are on the war-path, and they know they have the power over public opinion.

Lesly Stahl told Chrissy, "We have our power back from Bush for the first time since 9/11".

We must be relentless ON THE GROUND, for it is all we have.

Pray, pray and pray. And talk to everyone you meet everyday.

[sd-joe]

"You can't bomb a people just in case" they pose a perceived threat, Zapatero said

Isn't that exactly what Al-Quada did? They bombed Spain because of a perceived threat.

[syriacus]

The good news is that Poland has already stepped up and said they are willing to replace Spain's troops with their own.

I'm glad to hear this...thanks for posting it.

[cajungirl]

I have been thinking about those quivering masses too. I think it comes from being on the dole. You just want that dole and nothing else matters, or you want the promise of the dole. It is like Social Security and people here,,you mention it and they react and vote for whatever demogogue promises them the most. Nothing else is important. I guess it is like a pacifier.

[Puddleglum]

When you prevent that the terrorists had no free will to do otherwise but to murder you deny the humanity of the innocents as well. We're all just statistics. This sicko has not only chosen his tyrants but has allowed them to lessen the humanity of every victim of cold-blooded murder.

[bmwcyle]

<img src=http://www.uul.com.au/images/ostrich.gif

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Maybe if they just sat down with the terrorists we could find out what they want...

[bmwcyle]

[MissAmericanPie]

ROFL, did that embarassing little legislation ever get the funding to be enacted? The Fed has spent decades robbing states of their rights and powers, now they get squishy about demanding state standards such as proof of ID and citizenship?

[Levante]

Seen in the Spanish media...

On Television Channel 5 (Tele Cinco) a Spanish woman in Madrid stated that she was "going to vote with her heart, NOT her head..."

In Barcelona, a group of Cataluyan Independentistas (those that want Catalunya to secede from Spain) held up placcards ignorantly stating: "The bombs dropped on Iraq landed here!"
Many Catalanians are in a flurry of activity to profess their solidarity with the victims and family members of the Madrid bombings (labeled 11-M in the Spanish Press, for 11 March), especially after a Catalan official, by the name of Rovira-Carod, held a secret meeting with the extremist terrorist group ETA, not to bomb anywhere in Catalunya (anywhere in Spain but Catalunya). Makes you wonder what Rovira-Carod conceded to ETA in return.

BTW, he motto of the Spanish Foreign Legion (the motto was conjured during the Spanish Civil War) is "Down with Intelligence! Long Live Death!" (no kidding).

I wouldn't be surprised at all if this Zapatero clown demands that the U.S. pull it's two remaining bases out of Spain.

[Marylander]

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.

Bears repeating.

Euro biggies had financial interests in saving Saddam and the general public feared reprisals from Al-Qaeda. Both greed and fear were operating to the max. The two taken together were served by Hate-Bush rhetoric.

[mtntop3]

If Zapatero actually made these comments - and it appears he did - it is an impressive display of lack of maturity and political sophistication. A statesman of a nation, especially the perceived top leader, does not, publicly at least, inject him or her self into the internal politics of another nation. It is bad form, bad manners; and it says a great deal about Zapatero and those around him.

[Puddleglum]

bad pre-coffee typing on my part:

When you pretend that the terrorists had no free will to do otherwise but to murder you deny the humanity of the innocents as well. We're all just statistics. This sicko has not only chosen his tyrants but has allowed them to lessen the humanity of every victim of cold-blooded murder.

So terrorists are a force of nature we should simply expect to endure if we stand up for our rights and defend ourselves? Where is his outrage at the hands that detonated the bombs? Did he give them his dispensation already? Has he raised one harsh word against them?

[Kakaze]

" Isn't that exactly what Al-Quada did? They bombed Spain because of a perceived threat. "

Actually to Al Quaida, its a revenge attack for running the Moors out of Andalusia around 500 years ago.

[Puddleglum]

Imus was getting on to JD for 6 soldiers dying over the weekend because of no body armor.

Is there any truth to there not being enough body armor for our troops? I've heard the charge more than once. I'd hate for it to be true, but I know soldiers have occasionally been short-changed with shoddy equipment throughout history. I hope it's an exaggeration, but would be glad to see a shoddy contractor severely punished if it's not.

[headsonpikes]

...Spain has been annexed by FRANCE.

So, you noticed, too.

This is a great French victory, of the type they are noted for.

[opus86]

This Zapatero ("Shoe Maker"?) seems to be an idiota IMHO. We'll see how well they do by appeasing the Islamists.

[I still care]

4 days before an election is a dangerous time for something unusual to happen. People vote without knowledge and on emotion. The ignorance of the voter is can be mindboggling at such a time - the Spanish are living proof.

I keep thinking of when the Democrats released Bush's drunk driving arrest just 4 days before the 2000 election, it turned a decided Bush victory into a 3 month Florida hell.

It makes me frightened for the last week of October and first week of November this year. You won't find me on any subways, planes or in any malls.

[I still care]

"You just want that dole and nothing else matters, or you want the promise of the dole. It is like Social Security and people here,,you mention it and they react and vote for whatever demogogue promises them the most. Nothing else is important. I guess it is like a pacifier."

Funny. Marx always said it was religion that was the opiate of the people, but he was way off. The Romans were more correct. They said it "Bread and Circuses"

[ampat]

I wonder what imus would have said if they were killed inspite of having body armor?