The Treason of the Spaniards

Adam Yoshida weblog ^ | 14 March 2004 | Adam Teiichi Yoshida

[Lando Lincoln]

What happened in Spain’s election was almost enough to make one feel nostalgic for General Franco (who is, unfortunately, still dead). Whatever other flaws he had (and they were both serious and numerous) at least he’d have made sure that Spain dealt harshly with Islamic terrorists and their allies. There is no inherent legitimacy in democratic decisions. A bad decision remains one even if it is taken in such a fashion. The choice of the Spanish people to, in response to the Madrid bombings, opt for the road of cowardice and of the appeasement of terror is such a decision.

The victory of the Socialists over the Popular Party in the Spanish general election is a victory for the terrorists and, indeed, for all the enemies of civilization. It is hard to understate the significance of what has happened here: al-Qaeda has, with the assistance of its confederates within Spain, defeated one of our staunchest allies in the war and created a template for the defeat of other allies. Every Spaniard who cast a Socialist ballot has blood on their hands. Not only the blood of their own countrymen, whose memory they have spit upon and dishonoured, but also those of their fellow Europeans who are now almost certain to die in follow-on assaults.

Ultimately, in this great fight against the terrorists and their allies, America stands alone. Even our staunchest allies can be removed from this fight not by the arms of our enemies buy by the cowardice and immorality of their own people. The terrorists, it would seem, have found the great Achilles’ heel of the West: the waning will of the people. Even if they were to deploy nuclear weapons, al-Qaeda and its ilk lack the force necessary to openly defeat the West on the battlefield. They can win only by breaking the will of the people, by using the threat of death to force them to submit.

From the point of view of al-Qaeda and other groups the point must seem obvious. In nations where the War on Terrorism is already unpopular, the people are far more likely to blame their own government for any attack than they are to blame the terrorists. This, in my opinion, makes it virtually certain that both Britain and Italy will soon be attacked.

Perhaps Britain is still the county it was in 1940 and it would come through an attack today as splendidly as it did then. But I’m not quite so sure. Frankly I think that the energy of that once-great Island race may have been sapped by generations of socialism and the cancer of moral Leftism. For all the good that Thatcherism did, it seems to have failed to arrest the Europeanization of Britain: a fact which makes it likely that, sooner or later, that nation too will head down the road of European cowardice and defeatism. In the event of a major terrorist attack, such as the one we saw in Madrid, I believe that Prime Minister Blair might be forced to resign. Similarly, the position of the present Italian government would also be seriously endangered by an attack. The moral courage of Europeans has evaporated along with the morality of their societies. Their will to resist has been worn away by decades of socialism, nihilism, pacifism, atheism, and sexual perversion. While they are useful to have along when available, relying upon them to remain solid in the long term would be idiotic.

More than anything else what this demonstrates is the folly of relying upon “allies” to wage the war on terrorism. Any war effort which relied entirely upon a “Coalition” could be shattered by just one bomb followed by one election (or vote in Parliament). A “multilateral” war effort requires the consent of everyone. Instead of tailoring a conflict to meet with the approval of one electorate, it would be necessary to seek it of twenty or so.

There is a certain sentiment out there, and it is the one which triumphed in Spain, that holds that if we leave the terrorists alone, then they will leave us alone. Just give us our Gay Weddings, our MTV, and the rest, some say, and we’ll be happy to leave the Islamist to do as he likes elsewhere. The war, in this view, is the fault of those in the West who have been foolish enough to stand up to our enemies. It treats the Islamist as a force of nature, an unstoppable fact. It is the mentality of defeatism.

This is the sort of mentality which underlies all the arguments against the war. After all, if we were simply to throw up our arms and let the terrorists have their way in the Middle East, what would happen to us? The Islamists would be so busy conquering and subduing people overseas that it would be a very long time. Sure, some hot heads would attack us anyways, but most of the terror-masters would be busy for decades. A few thousand would probably die, but such is something that will simply have to be accepted. This, I believe, is their attitude.

Appeasement merely trades the dangers of today for a greater danger tomorrow. Those who believe that Islamists could be satisfied by, for example, a Spanish withdrawal from Iraq, are utterly deluded. Perhaps in the short-term it might buy some time, but in the long term it merely promises a confrontation between Spain and a rising Islam. Islamist propaganda is often riddled with references to Andalusia and Granada, the lost lands of the Moors in Spain. This isn’t idle chatter. They Islamists really want them back: it’s not on the top of the agenda, but it will be as soon as other, more pressing, items are dispensed with.

Opposition to our war against the terrorists is treason against God and all of the decent and moral humans who have ever lived. It is an egregious insult to our forbearers and, indeed, to our civilization as a whole. Support for the policies of appeasement is a morally criminal act.

By responding to this act with cowardice, many Spaniards have done nothing less than commit treason against Western Civilization as a whole. They are making a Devil’s bargain, one where they’ve traded the lives and security of their children (and those of other Westerner’s children) for a little happiness today. They’d rather go about their everyday lives, lay about, and ignore the gathering storm.

We need to remember this. Our war against the terrorists cannot be won in a single day, but it can be lost in one. If John Kerry were to be elected President this November then the terrorists will have won or, at the very least, set us back a decade or more. A vote for John Kerry is an act of moral cowardice, of unbridled stupidity, of wanton immorality, and, indeed, of treason against all that is good and decent in the world.

Spain has fallen to the terrorists. We cannot let it happen here, no matter the cost.

[HitmanLV]

Don't overstate or understate the significance of what happened in Spain.

Spain has given heart to the terrorists? What did Clinton do? There was no significant crackerjack military response to the first WTC attack or the attack on the Cole.

Their tactics worked this time and in this circumstance. If they read too much into that, they tread in dangerous territory.

If you read too much into that, you tread in dangerous territory.

If I read too little into that, I tread in dangerous territory.

I have felt all along that the war on terror will be a protracted, asymmetrical conflict. That is, we will take heavy hits while the bad guys take hits also.

Like I said before, anyone expected lopsided wins for the good old USA is living in fantasyland. Spain will take additional hits, as will Europe, as will the USA.

Sometimes things get worse before they get better. Adopting a mature perspective will help keep us focused and our spirits up, regardless of any problems on the path to victory.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks, Lando ! Good article ...

Excerpt:

We need to remember this. Our war against the terrorists cannot be won in a single day, but it can be lost in one. If John Kerry were to be elected President this November then the terrorists will have won or, at the very least, set us back a decade or more. A vote for John Kerry is an act of moral cowardice, of unbridled stupidity, of wanton immorality, and, indeed, of treason against all that is good and decent in the world.

Spain has fallen to the terrorists. We cannot let it happen here, no matter the cost.

[dansangel]

Spain has fallen to the terrorists. We cannot let it happen here, no matter the cost.

I am really upset that all of this happened so quickly. All the more reason to rally against Kerry.

[MeekOneGOP]

Yep !

Gail, don't miss this article ...

[WOSG]

I certainly hope you are right, but we've had mortars and RPGs hit the 'green zone' and bombings of all sorts of compounds have happened.

If the Islamofascists fail to hit us before the election it wont be for lack of trying.

[WOSG]

A good point.

And on the optimistic side, just as we 'lost' one Government in Spain, we gained a conservative Govt in Greece and sooner or later germany will tire of Schroeder, he is unpopular. And so it goes.

We will win eventually.

[Strider]

Sometimes things get worse before they get better. Adopting a mature perspective will help keep us focused and our spirits up, regardless of any problems on the path to victory.

That is well put, but this election in Spain is a major loss. The terrorists couldn't have dreamed of a better outcome from their attack.

I pray to God that whoever they hit next stands up to them. Spain sure didn't. If another nation cowers like that after an attack, it will set a dangerous trend.

Spain is proof that their vile tactics work. They will do it again. The next country to take a hit better stand up. The momentum is with us in this war. The only way we will keep it, is if the masses stand and fight. Spain ran.

Yes, we are winning and will win over evil in the end, and it will take a long time. But, this Spanish election marks a dark day in the War On Terror.

[xJones]

This was a bump on the road - anyone who expected to win every battle in the war on terror must have been living in fantasyland.

So come on, folks, toughen up and dig the heels in. We have an election in the USA we need to win. What Spain does short term is something we have to deal with, but its not the end of the cause, not by a longshot.

Thanks, you're the kind patriots want to be in foxholes with.

[JohnGalt]

Iraq has nothing to do with AQ, so its unclear what you mean.

The author indicted the entire country, if you think that is a logical conclusion from a vote after a traumatic event, I disagree. I believe it was a reactionary vote after a traumatic event, guided by anger, frustration, and a deep sense of loss.

[BOBTHENAILER]

The line must be drawn here. No more retreating. No more giving in to what they want. Furthermore, they must PAY for what they have done.

Very well said.

[F16Fighter]

A vote for John Kerry is an act of moral cowardice, of unbridled stupidity, of wanton immorality, and, indeed, of treason against all that is good and decent in the world."

Will all this fit on a bumper-sticker?

[F16Fighter]

"Do you honestly think a vote cast 3 days after such a catastrophic event really evolves to the level of calling an entire nation, a nation of traitors and cowards?

Will the author say the same thing about the United States should Kerry win?

Yes...

But the author would not be alone in his assessment; I as well as thousands of Freepers would also deem America a "nation of traitors and cowards" for voting in Kerry.

[F16Fighter]

"The author indicted the entire country..."

Don't we do the same regarding the French?

[Tempest]

Nothing treasonous about it. Just cowardly.

[Tempest]

Treason, no. Cowards, yes.

If Kerry wins are we cowards? Most likely.

[Enduring Freedom]

WWARD?

What would Ayn Rand do?

She'd howl at the ignorance and transparentness of pathetic Galt, then fry him like a bug on a wire.

Socialists, in all forms, are the most despicable instruments of death wherever they are found.

Anti-life, anti-human. Evil.

[EDINVA]

"Dane-Geld" is one of the roots of common law, from ancient historical method of avoiding war by the murderer's tribe paying the tribe of a victim for that victim's life.

I didn't, however, see any Muslim money offered for the victims of the 3-11 massacre in Madrid. Instead, they appear rather easily to have captured the Spanish government AND taken 200+ innocent lives