The Spanish Apology

National Review ^ | March 15, 2004 | Dennis Boyles

[jwalburg]

The leftists scream about everything. They scream that Al Qaeda WASN'T involved in Iraq and then the scream that they WERE involved in Spain. It doesn't matter what the message is. If they scream loud enough they get their way.

[jwalburg]

Probably Princeton

[Alberta's Child]

Then the U.S. should make them walk home.

[Ex-Dem]

I think I know who you're talking about. Freidbert Pflueger?

He put it pretty aptly when he said that Spain was engaged in the "appeasement of terrorism."

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Sig !

[Defiant]

"We need to take the fight against terror out of America's hands.

Good luck trying, you Euroweenies.

[syriacus]

Spanish voters went to the polls to apologize for their government's actions.

The knee-jerk Spanish response to al Qaeda's Madrid bombings makes it clear that even the Europeans knew there was an Al Qaeda - Iraq connection.

Please click on this picture of Zapatero to see his swearing-in ceremony.

[Steve_Seattle]

The Spanish electorate fell for the oldest trick in the Islamist book: to describe our latest effort to combat terror (in this case, the war in Iraq) as the CAUSE of all the terror that preceded it. It is the same with the Israeli fence: this latest Israeli effort to combat terrorism is now cited as the CAUSE of all the terrorism which preceded it. It is a silly, teenage-girl way of arguing, but the Spaniards fell for it, just as much of "respectable" liberal opinion always falls for it.

[Fiddlstix]

[wayoverontheright]

...and attempt to find the common ground they have with whomever killed 200 innocent citizens and wounded 1,400 others.....

In a few days, the Spanish populace will begin to awaken and realize what they have undone. Yesterday's polling booths were filled with fear and denial, tomorrow's citizenry will begin to feel ANGER, not at the traditional default culprit, but at the perpetrators themselves.

It wouldn't surprise me to find that the ones who had the most to gain with the bombings were somehow complicit. The knapsacks were remotely detonated, no suicide bombers were employed, which points to a profound change within the enemy camp OR the more likely involvement of a secular entity.

[sfRummygirl]

When I heard about how and why Spain voted the way it did, I realized I was watching a nation become more like France. I was really praying Spain could muster up some courage. How sad. Thay are like the battered wife who thinks by keeping quiet, they will be safe.

[bonfire]

Great analogy.

[sfRummygirl]

"They"

[sfRummygirl]

It's sad, isn't it? I feel like I am watching a girlfriend living in an abusive marriage, and she is so low on self-esteem, I can't convince her to stand up for herself.

[Steve_Seattle]

Islamic terrorists always play a shell game: if we respond to a terrorist act, they cite our response as the rationale for further acts of terrorism. But if we don't respond, they will commit further acts of terrorism anyway; then, the excuse will be some long-ago or even ancient event: The Crusades, the reconquest of Spain by the Christians, the bombing of Hiroshima, the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, the creation of Israel, etc.

[nathanbedford]

You are absolutely right, it could happen here. In fact, it could well happen here in November and that even without a terror attack, because, as it looks today, the American people are likely to put Kerry in charge and that would constitute a regime change largely brought about by the war on terrorism.

In the end though, the real loser in the events coming out of Madrid is Israel as more and more of Europe becomes confirmed in its long held view that the Palestine problem is the root cause of this war and the Europeans do not believe they have a dog in that fight. Indeed, they believe the USA was attacked because of our support for Israel. They do not indeed to die for that cause. Expect this view to gain currency and respectability.

[AppyPappy]

The problem is that the Spanish pulling from Iraq and the inaction against terrorists will essentially become an apology by pain to the terrorists for making them bomb Spain in order to get the outcome they desired. The Spanish desperately want to the ETA to be responsible because they can do something about that. Al Quaeda? Spain will just have to take it on the chin for them.

[Steve_Seattle]

"it could happen here"

The al-Quaeda plan is "divide and conquer": exploit political differences in the democracies by committing terrorist acts which are then blamed on the very people fighting terror: the USA, Israel, the former Spanish government, etc. They thus hope to install governments that will be squeamish and ineffective in fighting back.

[syriacus]

The Spanish electorate fell for the oldest trick in the Islamist book: to describe our latest effort to combat terror (in this case, the war in Iraq) as the CAUSE of all the terror that preceded it.

Exactly. Islamist tricks sound like abusive spouses' tricks.

1. Blame the victims and say they "asked for" the beatings.
2. Tell the victims not to call the police (in this case, the US military).
3. Play one person off against the other. (Don't worry, if you keep quiet, I'll attack someone other than you.)

[lonevoice]

They scream that Al Qaeda WASN'T involved in Iraq and then the scream that they WERE involved in Spain.

You're right. It's a major cognitive disconnect. They declare that there was no connection between Iraq and Al Qaeda, and they declare that Spain was targeted by Al Qaeda because of Iraq.