The Spanish Apology

National Review ^ | March 15, 2004 | Dennis Boyles

[presidio9]

The results of Sunday's election in Spain, in which the pro-American Popular party was voted out of office in an upset by a Socialist party profoundly at odds with American policy in Iraq and elsewhere, doesn't leave much room for interpretation. Economics wasn't the issue. Job creation and education weren't topics of widespread debate. The war in Iraq, which the conservative Aznar government strongly supported, despite the overwhelming opposition of most Spaniards, had largely evaporated as a factor in the polls before the voting. Not even the horrible terror attacks of Thursday did much to change voters' minds.

The thing that made the difference to Spanish voters was the growing apprehension that al Qaeda was responsible for the attacks. In the first few hours after the atrocity, homegrown ETA terrorists were blamed by the government for the attacks. If true, this would have strengthened the government's strong antiterrorist position. But subsequent evidence of possible al Qaeda involvement — evidence mostly unverified and still under investigation — was used by the Socialists in noisy street demonstrations supported by Spain's left-wing press as proof that al Qaeda was targeting Spain because of its support of the U.S. in Iraq and that the government had lied in claiming the ETA was the culprit, despite the fact that potential Arab involvement had been discovered by the outgoing government. BBC reports from Madrid cast the election as a referendum not just on the war, but on whether or not Spanish voters were willing to face the consequences of joining the war on terrorism.

They were not. Spanish voters went to the polls to apologize for their government's actions. There was no other issue on the ballot. The results bode ill for America's antiterrorism campaign. As the Daily Telegraph reports today, the new Spanish prime minister has signaled his desire to move away from the U.S.; withdrawing troops from the Coalition in Iraq was one of the Socialists' main campaign promises, and indeed, it was one of the first acts announced by the new government. By the time you have lunch today, reports the BBC with some satisfaction, Spanish troops will be packing their bags to go home.

But the reaction in the left-wing European press is predictable. The Guardian had already sounded the note the night before the elections in an editorial that reflected the Spanish mood accurately: "We need to take the fight against terror out of America's hands. We need to get beyond the them and us, the good guys and the bad guys, and seek a genuinely collective response. Europe should seize the moment that America failed to grasp." As Spain's left-wing El Pais celebrated the Socialists' "unprecedented" victory, in Libération, the defeat was seen as the price of Aznar's "lies" about al Qaeda culpability. Suddeutsche Zeitung told readers that Aznar was being punished for supporting America's antiterrorism policies in Iraq and elsewhere. In the Independent, Robert Fisk reminded his readers that "The West was warned." He's not referring to September 11, of course.

The ultimate wisdom of allowing al Qaeda terrorism to determine national elections is still to be seen. But as the Socialists in Spain get "beyond the them and us, the good guys and the bad guys," and attempt to find the common ground they have with whomever killed 200 innocent citizens and wounded 1,400 others, that country's apology for supporting the war on terrorism will be heard with appreciation by al Qaeda — and ETA, the IRA, Hamas, and every other terrorist organization in the world.

[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.