Posted on 03/15/2004 10:14:07 AM PST by 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.
Not if I have anything to say and do about it. I refuse to stand by and allow Kerry to lie his way into the White House and then put a White flag on the flagpole of our house.
Again.
To be sure, the US is number one on their list, but make no mistake, if the US were removed from the Earth, they'd be after every non-Islamic nation left....and of course, as they're not happy with most of the "Islamic" nations they'll overthrow those governments too.
Very true.
But where did I hear that only one Spaniard in ten thought they should be involved in Iraq?
That's why I think it's impressive that 38% voted for the existing goevernment, even though most of them disagreed with the involvement in Iraq. They realized that it's important to stand up to terrorism, and the realized it's important to stand behind an ally who's been as good to them as we have, even if they don't agree with everything we do.
Perhaps if Aznar had been running again the results would have been different.
Keep your wimpy pacifist heads down.
But why would Al-Q wreak revenge on Spain for getting involved in Iraq, if Al-Q didn't care about Iraq in the first place?
If Iraq meant nothing to Al-Q, Al-Q could have looked the other way while we invaded Iraq. Al-Q has lots of potential terror victims it can choose from.
It makes the most sense to assume that Al-Q cared about Iraq, before we invaded.
In the span of 48 hours, we have gone from "Viva Brave Spain!" to "The Spaniards are as cowardly as the French!"
Spain, as does America, has a sizeable Leftist block.
This is not about "Spain". It is about the Left.
Unfortunately, sometimes the Left wins in a democratic election.
The Spaniards put the Socialist Prime Minister in office with 42% of the vote which is less than the 49% of the vote with which America put Bill Clinton back in the White House in 1996.
It serves no purpose to call all Spaniards cowards since "all Spaniards" also includes the Conservatives that have had power in Spain and have been our staunch allies for the last 8 years. It serves no purpose to humiliate the Spanish military since those guys are on our side.
Sometimes it takes 4 years of a Jimmy Carter for a nation to embrace 8 years of a Ronald Reagan. Sometimes it takes a Bill Clinton to get American to give the Republicans control of Congress for the first time in almost 50 years. Sometimes, (and unfortunately the cost will be high for Europe) it will take an appeasing Left-wing blowhard to re-learn that appeasement does not work.
I know emotions are running high but I would urge American conservatives not to turn our backs on our pro-American Spanish Conservative allies. They are "Spain" too.
Our Spanish conservative allies will be back to fight, and win, another day. In the mean time, they need to know that we appreciated their support and that we Americans did not turn our backs on them and on Spain when they were the ones that needed our support.
Yes, I understand that. But, it's pretzel logic for them to believe that Al Qaeda had zero connection to Iraq, yet Al Qaeda is so blindingly enraged about Iraq that they would murder thousands of civilians in the country of a coalition partner.
Actually, it probably did just that. The majority of the Spanish electorate probably thought that the only reason Al Qaeda terrorized them was because of the Anzar govt's full backing of the U.S. Administration in the WOT, and that if they voted the socialists into office they then would most likely cease to be a target. Little do they realize that socialists are "infidels" too.
Yes, the killings should stop. The lambs should invite the wolves over for a chat, and come to a mutually agreeable understanding with them. The wolves will be happy to stop slaughtering the lambs... just long enough to get an even greater number within easy reach.
My point about sending the Spanish troops home now was simply to cut the crap and pretense that they're helping us. Go, now, so we don't have to spend any more time and effort worrying about you. And, if they feel humiliated, well, they should take it up with the King.
Good advice, but I highly doubt anyone is doing that. In fact, we have conservative allies in many socialist-ruled countries (including even a few in France), not just in Spain.
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