Now we just have to wait for lessons of history to be re-learned by a new generation of Spaniards and for the pendulum to swing back the other way.
Posted on 03/17/2004 12:18:02 PM PST by areafiftyone
CAIRO (Reuters) - A group claiming to have links with al Qaeda said Wednesday it was calling a truce in its Spanish operations to see if the new government would withdraw its troops from Iraq (news - web sites), a pan-Arab newspaper said.
In a statement sent Wednesday to the Arabic language daily al-Hayat, the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, which claimed responsibility for the Madrid bombings that killed 201 people, also urged its European units to stop all operations.
"Because of this decision, the leadership has decided to stop all operations within the Spanish territories... until we know the intentions of the new government that has promised to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq," the statement said.
"And we repeat this to all the brigades present in European lands: Stop all operations."
In a shock election result just days after the Madrid attacks, Spain elected the Socialist party, which has since said it will probably withdraw its troops from Iraq.
The Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades have previously claimed responsibility for bombings in Turkey and Iraq.
"The Spanish people... chose peace by choosing the party that was against the alliance with America," the statement said. The newspaper planned to publish it Thursday.
Outgoing Spanish Prime Minister Josa Maria Aznar was a staunch ally of the United States in the Iraq war, although a majority of the Spanish people were opposed to sending Spanish troops there.
"Praise be to God who gave us this victory in the conquest of Madrid... where one of the pillars of the axis of Crusader evil was destroyed," the statement said, affirming its earlier claim for the Madrid attacks.
A U.S. official in Washington has previously said the group's link with al Qaeda is unclear.
The facts: Party: Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) Leader: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO Seats won in this election to the Chamber of Deputies:164 Seats won in this election to the Senate: 81
Party: People’s Party (PP) Leader: Mariano RAJOY Seats won in this election to the Chamber of Deputies:148 Seats won in this election to the Senate: 102
The Socialists WON with a close 164-148 plurality.(Not an absolute majority in the 350-member Chamber).
The Peoples Party LEADs the Senate elections, with 102-81 of the direct votes of 208 seats this week.
The remaining 51 Senate seats, are appointed by the Legislative Assemblies of the 17 Spanish Autonomous Communities – Comunidades Autónomas - in the following way: these Assemblies appoint one Senator each, plus one more for every million inhabitants who live within the Autonomous Community.
Now in 2000:
Party: People’s Party (PP) Seats won in last election to the Chamber of Deputies: 183 Seats won in last election to the Senate: 127 Party: Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) Seats won in last election to the Chamber of Deputies: 125 Seats won in last election to the Senate: 61
2000 was a much greater "LANDSLIDE" with the PP gaining more than 50% of each Congress
A group claiming to have links with al Qaeda said on Wednesday it was calling a truce in its Spanish operations to see if the new Madrid government would withdraw its troops from Iraq (news - web sites), a pan-Arab newspaper said.
In a statement sent to the Arabic language daily al-Hayat, the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, which claimed responsibility for the Madrid bombings that killed 201 people, also urged its European units to stop all operations.
[snip]
WE WANT BUSH TO WIN
The statement said it supported President Bush (news - web sites) in his reelection campaign, and would prefer him to win in November rather than the Democratic candidate John Kerry (news - web sites), as it was not possible to find a leader "more foolish than you (Bush), who deals with matters by force rather than with wisdom."
In comments addressed to Bush, the group said:
"Kerry will kill our nation while it sleeps because he and the Democrats have the cunning to embellish blasphemy and present it to the Arab and Muslim nation as civilization."
"Because of this we desire you (Bush) to be elected."
Now we just have to wait for lessons of history to be re-learned by a new generation of Spaniards and for the pendulum to swing back the other way.
Interesting choice of words here. Does not "truce" imply that two sides are at war? When did Al Qaeda declare war on Spain or vice-versa?
Also, isn't it usually the stonger of the two opposing sides that "declares" a truce? Is Al Qaeda suggesting that they have the upper hand here?
Dearest Al-Qaeda:
F**k yourselves and your "truce". See you in Hell. Bring it.
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