Spain PM to withdraw Iraq troops

BBC ^ | 3/15/04

[kattracks]

Spain's Socialist Party prime minister-elect has confirmed his intention to pull Spanish troops out of Iraq. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said: "The war in Iraq was a disaster, the occupation of Iraq is a disaster."

The Socialist Party won a shock poll victory after voters appeared to turn on the government over its handling of the Madrid bombings.

Spain, with more than 1,300 troops in Iraq, supported the US-led war on Iraq despite much domestic opposition.

Mr Zapatero told Spanish radio that no decision would be taken until he was in power or without wide political consultation.

But the soldiers would be pulled out if there was no change in Iraq by the 30 June deadline for transfer of sovereignty.

Our world affairs correspondent, Paul Reynolds, says that the situation in Iraq may well have changed by 30 June, but whether that influences the new government remains to be seen.

By then the US and UK hope that the Security Council will have given UN approval to the handover plan.

In addition the interim Iraqi government will be asking foreign troops to stay as part of a UN-approved multinational force.

Outsider

Socialists won 42% of the vote, while the centre-right Popular Party won 38% in Sunday's general election, held in the wake of the Madrid train bomb attacks that killed 200 people.

The BBC's Chris Morris, in Madrid, says the bombings did more than shock Spain to the core; they proved to be the decisive factor in the general election that ousted the government.

Mr Zapatero was - until Thursday's bombings - considered an outsider for Spain's top job.

Despite his party's victory, however, there is expected to be much political horse-trading because the Socialists did not win an absolute majority.

While Mr Zapatero said his first priority was to tackle terrorism "in all its forms", he is thought likely to do it in a very different way than the outgoing government.

A larger than expected 77% of the electorate turned out to vote in the wake of last Thursday's attacks.

Our correspondent says the late swing to the Socialists raises one disturbing thought - if al-Qaeda was responsible for Thursday's attacks, it appears to have had significant influence in changing the government of a leading Western democracy.

Investigations are continuing into who was behind the bombings.

A videotaped claim of responsibility by a man identifying himself as al-Qaeda's military spokesman in Europe forced the government to change its stance on the most likely suspects.

The tape - claiming revenge for Spain's "collaboration with the criminals Bush and his allies" - was found in a litter bin on Saturday following a tip-off to a TV station.

'Suspect has al-Qaeda link'

Three Moroccans and two Indians are being held in connection with the attacks.

The three Moroccans being held have been named as Jamal Zougam, 30, Mohamed Bekkali, 31, and Mohamed Chaoui, 34.

The two Indians arrested were named as Vinay Kohly and Suresh Kumar.

Spain's El Pais newspaper reported that investigators had found links between Jamal Zougam and the Salafia Jihadia group held responsible for attacks in Casablanca last May in which more than 40 people died.

One of the targets of the Moroccan attacks was a Spanish cultural centre, where four Spaniards were among the dead.

Reports also linked Jamal Zougam to a Spanish cell of al-Qaeda which was headed by Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, also known as "Abu Dahdah".

Abu Dahdah has been indicted by the Spanish anti-terrorist prosecutor Baltasar Garzon on charges relating to the preparation of the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States.

El Pais said Jamal Zougam was cited at two points in Garzon's indictment, but was not charged.

[marshmallow]

This comes as absolutely no surprise.

The throngs in the streets demonstrating following the bombings were not shouting defiance at al-Qaeda. Rather, they were hurling abuse at the government for having placed the country in the front line in the fight on terrorism.

A sad but predictable response from a country which has abandoned its Christian roots and has a birth rate which is absolutely miniscule. All indicative of a country which has embraced the socialist secular god of birth control and paradise in the here and now.

[RandallFlagg]

YAAAAARRRRGGGHHH!!!!

Sorry. I just woke up to this and couldn't actually scream because my babies are sleeping.

Carry on.

[M-cubed]

While Mr Zapatero said his first priority was to tackle terrorism "in all its forms", he is thought likely to do it in a very different way than the outgoing government.<<..Yup! and his first priority is to succumb to it!...Understanding that, all the terrorist have to do is threaten to get what they want!...Seems simple enough to me.....

[Brian Allen]

<< I believe that a serious error was made by the Spanish government in immediately blaming [Basque terrorists] WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE, instead of blaming the true perpetrators, [The islamofascist] terrorists. >>

As to cause, I am with you 100%.

Back to effect, however and Spain is the loser.

[Along with all of the rest of 'Old,' cravenly-corrupt, pathetically-appeasing, psychopathologically-hesperophobic, abjectly-corrupt, dead and decadent Neo-Soviet Europe -- and America's "DemocRATS"]

Another one-time pillar of Judeo-Christian/western Civilization has caved at being blindsided again and the manifestation of evil, of which terrorism -- by any lying, looting, bank-robbing, drug-and-gun-running, death-and-destruction-worshipping, false-fureher-following, shamrock-shoving or sheep-shagging predatory pack of gangster bastards, is but a symptom -- has won another round.

Best ones -- Brian

[OldFriend]

His statement is clearly being taken out of context. He says he will withdraw his troops if the UN does not get involved on June 30th. when the transfer is to take place.

At this point the US is committed to that date, but I suspect double dirty dealing by the UN to back off to harm the US.

[george wythe]

There is a difference between political rhetoric and actual governing.

I suspect the new Spanish prime minister will find a loophole and keep Spanish troops in Iraq.

Since he says that a new UN resolution will be his fig leaf, he'll probably get it. After June 30, the new Iraqi government will probably request foreign troops to remain in Iraq, and a new UN resolution agreeing to the Iraqi government request will pass unanimously.

The Spanish voters are still in shock, denial, and anger, the initial stages of the grieving process, and they might have voted against the wrong party. After some time, I hope cooler heads will prevail.

[OldFriend]

The media playing up his statement without the context. He is insisting the UN take their role as primary caretaker when the US turns over the country on June 30th.

[xzins]

Nothing like capitulating to world terrorism to send that "tough" message that will make them leave you alone. Now they know they've got Spain by the cajones.

Would they have killed no one in their drive to regain Andalusia, mr new prime minister?

Don't kid yourself.

[optik_b]

now they're going to have to replace those spanish troops with more national guardsmen

[Jhensy]

While Mr Zapatero said his first priority was to tackle terrorism "in all its forms", he is thought likely to do it in a very different way than the outgoing government.

This garbage again. The left has no plan, in fact, absolutely no idea on how to combat terrorism, and the slightest prodding reveals this easily.

Complete frauds.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

My question is:

Since the well-timed bombing in Spain (just prior to elections) caused an obvious shift in voting...do you think that now such tactics might work in the United States in the future? Seems to me if someone were to repeatedly kill innocent civilians (i.e. shopping malls, schools, etc.) that the public could be persuaded to force politicians to concede to the demands of those perpetrating such. Jesse Jackson has successfully used intimidation and financial blackmail. Why can't others jump on the bandwagon and take it a step further? One just has to have the will to kill, it seems.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

The general American population doesn't grasp what just took place in Spain. The Spaniards just gave Al Qaeda the blueprint for regime change in Britain, Poland, Australia, Italy, the United States...

You are right on with that comment. So sad that so few can see what is developing. Sin does that, I presume.

[finnman69]

John Kerry refuses to name the mysterious "foreign leaders" who supposedly gave him secret endorsements. But he doesn't need to. We know of one foreign leader who's openly endorsing Kerry.

The newly elected Socialist prime minister of Spain, who got his job thanks to Al Qaeda and is pleasing them by withdrawing his troops from Iraq, had this to say just before the Madrid bombings:
"The first thing I will do when I am elected is to go to the United States and support John Kerry."

http://www.majorcadailybulletin.es/letters.dba?1304+7+0

[finnman69]

"Foreign Leaders"

John Kerry refuses to name the mysterious "foreign leaders" who supposedly gave him secret endorsements. But he doesn't need to. We know of one foreign leader who's openly endorsing Kerry.

The newly elected Socialist prime minister of Spain, who got his job thanks to Al Qaeda and is pleasing them by withdrawing his troops from Iraq, had this to say just before the Madrid bombings:

The first thing I will do when I am elected is to go to the United States and support John Kerry.

posted by PoliPundit at 1:41 AM Link to this post |

[traumer]

CHAMBERLAIN would be proud of you !!

[traumer]

"UNLIKE SPAIN,
U.S.A.
WILL NEVER
SURRENDER!"

.... that is while Bush is in the White House

[areafiftyone]

No surprise here. We kinda knew this was coming. That is what he said before the election. The Spanish people have now become cowards in the terrorist's eyes and they don't even care. Amazing!! And the democrats here in this country on the forums are loving every minute of it.

[areafiftyone]

that is while Bush is in the White House

And we better make sure he stays in the White House. Otherwise we have given in too to terrorism! The terrorists love Kerry!

[Colonel_Flagg]

While Mr Zapatero said his first priority was to tackle terrorism "in all its forms", he is thought likely to do it in a very different way than the outgoing government.

As a starting point, he will fight terror by placing the terrorists hands firmly around his own throat.