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.

[null and void]

Hate to see this...on one day, the Spanish are out in the streets in record numbers, shouting their defiance to terrorists...

On the next they are capitulating to them at the ballot box.

Or so it appears.

One can't help but wonder how, ummm, accurate the vote count was...

[roses of sharon]

Spanish troops are in Iraq?????????

I thought we WENT IN ALONE?

The new leftist of Spain says Iraq caused more terrorism?

I thought IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH TERRORISM?

I thought OBL and Saddam and Sons hated each other? And would never work together or for each other cause? I thought Saddam was hated by Islamics?

What happened to "no blood for oil", and "revenge for daddy"?

[Skywarner]

There are really only three options to chose to deal with the new breed of terrorism:
1. Take the battle to the terrorists and destroy them.
2. Appeasement.
3. Establish a police state.

The outgoing Spanish administration stood his ground against terrorism and decided to fight with the Americans and the Coalition. Being a student of European history, Jose Maria Aznar choose Option #1.

The incoming Socialist leader, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, has chosen option #2. Apparently, he must have failed European history in school.

I'm sure I speak for many of us when I say that we wish Spain the best, but we also expect the worse.

The terrorists have been emboldened and now feel that they can easily achieve a strategic victory against us and our Allies. We now live in very dangerous times - more dangerous than just days ago.

"Paz" in our time may sound nice, but it is naive.

[Skywarner]

Since when did the Democrats/Socialists start dealing in FACTS? ;-)

[xzins]

Would you ping JR and tell him that NOW we need a SPANISH spell-check?

:>)

[null and void]

Actually, what this means is that any terrorist that wants to change the government just needs to pull a bombing like this within days of an election. It really doesn't matter who was responsible - it still got the desired result.

I wonder if the DemocRATs here in the US would stoop low enough to arrange a bombing or other sort of "terrorist" event here just before our election in December to try outs GW? After all, the example has been set and prooven to work. Kerry has already indicated (unintentionally) that he will be soft on terrorists. What's to stop this from happening here?

Geeee thanks. I thought my own nightmares were bad enough.

[DoctorMichael]

Dangerous Precedent Bump.

[null and void]

Will they be making that yellow stripe down the center of their flag wider???

[LayoutGuru2]

Jose - Boy, you could have said something with a ring of truth such as '...most Spaniards were not in favor of the war...', instead you spout the lie '...The war in Iraq was a disaster, the occupation of Iraq is a disaster...', thanks for showing your true colors.

[null and void]

And don't forget to pray for our Polish pope -- a doubly-inviting target for evil...

YIKES!!!

[steveegg]

I see AQ attacking the US shortly before our election in November, hoping for a similar result. They'll be unpleasantly surprised, since American's NEVER vote Democrat when they feel threatened.

Only as long as we remain unafraid. If the polls empty out, the Leftist Fraud will be that much more effective.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Spain. You just F*ed up big time.

[steveegg]

Will they be making that yellow stripe down the center of their flag wider???

And they'll flank it with the color of the French "battle" flag.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

The Socialist Party is not concerned with freedom, justice, human rights, or truth.

Color me shocked...

Lol, have you talked to your neighbors lately, and do they know? Ack.

Good news:

8 Poland Vows to Stay if Spain Flees Iraq (FoxNews banner)

[Skywarner]

Poland has announced their continued support in Iraq (and they'll pick up the slack from the Spanish if needed).

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1097929/posts?page=25

Unlike Spain, Poland obviously remembers history, especially Europe - 1939...

[null and void]

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?

Doesn't much matter what you, me or kattracks believes.

That being said, I am now 100% certain that al Qaeda believes they will.

It's going to be a very rough ride to the ballot box.

[null and void]

Thanks

[null and void]

El Cid, where are you?

That's soooo 13th century. It's Ali Cid now...

[Vernon]

I spent 18 months in Spain in the late 50's. The stories of Franco's exploits were legend, and some of them quite interesting and amusing. From what I understood, he was a master at deceit. He was strong anti-communist, and I personally saw some "nailed" rather quickly. It was tacitly acknowleged that there he was Fascist, whether open or closet, but managed to straddle the fence for the most part.

As far as their military is concerned, I can but smile. The Spanish military is nothing more than tokenism and pretend as far as I'm concerned. The psychological impact will be more important than anything to do with the military.

[bluefish]

Spain: Trying to OutFrench the Cowardly French