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.

[spanish]

Negotiate always, even with mad people like ETA or muslims terrorist. That is the only way. Do you speak seriously when saying ‘Spain was not prepared for that attack’? You must be joking, cause is imposible to be prepared for that. Spain, Italy, Germany, even your powerful and marvellous country can’t be prepared. It´s sad to say that, but is the true.
From Europe, from Spain, we see american people believe too much in power, in war, in arms, for fighting the terror, and there are so many examples that reveal it doesnt work always.
My english is horrible, i´m so sorry. If anyone understand spanish, I´ll like to speak with an american about the war and the terrorism.
Only one thing more. We (spanish) are not cowards or trash. We hate the violence and fight always for living in peace, working hard for our country and our families.

[dfwgator]

No, it doesn't work in every case, and yes sometimes bad things will happen, such is the nature of the enemy that we are fighting.

You cannot negotiate with evil, when Neville Chamberlain was saying "peace in our time," Adolf Hitler was saying privately to his staff "our enemies are but little worms, I saw them in Munich."

[spanish]

How can say somebody ‘The spanish dishonoured their dead? We suffer, pray and cry for them, but we are not going to attach Marocco cause the terrorists were borned there. Will Bush do? Will attack Spain for our ‘surrender’?
We have being killed for ETA (it is a terrorist band althougt in USA they are called ‘fighters for the freedom of Pais Vasco’) during 30 years. In that time, that band of criminals have killed more than 800 people, and our democracy has been in serious problems for them (in 1982 militars try to get the power by force).
In three decades, many people claimed for death penalty for ETA terrorists, and the Gob of Spain and spanish people, most of them, never aceppt that.Why? Because we think that is not the way. If the State killed a terrorist, you made a hundred of them. If the State killed and person suspect of being terrorist and you failed (it is not a terrorist), you made thousands. That is not the way.
¿Will you fight ETA with a war of Spain towards Pais Vasco? Is the same that USA is doing: Vietnam, Corea, Afganistan, Irak... Who suffers that wars? The comunism, the terrorists...? Civilian war, people like you and me, lost their sons, their parents, their husbands and wifes, and asked himself: who made it? USA did. They are failed too, cause american people don´t want that (i think so) and is their goverment who made, looking only for political or economical benefits in the most of times.

[spanish]

But, who is the evil? The boys that fight with rocks toward tanks and passing the years do it with bombs? The family that lives in Bagdad, love peace and want democracy, and suffer the dead of his son for a mistake of american troops? Everybody can be the evil, even in Spain or the USA. Think in young people that kill students in the school.
We made evils with our acts.
Greetings for Spain. The peace is possible

[Grassontop]

I just love your cartoon and the great message for W and may the terrorist know they aren't messing with a lip biting president as well as a flip floppin senator named Kerry! Grassontop

[MeekOneGOP]

Thank you ! ;^)