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Spain PM to withdraw Iraq troops
BBC ^ | 3/15/04

Posted on 03/15/2004 2:33:02 AM PST by 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.



TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: quitters; spain; spanishtroops; zapatero
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To: FreedomPoster
***Europeans paid tribute to the Barbary pirates, because it was cheaper than confronting them. Jefferson was unable to create an international coalition to rid the world of that problem, so, Guess what? He acted "unilaterally". One result is in the first line of the Marine Corps hymn.***

Great post.
41 posted on 03/15/2004 4:15:28 AM PST by kitkat
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To: Clock King
Because people like Kerry don't care about the War against Terror or the protection of Western civilization, all they care about is getting power. They will be the end of the West.
42 posted on 03/15/2004 4:16:53 AM PST by CatoRenasci (Ceterum Censeo [Gallia][Germania][Arabia] Esse Delendam --- Select One or More as needed)
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To: spetznaz
Either the Marines attract a certain type or it converts enlisters to a higher form of manhood.
The former is probably more true than the latter. I was USMC mid to late 60s and still miss them.
I'd go back in a heartbeat. Semper Fi ...
43 posted on 03/15/2004 4:17:23 AM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: ex-Texan
Yep, I agree.

Why do ppl think this is the answer? AQ isnt going to stop blowing things up over there just cuz they pull out.

i think itll be the opposite. once they show an ounce of weakness AQ will be all over them. Its what they live for.

When are ppl going to wake up and realize singing kumbaya isnt the answer. Yeesh, what a way to wake up in the morning...need more coffee!!
44 posted on 03/15/2004 4:19:37 AM PST by OMalley
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To: dfwgator
Franco's Spain was neutral during WWII and an espionage hot spot for Axis and Allies alike. Hitler attempted again and again to get Franco to join the Axis and was each time rebuffed. Franco was one of the few men who was unaffected by his personal charm and "magnetism". He infuriated Hitler. But despite this official neutrality of Spain- He didn't stop ideiological anti Communists who had fought for him during the Civil War against the Communists- to travel to Germany in which they formed their own Waffen SS division that fought on the Eastern Front. Some of whom may have been still fighting at the battle of Berlin in the final days.
45 posted on 03/15/2004 4:28:48 AM PST by Burkeman1
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To: Amelia
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.

I stated in an earlier thread that Spain has two options..
capitulate now to terrorism and become a muslim country in 10 years like France..
OR
fight terrorism now with all they've got.

Looks like they've chosen to become another muslim country.

viva la allah

46 posted on 03/15/2004 4:31:47 AM PST by evad (Cut taxes again. Cut spending. Cut Guv Regulations. Cut Guv Programs...Repeat)
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To: ex-Texan
This does note bode well for the U.S.

I disagree. I think the Islamokazis have learned some valuable lessons.

1) Push the U.S., and they push back, a hundred times as hard.

2) Push the Europeans, and they fold like origami paper.

Now, if you're a terrorist, whom do you push?

47 posted on 03/15/2004 4:32:33 AM PST by Physicist
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To: dfwgator
And what did exactly Spain do in WW II to fight Hitler?

Nothing.

They even sent a volunteer division to fight on the Eastern Front.

48 posted on 03/15/2004 4:33:01 AM PST by Poohbah ("Would you mind not shooting at the thermonuclear weapons?" -- Maj. Vic Deakins, USAF)
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To: kattracks
CNN News morning show is asking for e-mail response to the following: Was Spain's election result a victory for terrorism?

am@cnn.com

49 posted on 03/15/2004 4:33:26 AM PST by zook
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To: kattracks
Investigations are continuing into who was behind the bombings.
Until the transfer of power. The new government has no interest in finding out who was behind the bombings. Whoever it was, the new government owes them a big debt of gratitude. Which it will promptly repay by promptly releasing anyone taken into custody by the old government.

When do the rats take over?

50 posted on 03/15/2004 4:34:33 AM PST by samtheman
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To: LaGrone
Is their a backbone in Europe anywhere?

Yeah..but it's sole purpose is to support the head.

And the color is apparently yellow.

51 posted on 03/15/2004 4:35:36 AM PST by evad (Cut taxes again. Cut spending. Cut Guv Regulations. Cut Guv Programs...Repeat)
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To: kattracks
Spain still hasn't gotten over the Armada and 1898, I see.

Once a quitter, always a quitter.

And they did so well against ignorant, backwards savages, too!

52 posted on 03/15/2004 4:35:56 AM PST by Redleg Duke (Stir the pot...don't let anything settle to the bottom where the lawyers can feed off of it!)
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To: germanicus
The beginning of the end of Western civilization?
Remember. Things looked just as dark in 1939. And just as dark in 1979.

We beat Hitler.

We beat Communism.

We one both wars basically on our own.

We'll win this one too.

53 posted on 03/15/2004 4:38:15 AM PST by samtheman
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To: Amelia
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.

The same millions were protesting the war in Iraq. Spanish government sent troops against clear will of the people (more than 80% was against).

54 posted on 03/15/2004 4:42:32 AM PST by A. Pole (<SARCASM> The genocide of Albanians was stopped in its tracks before it began.</S>)
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To: samtheman
Agreed on the latter, beg to differ on the former. The Soviets and the Germans bled each other white. Soviets had an enormous amount of economic assistance from us, but we *far* from did it "basically on our own".
55 posted on 03/15/2004 4:47:59 AM PST by FreedomPoster (This space intentionally blank)
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To: kattracks
If this was al Qaeda that attacked the trains then they have won their first victory. Without even a shot being fired from Spain. Is this a view of things to come? al Qaeda now has been taught terror works.



Patriot Paradox

56 posted on 03/15/2004 4:52:22 AM PST by sonsofliberty2000 (If it wasn't for my horse I wouldn't have spent that year in college...)
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To: Brian Allen
The problem in Spain is that (since the Socialists got 42% to the current ruling party's 38%) a swing of a mere 2-3% could have made it go either way. The Socialists did NOT get a majority in Parliament, either, and it is not like a one-on-one match.

I believe that a serious error was made by the Spanish government in immediately blaming the Basque separatists group WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE, instead of blaming the true perpetrators, the al-Qaeda terrorists. I assume they did this for tactical reasons. Therefore, they did not rally the nation against Islamic terrorism, and I don't see the election (narrowly won by the Socialists 164 seats to 148 seats + other parties, out of 450) as a referendum on the terrorism issue which it could have been.

57 posted on 03/15/2004 4:53:26 AM PST by wildandcrazyrussian
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To: kattracks
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.

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?

58 posted on 03/15/2004 4:53:52 AM PST by TheBattman (leadership = http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html)
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To: kattracks
Can someone do a Photoshop version of the Spanish Surrender Monkeys?
59 posted on 03/15/2004 4:56:55 AM PST by BlessedBeGod
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To: Redleg Duke
Yes, this does call to mind all of the negative Anglo-Saxon stereotypes about the Spanish. After all, they haven't won a real war since before the Thirty Years War, that's over 350 years. The Spanish have been long on pride and arrogance (from Aragon, a region in Spain) and very, very short on accomplishment since the sixteenth century. Their proudest moments have been the rape of the Netherlands, the Inquisition, and their misrule in Hispanic America -- all of which is still a mess resulting largely from the values absorbed by the populations over 300 years of Spanish colonialism.
60 posted on 03/15/2004 4:57:54 AM PST by CatoRenasci (Ceterum Censeo [Gallia][Germania][Arabia] Esse Delendam --- Select One or More as needed)
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