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.
Agreed. These "show-pony" allies were just to placate the pacifist-weenies in the U.S. anyway.
1600 troops? Wow, I'm impressed.
GW must have the courage to tell the world-wide wussies that we're ready, willing, able, and damn sure determined to go it alone if need be. No more UN blessings on our actions. No more apologies for kicking terrorist ass. No more buddying up to the Palestinians. No more turning the other cheek when "supposed" allies cut tail and run at the first hiccup . . . and this includes those of the "show-pony" variety like Spain.
As the world's only SuperPower, like it or not, we'll always have bullseyes on our backs. Other countries might be able to kiss ass to save themselves . . . however temporarily . . . but we're in this war regardless of what we do so we might as well fight like hell. My grandfather taught me bullies only understand one thing . . . it's best to skip those who'll fight back.
Pee Wee Clinton kneeled and prayed at the terrorist altar and we still got shellacked. I say we play Cowboys and Aaaaaaaarabs . . . and for those of you who'll say I'm a racist or race profiling, I say I'm simply using statistics. As soon as someone of Polish stock starts murdering innocent Americans . . . I'll change my tune, but so long as Mohammad is the most popular given name of our enemies I think I'll hold tightly to my statistical beliefs.
Why waste time frisking a ninety year-old, blue-haired grandmother at an airport and let a turbaned and bearded, swarthy-complexioned, thirty-ish year-old man slip by because of Political Correctness concerns? We're at war . . . and it's not being conducted in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood OR on a Hollyweird Movie Screen so STFU Babs Streisand . . . when we want advice from a has-been singer with a single-digit IQ, we'll ask. In the meantime we'll continue making the world a safer place.
Granted, I hope all those we kill are indeed terrorists . . . but we can't be timid while worrying about a small number of innocents killed in the crossfire. Shit happens in war. We didn't declare this war. And I say we show show enemies that we might be the only country on Earth who won't be intimidated . . . but even alone the American Warriors will be their worst nightmares.
Heed this warning, Mohammad . . .You'd best pray that Allah doesn't run out of virgins BECAUSE there's going to be a lotta demand for them suckers pretty soon.
It is mindboggling that the terrorists just had a major victory and the spanish public was not wise enough to gauge what their vote would do...
i'm starting to get really depressed about this stuff... after reading about the a**hole prodi's comments, doubly so...
Im amazed and disappointed at the news this am of Spain bending over for AQ.
Aznar would have done the same.
You're pathetic.
The Cold War was not really a classic war and the nature of the Soviet economic system had more to do with it's collapse than anything else though some Reagan era policies may have hastened it by a generation or so. We did not win WWII one our own at all. The bulk of the fighting was done by the Soviets. The Western front was an after thought to Germans in their war plans. The ever glorified "Battle of the Bulge" - does not even merit any comparison to any of the Major or even middling Soviet- German engagements on the Eastern front. The Germans had a fraction of their forces arrayed against the Allies on D-Day that they had on the Eastern Front. WWII was not won by us alone.
he was a far wiser man than hitler and even let the brits keep gibraltar (he could have easily taken it over either diplomatically or militarily).
gibraltar was nearly as important strategically as the suez canal or even the panama canal...
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