Australia challenges Spain on pull out of Iraq

ABC News Online ^ | 16/03/2004 | ABC News Online

[helives]

Last Update: Tuesday, March 16, 2004. 8:36pm (AEDT)

Alexander Downer .. Iraq withdrawal would be a win for Al Qaeda. (ABC TV)

Aust challenges Spain on Iraq pull-out

The Australian Government has urged Spain's newly elected Socialist Government not to pull its troops out of Iraq, saying such a move could be interpreted as a victory for terrorism.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer visited the Spanish Embassy in Canberra this afternoon to pay his respects and sign a condolence book after last week's terrorist attack in Madrid, which killed 200 people.

Mr Downer says he spoke to the Spanish charge d'affaires and appealed for Spain to continue its fight against terrorism.

"I said to him that of course we congratulate the new Government on their election," Mr Downer said.

"[I also said] we very much hoped that they wouldn't withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq, that it was enormously important that the international community sent a strong message to Al Qaeda - if this attack is the responsibility of Al Qaeda, that we will not weaken in the face of terrorism."

Mr Downer used the meeting to urge Spain to keep its troops in Iraq.

"It'll be interpreted in some parts of the world as a great victory for the terrorists who committed the atrocity of March 11," he said.

Mr Downer has also sought to play down the ongoing row over comments by the Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty, who believes there is a link between the Madrid bombing and Spain's involvement in the Iraq war.

Federal Labor leader Mark Latham has seized on claims that the Prime Minister's chief of staff rang Mr Keelty to chastise him.

"That's not the way to run Australia," Mr Latham said.

The Prime Minister's office is refusing to confirm the phone call took place.

[helives]

We are one!! Head burying or compliance will not work...they will still bomb your arse......better to go down fighting

ping mitch .......God bless

[helives]

and anyway we WIN!!!!!!!!!
Jesus is Lord

[helives]

ping again

[Caipirabob]

Thank you, Australia.

..and Thank you for the sacrifice of your sons and daughters in this war on terror. At least we still have allies with the guts and courage to name and confront the most dangerous threat we have known this generation.

[DustyMoment]

The Spanish election will continue to reverberate around the world for some time to come. Make no mistake, with AQ's success at altering the presumed outcome of Spain's election, we can feel quite safe betting the farm that they will do or try the same tactic in the US on the eve or our elections in November.

THIS is the price we all pay for appeasement. Spain, the country that gave the world "courageous" toreadors (bull fighters) turns out to just be filled with bullsh*t. The rest of the world just got issued the brooms with which to clean up the mess. The question we must all answer now is how many of us are willing to accept our new role and aggressively sweep up and how many of us will throw our brooms aside and hope that someone else will clean up the sh*t? That's what the Spaniards voted to find out last Sunday.

In the real world, Spain has now proven that they are NOT with US, therefore, they must be with the terrorists. Anyone know how to say "Allah akbar" in Spanish?

[helives]

thanks mate.....and hey, we have Federal elections around the same time as you guys this year. SO dont feel alone mate. I read a report today that said "America thinks its fighting this war alone, well theres a few aussies rootin for ya (lol....cant say rootin in this country...) God bless

[dalebert]

Maybe Spain is not so important. I can't see where a country that chooses to marxism is much of an asset.

[DustyMoment]

No, my friend, there are a LOT of us who are familiar with the sacrifices made by our many global friends including (and especially) the Australians. The Bali bombing proved beyond all doubt that America was not alone and the contributions made by our valiant Aussie friends are, most assuredly, noticed by those of us who DON'T get our news from the television networks.

While American filmmakers have pushed the notion that WWII was won by American troops single-handedly, those of us who read and appreciate history know that it was through the cooperation and assistance of our global friends that Germany and Japan were defeated and freedom restored (I don't mention Italy because they were barely more than a footnote to the war other than the difficulty we encountered getting the Germans out).

OUR thanks go to YOU and your valiant countrymen, my Australian friend, for having the courage to look evil in the eye and not bow down to it. God bless you all.

[DustyMoment]

Maybe Spain is not so important. I can't see where a country that chooses to marxism is much of an asset.

Dream on. Spain was an important member of the coalition forces that went into Iraq. This turn of events is both a literal and figurative victory for AQ and spells impending disaster for other coalition nations. AQ won the Spanish election and they will try to win in other nations using the exact same tactics prior to their national elections. As long as folks like you refuse to see the events in Spain for what they are, we will be just as surprised as the Spaniards when the next attack in the US comes in late October.

[Dave Elias]

"lol....cant say rootin in this country"

Through to the wicketkeeper on this board.

[dalebert]

Liberals are winning this war for AQ. They are the enablers of terrorist.Tell me what asset a country that votes to send itself to slaughter is.

[Theo]

and anyway we WIN!!!!!!!!! Jesus is Lord

That is the truth.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Anyone know how to say "Allah akbar" in Spanish?

"No cojones?"

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

AQ won the Spanish election and they will try to win in other nations using the exact same tactics prior to their national elections.

You notice that although the use of suicide hijackers armed with boxcutters and fake bombs was a smashing success on 911, that tactic has not been repeated. The crash of Flight 93 far from its target shows that the likely result of such an attack is quite different when the passengers are under no illusions that cooperation offers safety. Spain's 311 attack was on transportation as such rather than using mass transportation to attack other targets, and this more modest attack was not suicidal in nature.

An attack on transportation just before an election would be another 311 - and would be a change in the MO of al Qaeda precisely in using the same MO twice. It is tempting to think that it might be effective elsewhere if it was effective, seemingly, in Spain - but notice that the tactic needs a cooperative opposition willing to risk being seen as the party of cowardice, and the example of Spain might raise questions about the loyalties of a party which did not disavow such implications.

Certainly the Democratic candidacy of Senator Kerry is precisely a candidacy willing to risk accusations of cowardice - and to hurl them back at Bush essentially for his having followed Kerry's advice rather than repeating Kerry's experience of having volunteered into the Vietnam-era military. That in fact seems to be the natural battleground of this campaign. If Bush is willing to fight that battle, Kerry will have a serious problem on his hands if some vicious attack is perpetrated against us on October 31.

For that reason such an attack on us might likely take the more subltle form of an attack on an ally plotted to inspire fear here without inducing a backlash here. Certainly that attack would not likely occur in Spain; backlash is about all that could be expected in such case.

[helives]

hahaha..yeah mate, well I should explain that "rootin" or having a "root" in Australia is the slang for sexual intercourse....enough said

[chilepepper]

I actually disagree with the conventional wisdom. I think it would be best for Spain to pull out -- in the long (or even mid) term it will be seen for what it is -- a disasterous decision by the socialists in spain and will guarantee their defeat at the next election. Zapatero will bring shame and dishonor to Spain by his actions...

By NOT pulling out, the socialists will win over many of the folks in the middle and been seen as more "reasonable", hence will stay in power longer.

Zapatero looks, talks, and acts like a idiot. I'm very worried because he is probably going to link up with Castro, Chavez, Lula and of course Kerry and the rest of the Socialist International.

[mitch5501]

"This turn of events is both a literal and figurative victory for AQ and spells impending disaster for other coalition nations. AQ won the Spanish election and they will try to win in other nations using the exact same tactics prior to their national elections"

Spot on.

In bowing (or as the case may be,appearing to bow)to terrorist tactics,you aren't removing yourself as a target,you are increasing the likelyhood of yourself and your allies being the subject of attacks.

Liberal thinking...great for about 5 minutes worth of peace and quiet...then look out!

God bless