Will Spain stand and be counted?
karra @ Sun Mar 14, 2004 3:47 pm
Or will they crumble inviting more acts of terrorism across a United Europe? The terrorists succeeded in affecting a change of government.
Interesting days ahead, no?
AdamNF @ Sun Mar 14, 2004 4:37 pm
The are SO many threads will the same topic.
Im glad the socialist party won. The goverment of spain had got a lot of flack for its citiczens for backing the USA. The people have spoke.
If only we could get a socalist party elcted here...
Rev_Blair @ Sun Mar 14, 2004 8:17 pm
Spain's government very much fell as punishment for backing George Bush. It would have happened whether the terrorist bombings occurred or not. Support for George Bush has also very much damaged other governments around the world, including that of Tony Blair.
Saying that the people of Spain are simply caving in to a terrorist attack is simplistic and incorrect. They stood to be counted. They refused to counted on the side of George Bush.
polemarch1 @ Sun Mar 14, 2004 10:00 pm
$1:
Saying that the people of Spain are simply caving in to a terrorist attack is simplistic and incorrect.
Except that the terrorists might see it that way...
figfarmer @ Sun Mar 14, 2004 10:14 pm
they want to change it to take the same stance as my country I have no problem with that.
Rev_Blair @ Mon Mar 15, 2004 4:53 am
$1:
Except that the terrorists might see it that way...
Are you suggesting that they should have voted differently because of terrorism? Wouldn't that be caving in?
karra @ Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:04 am
Yes indeed, a message to terrorists the world over.
Determine when an Iraq invasion country is due to hold elections - determine the nearest 11th day leading to that election - then commit an act of terrorism by maiming and killing as many civilians as possible.
Spain has now sent that message to terrorists everywhere.
But not Poland - they will take over from the Spaniards when they pull out on June 30th. Yes, little Poland, a country that has tasted the worst of what being conquered by evil is like.
Lest we forget!
thirdEye @ Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:57 am
AdamNF AdamNF:
If only we could get a socalist party elcted here...
We already have one, what more do you want?
Spain will soon come to regret their choice. They have just forgotten how they turfed the socialists in 1996 because of corruption scandals.
AdamNF @ Mon Mar 15, 2004 8:07 am
We really don't. I mean they claim to be but all they are is money hungry corrupt capitalists.
polemarch1 @ Mon Mar 15, 2004 9:44 am
$1:
Are you suggesting that they should have voted differently because of terrorism? Wouldn't that be caving in?
I'm suggesting that the terrorists may well take this as a sign that there methods work.
Hopper @ Mon Mar 15, 2004 12:22 pm
I think the Spanish people have stood and counted - and there happened to be more votes for change than for the status quo.
Democracy at work.
karra @ Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:22 am
They have indeed voted and been counted. An emotional response to an atrocity.
$1:
GLOBAL JIHAD
Al-Qaida plotted attacks
to split Spain from allies
Document shows strategy to topple pro-U.S. government
Posted: March 16, 2004
12:50 p.m. Eastern
Al-Qaida planned to carry out attacks to sever Madrid from the U.S. and its other allies in the war on terror, according to a document published months before Spain's national elections.
Al-Qaida plotted attacks
to split Spain from allies
Document shows strategy to topple pro-U.S. government
Posted: March 16, 2004
12:50 p.m. Eastern
Al-Qaida planned to carry out attacks to sever Madrid from the U.S. and its other allies in the war on terror, according to a document published months before Spain's national elections.
$1:
CNN said it obtained a copy of the document, posted in December on an Internet message board used by al-Qaida and its sympathizers.
"We think the Spanish government will not stand more than two blows, or three at the most, before it will be forced to withdraw because of the public pressure on it," the al-Qaida document says, according to CNN.
"If its forces remain after these blows, the victory of the Socialist Party will be almost guaranteed – and the withdrawal of Spanish forces will be on its campaign manifesto."
"We think the Spanish government will not stand more than two blows, or three at the most, before it will be forced to withdraw because of the public pressure on it," the al-Qaida document says, according to CNN.
"If its forces remain after these blows, the victory of the Socialist Party will be almost guaranteed – and the withdrawal of Spanish forces will be on its campaign manifesto."
The article
feeko @ Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:54 pm
the west, spain incliuded should re-think their immigration policies. I think they caved to the threat...They can do what they want...but it sets a precident that they are inviting other attacks to controll them..I knew they would cave, as they are weak ..And deserve what they get at this point...my 2 cents..
AdamNF @ Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:32 pm
$1:
the west, spain incliuded should re-think their immigration policies. I think they caved to the threat...They can do what they want...but it sets a precident that they are inviting other attacks to controll them..I knew they would cave, as they are weak ..And deserve what they get at this point...my 2 cents..
Why do you think they are weak? the people wanted a new goverment and they voted one in, how does democracy make one weak? Also can you explain what you mean by "re-think their immigration laws". What would you do?
Rev_Blair @ Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:47 pm
It's that special code that only allows white Christians into a country, Adam. We've heard it all before.
The people of Spain were 90% against the invasion of Iraq before it happened. Once it had happened, they accepted it and were looking out for what they felt were their own interests and polls had the conservatives winning again. The terrorist attacks seem to have changed that.
There's a big old "but" in there though. The socialists have been promising to fight their own war on terror. They've been saying since the beginning that Bush was doing a poor job of it and that Iraq had nothing to do with fighting terrorism.
Since Bush's reasons for attacking Iraq have turned out to be lies, and since the threat of terrorism has increased since the invasion of Iraq, the socialists caried the Spanish election. They are in no way saying that they won't face down Al Quaeda though, or any other terrorist group. They are saying that they will not back an American regime that has made things worse instead of better.
Has Al Quaeda won anything? No, what they've done is created a new, less understood, enemy. One that is likely to be far more effective than the old one.