Spain's Zapatero calls Iraq occupation a fiasco

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP97837.htm

MADRID, March 17 (Reuters) - Spain's next prime minister spurned the U.S. president's appeal for unity on Wednesday and branded the Iraq occupation a fiasco as a probe into the Madrid bombings that killed 201 people entered a "decisive phase".

Socialist Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who ousted Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar in a shock election victory at the weekend, stood his ground on withdrawing Spanish troops from Iraq despite a plea from U.S. President George W. Bush.

"I will listen to Mr. Bush but my position is very clear and very firm," Zapatero told Spain's Onda Cero radio. "The occupation is a fiasco."

Bush urged Spain and other allies in Iraq on Tuesday not to cave in to pressure from the Muslim militant al Qaeda group by withdrawing their troops.

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[madrchsod]

1. he`s right

the bombs today certainly proves this point. now our men and women are trying to restore order at the blast site....

[hang a left]

2. Cave in to pressure from Al Queda?

I am beginning to question whether the election would have ousted Aznar anyway. That would include what the polls were projecting.

[bpilgrim]

3. ya know what they say... 'gotta break some eggs'

and skulls to make a 'democracy'

how much are we willing to spend on our iraq 'adventure'?

how much will the next stop cost?

considering how weak iraq was it's logical to perdict that its only gonna get worse, exponetialy.

we need to get the UN in there, NOW and that means turning it ALL over to the security council ESPECIALLY in light of our TOTAL BLUNDER on WMD we have 0 credibility and rapidly evaporating any reserve of good will we have every second we resist that bitter pill.

:argh:

peace

[Coventina]

4. Zapatero better stay out of small airplanes

I greatly fear for his health and safety!
:scared:

[zbdent]

5. Hmmm, how do you say "Miserable Failure" in Spanish?

That would be fun.

[hang a left]

13. How about this one

Pinche Arbusto es pendejo

[Emboldened Chimp]

14. According to Babelfish....

Falta Desgraciada.

Don't know if that's real Spanish, but it works for me.

[NV1962]

20. “Fracaso miserable” (n/t)

[Flagg]

6. I Love that guy

welcome back to old europe Spain

[orwell]

7. Movin' On Up

Considering a move to Spain...I wonder what it is like to live in a democratic society.

O

[alittlelark]

19. Spain is beautiful - and they drink a lot of wine!!

They also smoke a lot.... I spent 3 weeks there a few years ago, and came back sooooo relaxed. I could live there too, but I'd have to brush up on my Spanish!!

[peterh]

8. It’s not caving into al-Qaeda….

A vast majority of the Spaniards didn’t want to be there in the first place….along with a vast majority of the world. This is not caving into al-Qaeda, this is not turning your back on the war on terra….Iraqis did not bomb the station in Spain, Iraqis were not involved in 911, Iraqis were not involved in the Cole incident, Iraqis were not involved in Kenya and Iraqis were not involved in the Trade Center bombing in `93(?)…..

Yes Zapatero, it is a fiasco and an illegal one at that….

[Ganja Ninja]

9. This is what happens when you lie to your allies.

When your alliance starts falling apart in the middle of a war you know something is badly wrong.

[IkeWarnedUs]

10. Spain didn't "cave in to pressure from al Qaeda"

And apparently they do not intend to "cave in to pressure from the terrorists in Washington DC" either.

terrorist

\Ter"ror*ist\, n. One who governs by terrorism or intimidation

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

[aaraujo]

11. What coalition?

United States 120,000
Britain 11,000
Italy 3,000
Poland 2,400
Ukraine 2,000
Spain 1,300
Netherlands 1,100
Australia 1,000
South Korea 675
Denmark 496
Bulgaria 470
Thailand 443
Romania 400
Honduras 370
El Salvador 360
Dominican Rep. 300
Hungary 300
Japan 250
Nicaragua 230
Singapore 200
Mongolia 180
Azerbaijan 150
Norway 150
Portugal 130
Latvia 120
Lithuania 105
Philippines 95
Czech Rep. 92
Albania 70
Georgia 70
Slovakia 69
New Zealand 60
Estonia 55
Macedonia 28
Kazakhstan 25
Moldova 25

Total 147,718
Without US 27,718
Without US + UK 16,718
Without US/UK + Spain 15,418

[freeminder]

17. I have a thought on that "coalition" that scares the hell out of me

Look at some of the countries in central and eastern europe :
Bulgaria 470
Romania 400
Hungary 300
Mongolia 180
Azerbaijan 150
Latvia 120
Lithuania 105
Czech Rep. 92
Albania 70
Georgia 70
Slovakia 69
Estonia 55
Macedonia 28
Kazakhstan 25
Moldova 25

combine that with the fact the US has been pulling troops out of western europe and into some of these countries - I'm seeing an agenda here. A PNAC agenda that doesn't bode well for "old" europe in the long term ?

I'm sorry to say this, but at this moment i feel a further european unity on politics and especially defense is really needed, there needs to be a balance to the US might.

[newyawker99]

18. Hi aaraujo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Dirk39]

22. I just wait for the moment...

when Bush claims that he has the support of foreign "leaders" for the next elections, and Kerry is asking him to name a few...

Although I don't care too much for Kerry against Bush,
I just couldn't resist.

Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[BonjourUSA]

12. Zapatero always said his opposition to the war

He was against the war before its beginning like 80% of the Spaniards. And the Spanish army withdrawing was one of his campaign commitments before the Madrid attack.

[Bonhomme Richard]

15. Another guy on George's Shit List

Glad he said it. Now maybe if some other leaders grow a spine we can begin to extricate ourselves from this mess.

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. What happened in Spain

shouldn't be a shock to anyone. Even a right leaning poll had shown the ruling party possibly losing the majority and one poll had shown the Socialists winning big time.

This shocking turn of events is just some more Rovian bullshit.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3493344.stm

Friday, 27 February, 2004

<snip>

Polls suggest the Popular Party will stay as the biggest party, but may lose its parliamentary majority.

Current Popular Party Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar is not standing for re-election.

<snip>

A survey in the right-leaning La Razon paper suggested the Popular Party could get 170-71 seats, down from its 2000 election total of 183 and half a dozen seats short of a majority.

The Socialists were expected to seize at least 15 extra seats, up from their current 125.

The United Left was on six or seven and the Catalan Regional Party, CiU, had 11-13.

<snip>

A separate study showed a similar outcome, suggesting the Popular Party would win a maximum of 172 seats, and the socialists up to 144.

[Dirk39]

23. Hello,

here in Germany - please correct me if I'm wrong - but listening to our news and following what was happening in Spain, I have the impression that just shortly before the election and in a way that really has impressed me, more and more people in Spain became aware of how Aznar did lie to them about ETA being responsible for the attacks. And they did vote for the socialists as a reaction.

One guy from one of Spain's biggest newspapers El Payes just said today: During the last 8 years, Aznar has called us personally two times: on Friday before the election to force us to declare ETA responsible for the attacks. And on Friday before the election again, to force us to declare ETA responsible for the attacks.

When the first protestors were showing, Aznar and his party tried to oppress them, declaring demonstrations would be illegal, days before the election. When Aznar couldn't go on doing this (millions were on the streets), he tried to postpone the elections.

High officials in the spanish administration, even their police did intentionally disinform other police forces in Europe. They told the BKA (Germany's FBI) about 3 times lies about the nature of the bombs used for the attacks, although they already knew the truth: They tried to oppress information about a possible Al Quaida background.

This is how serious and important a "war against terror" is for the rightwingers and those, who support Bush.

Not the spanish people did surrender to terror by voting against Aznar. Just one more time it became evident:

If a "terrorist" attack would have been planned that could kill millions of civilians: people like Bush or Aznar would remain silent, if telling the truth could threaten their power.

These are the people, we have to fear.

Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[KamaAina]

21. Intriguingly, 'fiasco' has the same root as 'fascist'

from the Latin fasces meaning 'basket'.

Thus, a companion statement to Zapatero's might be "Hawai'i's KamaAina calls Iraq occupation fascist".

Think about it.