Quote:
Originally posted by theknife
unlike some people, they are capable of grasping the distinction between the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq.
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That’s right tk. This is no “stunning set back on the world war on terror.” If anything it was a clear warning to Western Administrations, a warning not to lie to the voters about Iraq.
Reporters in Spain covering this story provided a timeline. First of all, an overwhelming majority of Spanish citizens have been against the war in Iraq, some 90% as you’ve pointed out, because like most people they didn’t see a connection between the war and the real fight against terrorism, which they support. The lack of WMD’s was as big an issue there as it’s been here. But recently the war concerns moved to the background as the faltering economy took center stage. Even so, the election was too close call on Thursday, the day of the attack, and it could have gone either way. Even if they were
thinking about the economy, just as many people were still
against the war. Immediately after the attack the administration made a huge mistake and blamed Basque separatists, the ETA, and used that blame to shore up support for their party, since they’d been perceived as dishonest about Iraq yet strong on the ETA. Had the ETA actually been responsible for the train attacks or the attacks not occured at all the ruling party might’ve won the election, we’ll never know, they might’ve lost anyway - as this election really was that close and within the polls margins of error.
Things started changing Saturday afternoon when information from the Spanish equivalent of the CIA linked Al-Queda to the attacks, information the ruling party tried to suppress, but after arrests were made the party couldn’t suppress that link any longer. The people saw another lie, got fed up and by Saturday night spontaneously converged at the ruling party's headquarters, demonstrating against the administration chanting “Liars, Liars!” It was quite a scene.
In Spain this party sealed it’s fate because the people felt they were misled about Iraq, not because the people want to withdraw from the war on terror. Indeed, before the election the winning party pledged a tough fight against real terror, vowing not to get distracted by peripheral adventurism.
The connection between Al-Queda and Iraq and terror may be non-existent. Conversely it may exist but be tenuous, a minor offshoot of the real problem, and a dangerous waste of our lives and resources. A war that's good for the Iraqi people eventually
perhaps, but something that isn’t solving our
immediate security emergency. It may even be doing more harm than good. According to the reports from Spain, that’s the issue that decided the election.
- js.