Interesting article from CNN International, quoted in Andrew Sullivan's blog:

CNN also has obtained a document posted on an Internet message board analysts believe is used by al Qaeda and its sympathizers that spells out the terrorist group's plan to separate Spain from the U.S.-led coalition on Iraq.
The strategy spelled out in the document, posted last December on the Internet, calls for using terrorist attacks to drive Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's Partido Popular from power and replace it with the Socialists.
That was expected to drive a wedge between Washington and Madrid and result in the withdrawal of Spanish military forces from Iraq.
"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 Qaeda document says.
"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."

If I was a Spanish voter, I wouldn't be too happy about Al Qaeda trying to manipulate elections by murdering my countrymen.

popd, half of the voters weren't happy, the other half were scared. Oh well.

Well I live in Paris and I am glad the Spaniards rejected a government who took an antidemocratic decision by backing the Iraq invasion. 80% of Spaniards were against the war.
Despite that Aznar went ahead with it. He is now paying the price.
Spain may be making a mistake, time will tell, but at least the voice of the people has been heard.
Democracy means power to the people.
Otherwise what are we fighting for?

Frenchy

Frenchy, I did not realize Anzar was required to put the Iraq decision to a popular vote. If he failed to do this then he was quite undemocratic.

Was he not elected to make decisions, popular or not?

Frenchy: No disagreement from me that the Spanish people can vote any way they want to. But they ought to know what Al Queda was up to. It's better than voting in the dark. Anyway, Italy's probably next on Al Qaeda's list. If you have any friends in Rome, tell them to be very careful.

Jeff,
Sure he did not have to. Several millions Spaniards demonstrated against the invasion of Iraq. If he had put it to the vote he would have lost by a huge margin.
Last Sunday's election was the first time since the war in Iraq the people were able to make themselves heard and my God they did.

Yep I have a few friends in Italy, in Rome but also in Venice, Milan and Turin.
But I think you are wrong, the next on the list will probably be London or Paris. (One I live in the other I visit every other week).

But wherever the next bomb explodes does not prove that the present US administration was right to occupy Iraq.

I have read quite a few postings on this site from people who argue the opposite. (Sometimes with a very colorful language)

Frenchy

I am spanish and I think that what is happening rigth now is a shame.
We a saying to the terrorist "Yeah you have killed enough people so you a right".
We may have not gone to Iraq if our french and german "friends" had helped us with Morocco and Perejil so we had to make new friends.




pd:sorry about my english.

Well Toni your english is fine,
Thank God your people have voted in a new government with a new policy on terrorism.

The Iraqi invasion is the worst response we could have made against 9-11 and world terrorism. It has increased resentment and hatred of America all over the world. (see the poll on the Washington post today).

Like in Spain a new direction is needed in the US.
It is time for change, it is time for hope, it is time for Kerry.

AWAKE

Awake: Enough of the partisan crap about how awful Iraq was.

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