Will there be an anti-Arab and anti-Muslim backlash in Spain?

[_Jumper_]

Or will the Spanish be more civilized than the US post-9/11 because of their long experience with ETA?

[arewethereyet]

1. sure, once they realize that appeasment doesn't work

the Spaniards have done a costly and foolish thing.

[Darranar]

4. What? n/t

[_Jumper_]

5. What?

n/t

[arewethereyet]

7. no, I don't seek a backlash

the appeasment refers to the new Spanish policy toward terrorists and terrorism. Do you not see ETA and other islamic groups empowered by these events ?

[Darranar]

10. "Empowered"?

No, actually I don't.

The invasion of Iraq strengthened and empowered Al-Qaeda. Aznar supported the invasion of Iraq. Aznar empowered terrorists.

The Socialists were against the war in Iraq. They understand that fighting terrorism does not consist of bombing everything a nation can access. Fighting terrorism requires more than flashy battle scenes of the bombardment of major population centers, however cool it may look to certain segments of the public.

[_Jumper_]

11. Oh ok

Your original post was unclear. It appeared that you may have supported a backlash.

I agree with you. Sadly, this did embolden terrorists.

[Darranar]

13. So...

do you think that the Socialists will engage in a policy of appeasement?

[arewethereyet]

17. yes I do

they have already begun by indicating a reversal on their Iraqi stationed troops.

a better option would be to demand that the criminals be turned over before any such action was even considered. that demonstrates that terroism is not acceptable and that they will not be held hostage. additionally it shows a willingness to take another view of the middle eastern dynamic but in a diplomatic manner ala the UN.

the hammer hit the knee, the knee jerked up. who is calling the shots ?

[Darranar]

21. What?

they have already begun by indicating a reversal on their Iraqi stationed troops.

The occupation is simply increasing anti-American and anti-Western sentiments among the people of the Arab world. As long as that remains, no action will be effective against terrorism.

The war in Iraq accomplished absolutely nothing against terrorism, and its continuation still does nothing.

a better option would be to demand that the criminals be turned over before any such action was even considered. that demonstrates that terroism is not acceptable and that they will not be held hostage. additionally it shows a willingness to take another view of the middle eastern dynamic but in a diplomatic manner ala the UN.

The problem with this is that Spain is not fighting against Al Qaeda in Iraq. Spain is fighting for US corporate imperialism. Al Qaeda won't comply with the deal, and the situation will continue, accomplishing absolutely nothing towards a worthwhile solution to the problem.

[DrWeird]

22. Maybe you didn't get the memo.

Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism. Just because they are predominately muslim, and because Bush says so, doesn't mean they're terrorists.

Oh, and I hope this doesn't explode your head, Osama bin Laden wanted Saddam Hussein overthrown. If anybody's appeasing terrorists, it's the americans.

[0rganism]

24. America invading Iraq was the single best thing to happen to Al Qaeda

since the Taliban gained control of Afghanistan.

What better recruitment tool could Al Qaeda have asked for, aside from an invasion of Saudi Arabia itself?

For years, they've had to go out for pizza. Suddenly, thanks to George W. Bush, there's a pizza maker who delivers right to their doorstep.

[Djinn]

6. yes - how dare they

elect their own government - I mean American's aren't allowed to and they've got the greatest democracy on earth (sarcasm off)

GIven that the overwhelming majority of Spaniards were totally against Aznar's involvement in Iraq who says the bombings had anything to do with it? Polls don't always truly reflect the mood of the electorate.

How would you feel if after the US election some freepy Australians (oh yes we have them too) said that by removing BUsh you were "appeasing" terrorists and that you'd been foolish??

[arewethereyet]

8. unless Kerry gets his act together on this they would be right

How do the overwhelming majority of Spaniards feel about the Basque question ? They've just showm ETA that terrorism will help their goals.

[Darranar]

14. What?

Kerry, "unless he gets his act together", is a terrorist-appeaser?

[arewethereyet]

18. I don't know which is the real problem

[Djinn]

15. that's a ridiculous non sequitur

Do you honestly think Al Qaeda make a distinction between the heathen infidel George Bush and the heathen infidel John Kerry????

Should they have all voted for a party that had lied to them just because some people think Al Qaeda give a shit about what stripes our infidel politicians wear??

They don't even care about the stripes of Muslims - unless you follow their narrow interpretation of Qutb inspired Islam you deserve to die in their eyes.

Try to remeber that Al Qaeda (if it is they who were responsible) also attacked the US and US interests under Clinton. The suspected plot in the UK to use ricin on the population occured under a Labor government.

[arewethereyet]

19. they are not stupid

they hate us all but they also have their opinions as to who would make their "work" more difficult.

[Djinn]

20. right

so somehow a Socialist party in Spain or a Democrat in the White House would somehow make the goal of a medieval Islamic Caliphate spreading across half the world more easy to achieve??

Maybe you need to have a look again at what Al Qaeda's goals actually are and then another look at what a Socialist party stands for, cause it's not a Caliphate under strict Sharia law

[kera]

2. Xenophobia

Unfortunately, xenophobia is a genetic trait shared by the majority of homo erectus. Score of young people from north Africa who tried to enter Spain have been detained in a camp in dire and horrible conditions. They have been starved, and some of them become mentally ill as a result of the drugged cafe they were given every day without their knowledge.Many died. UN knew of the situation but did nothing. So we may infer......we can still make the argument that spaniards were not aware of the situation ........

[_Jumper_]

3. That is tragic

:(

[Djinn]

12. we were not aware

I can see plenty of Australian's using the "we didn't know" argument in relation to our own asylum seeker detention gulags in 15 - 20 years time. And it will be a big f*&king lie told to appease their consciences. I can't call on the Spanish situation but I think "we didn't know" can rarely be used in all honesty.

When the Germans saw train loads of Jews packed into carriages like cattle (after the warning signs of The Nuremberg Laws, Kristallnacht, and the ghetto's) being transported away never to be seen again...what did they honestly think was happening?? Those who lived near the death camps (which there were many) who saw millions being taken into a small camp and then smelt burning flesh filling the air - what did they really think was happening.

"We didn't know what to do" or "we were scared" fair enough, "we didn't know" is stretching credibility.

[PeaceInOurTimes]

9. I doubt it

Spain did the right thing by moving away from the usa. Hoprfull the muslim terrorists will leave them alone now. We can only hope they are now safe from more bombings. I think they are due to their wise choices.

[Bridget Burke]

23. Why, what a witty name!

What a clever use of the "appeasement" theme. You're so sold on your "President's" War On Terror (TM).

Spain's people wanted their leaders to stay out of Iraq. They were ignored; so they were voted out.

[PsychoDad]

16. You mean a backlash...

against the backlash against the American and Spanish invasion of Iraq?

I think the Spanish people are smarter than that and see the politics for what they are. In fact the vote is the backlash against the actions of the past government.

[Pobeka]

25. No. Because the spanish population gets it.

It, being an understanding of the root causes of terrorism.

Muslim fanatics don't hate other countries for their freedom. They hate other countries that come into muslim countries and bomb the holy shit out of them and steal their resources via installed dictatorships.

This is pretty simple. If you want to battle terrorists, it will be a large step forward to stop creating them with what pretty much everyone on the planet recognizes as immoral, brutal actions towards their society.

The spanish get it. Sadly, we didn't get it out of the 9/11 experience. I'm not saying we shouldn't find/try/convict people directly responsible for the attacks. Not at all. But if we want to end this cycle we have to eliminate the root cause. That, of course, would mean a bunch of rich white guys in the U.S.A would not be as profitable anymore...

[Vernunft II]

26. The Spanish had the "Reconquista"...

Ever since they´ve been very suspicious of Arabs and Muslims.