k wrote:
] ] The Spanish Defense Ministry says it has completed its
] ] troop withdrawal from Iraq, fulfilling a campaign pledge
] ] made by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez.
] ]
] ] At the time of the initial withdrawal announcement, there
] ] were 1,430 Spanish troops in Iraq, but nearly half of
] ] them had already left by Friday.
]
] Hey - lets ALL stick our tails between our legs when a suicide
] bomber strikes. Cave in to their demands and the problems
] will all go away. This is cowardice of the worst sort -
] befitting of the french.
]
] There is an old saying "He who appeases the crocodile is eaten
] last."
]
] LB
]
] [ Actually, if I recall correctly, Zapatero had been
] campaigning on an anti-war message throughout his candidacy.
] It's arguable that the bombings in madrid gave the public a
] shove in his direction, a mere few days before the election...
] though I think he was probably going to win anyway.
]
] Regardless, Zapatero was almost certainly going to pull these
] troops out regardless of the tragic bombings. You can
] criticize his opposition to the war, but I wouldn't base those
] criticisms on the terrorist acts. -k]

Oh I dont criticize Zapatero one bit. You are right - it was his platform during the campaign. Cant blame someone for sticking to his campaign guns! ;) However the polls in the weeks leading up to the election (IF you believe polls) showed him lagging well into last place as I understand it.

I blame the voters in Spain for doing an 11'th hour 180 degree turn in the face of tragedy and appeasing the extremeists.
To to cave in to the terrorists demands is to let them win. And when extremeists win the rest of us lose. VERY bad judgement call.

While I didn't support the war, I also realize that what is done is done and like it or loath it - we are there. It is FAR too early for ANYone to pull out. There is a fledgling "government" that needs full support of the coalition at this time and to give up now would leave Iraq in worse turmoil than it ever saw under Saddam.

al Qaeda has already stated they prefer Bush in the Oval Office, as he continues to show no regard for forigen relations. Sitting idle as he turns the rest of the world against the the USA is very much in their best interest.

Expect the Homeland Security threat level be raised to code RED in the final weeks leading up to the November election. And do not be suprised if a string of attacks on "soft targets" happens in that time frame... and a majority of voters rally to pacify the incombant president.

Four more years of George W BULLSHIT I fear...