Decius wrote:

] ] "The Madrid bombings... toppled the Spanish government"
] ]
] ] It didn't.
] ]
] ] "and triggered the withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq."
]
] ]
] ] It didn't.
]
] They wording here is an oversimplification,

And that's the problem. There is no room for this kind of oversimplification when many will take it to be a clear record of events. After all, it still doesn't seem to have reached the US collective intellect that Saddam Hussain was not involved in 9/11.

] but I understand
] what they mean. I'm not aware of anyone who has argued that
] the intent of the Madrid bombing was anything other then to
] intimidate Spain and other European countries into withdrawing
] from Iraq and Afghanistan, and that they got exactly what they
] wanted.

Those in power in Spain today had said BEFORE the bombings that they would withdraw from Iraq. A great many people in Spain, and elsewhere, believe the occupation to be illegal and immoral. And in a democracy like Spain, they got their way. I see no evidence that the bombing changed was was already on the cards, though it certainly suits the more hawkish in the US to resort to oversimplification and claim that this was so.

RE: USNews.com: Suspicions about a new terrorist attack have U.S. spies scrambling (5/31/04)