Spain’s Socialists Choose Appeasement
By Randall Nunn (03/17/04)
The news reports on the Spanish elections are concluding that the Socialist Party won the elections because many Spanish voters blamed the more conservative Popular Party for the terrorist attack that killed over 200 Spaniards and that was seen as due in part to Spain’s support of the United States in Iraq.
Since no one yet knows to a certainty that Al Quaeda was responsible, presumably if it turns out that ETA, the Basque terrorist organization, carried out the attack, then the Socialists will blame Spain itself and will withdraw from the Basque areas in Spain. In other words, if the attack was carried out against Spain for reasons related to Spanish political disputes (i.e., ETA or Moroccan terrorists), the Socialist Party and the world media who have used the Spanish elections as ammunition for a renewed attack on the Bush administration, will look like the silly demagogues and appeasers that they are.
The world press reaction to the Spanish elections following the terrorist attack in Madrid illustrates the leftist leanings of much of the world press (as well as the U.S. press) and the truth of the aphorism that those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it. For the new Prime Minister to declare that he will withdraw the 1300 Spanish troops in Iraq sends a clear message to terrorists—attack us and we will try to accommodate your concerns and appease you. Neville Chamberlain and far too many in England tried that with Hitler and found that it did not work. Hitler grew in strength and power and after consolidating his early gains, soon came after the appeasers in France and England. And like the terrorists today, Hitler thought his bombing campaign directed against London would terrorize the British into capitulation. Winston Churchill’s words and British courage and anger rose to the occasion and helped defeat one of the world’s most brutal dictators. Now that the Spanish Socialist Party has made this declaration, what will be their position if another terrorist attack comes? Any Spaniards who voted for the Socialist candidate as a response to terrorists at war with the United States, as well as the left-wing press, need to be ready with explanations when the terrorists attack innocent targets again, as they surely will. The world’s graveyards are full of people who thought that if they appeased evil, or at least kept a low profile, the evil doers would leave them alone. Weakness and appeasement have never served as protection against evil, and never will.
So, should President Bush take the Spanish elections as some sort of European “mandate” on the war in Iraq or war against terrorism? Absolutely not. Rather, he should react with sadness that the party of a loyal ally suffered an election defeat but continue to protect this country against its enemies and continue on in Iraq with the thirty or so other allies who recognize the need to defend against tyranny and evil. I suspect that the new Spanish Prime Minister’s words will not go down in history as a stirring battle cry against terrorism and evil but as a pathetic response and a classic example of demagoguery that happened to benefit an election campaign at an opportune moment. El Zapatero is clearly no El Cid.
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