Amazing how few seem to "get it". The Spanish election is not about "giving in" to terrorism. It's about the fact that the Iraqi war has nothing to do with terrorism - except to instigate more.
Bush Seeks to Stem Damage From Spain
By Mike Allen
President Bush telephoned congratulations to Spain's incoming prime minister yesterday as the White House worked to mitigate the diplomatic and political damage from the Socialists' upset victory following a terrorist attack on a crucial ally.
Bush's aides said he began talking to other world leaders about his determination to remain on the offensive in the war on terrorism. The party of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar was ousted on Sunday, three days after bombings that killed 200 people and are being blamed by investigators on al Qaeda loyalists.
A White House official, insisting on anonymity to speak more bluntly than diplomacy might dictate, said Bush would work to be sure it is "clear to all around the world that nations cannot make a separate peace with terrorists."
"Unless we stand together in a resolved way to fight terrorists, in all likelihood, a given nation will be subject to an act of terror," the official said. "If terrorists are able to attack those who are fighting them the hardest and have an effect, then that sends a terrible message."
Administration officials said they plan consultations on a possible new U.N. Security Council resolution on Iraq after the incoming prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, reiterated his campaign pledge to withdraw Spain's 1,300 troops from the U.S.-led occupation in the absence of a specific international mandate.
Simon Serfaty, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, called Spain "one of the most willing in the coalition of the willing," and said the election results make it difficult for the administration "to claim that the coalition is not weakened, as a matter of fact as well as a matter of perception."
In public, Bush's aides stuck to measured comments that warned against over-interpreting the election results and sought to put the best face on them. Bush and Vice President Cheney, both of whom gave speeches yesterday, remained publicly silent on the outcome and issued no written statement.
White House press secretary Scott McClellan said, "The right response to these kinds of brutal terrorist attacks is for all countries . . . to redouble our efforts and go after those terrorists, before they can strike."
"Terrorists seek to attack that which they view as most threatening," McClellan said. "That's why they are enemies of freedom and democracy."
At the same time, McClellan said twice that terrorists "are indiscriminate in who they attack -- they want to spread fear and chaos."
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, asked by reporters while traveling to New Delhi if the voting in Spain was a victory for the terrorists, called it "a victory for the Socialists."
"Terrorism has to be defeated and I don't think the Spanish people are any more inclined to give any encouragement to terrorists," Powell said.
Zapatero said yesterday that the war in Iraq, and the occupation that followed, had been a disaster. Administration aides, while refusing to speculate about the possible impact on any future U.S. efforts to put together an international coalition, contended that the U.S.-led mission in Iraq would continue unimpaired through the scheduled handoff on June 30.
Powell said that the administration has "always had under consideration another U.N. resolution as we got closer to the first of July," when the United States is to transfer political authority to an interim Iraqi government.
In Washington, State Department spokesman J. Adam Ereli said administration officials "believe there is such a mandate" from a U.S.-backed resolution passed in October, but have "also said that in the context of a transfer of sovereignty on June 30th, a new resolution is possible."
McClellan said Bush and Zapatero spoke for 10 minutes, including translation. Bush called about 9:45 a.m. Eastern time, about 15 minutes after calling Aznar.
"The president reiterated our solidarity with the Spanish people and said they're in our prayers during this difficult period," McClellan said. "The two leaders both said they look forward to working together, particularly on our shared commitment to combating terrorism. And President-elect Zapatero thanked the president for the phone call."
washingtonpost.com
JMO
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