Dear Professor Cole,
Allow me first to correct one assertion made in your article and which is incorrect: Al-Quaeda's attack's in Spain did NOT convince Madrid to withdraw its troop from Iraq. Actually, the attacks took place a couple of days before Spanish genereral elections. The Spanish right was the incumbent, had, in the previous years, followed 100% Georges W. Bush foreign policy and clearly annouced it's intention to continue on that course. The left had, on the other hand, announced as clearly, that it would retire from Iraq within 100 days. Prior to the attacks, this election appeared very close and clearly undecided. Did the attacks made the difference? Polls closest to the attack shows that they did NOT. What made the difference? A concerted and ill-inspired campaign by the right wing governmement in order to present Basque nationalists the likely perpetrators. That obvious disinformation attempt resulted in a major media and public backlash, which resulted into a clear electoral victory for the left. But, said victory was not the result of Al-Quaeda' attacks. It was the direct result of the dishonesty and stupidity of (then prime minister) Jose Maria Aznar's government. Had they opted for transparency and a call to Spanih pride, they could very well have won the election. It is therefore a mistake to link directly the attacks and the withdrawal of Spain armed force'
Dear Professor Cole,
Allow me first to correct one assertion made in your article and which is incorrect: Al-Quaeda's attack's in Spain did NOT convince Madrid to withdraw its troop from Iraq. Actually, the attacks took place a couple of days before Spanish genereral elections. The Spanish right was the incumbent, had, in the previous years, followed 100% Georges W. Bush foreign policy and clearly annouced it's intention to continue on that course. The left had, on the other hand, announced as clearly, that it would retire from Iraq within 100 days. Prior to the attacks, this election appeared very close and clearly undecided. Did the attacks made the difference? Polls closest to the attack shows that they did NOT. What made the difference? A concerted and ill-inspired campaign by the right wing governmement in order to present Basque nationalists the likely perpetrators. That obvious disinformation attempt resulted in a major media and public backlash, which resulted into a clear electoral victory for the left. But, said victory was not the result of Al-Quaeda' attacks. It was the direct result of the dishonesty and stupidity of (then prime minister) Jose Maria Aznar's government. Had they opted for transparency and a call to Spanih pride, they could very well have won the election. It is therefore a mistake to link directly the attacks and the withdrawal of Spain armed force'