Many Spaniards' surprise decision to vote the Popular Party out had nothing to do with its position on Iraq. It had everything to do with the fact that after the Madrid attack, the Aznar administration publicly blamed the tragedy on Basque separatists with no evidence to back the charge up. By election day, evidence had surfaced that cleared the Basques of guilt. If you spent the three days before your election publicly and loudly blaming the wrong man for a crime, then were publicly and loudly proven wrong on election eve, you'd lose the election, too. It didn't hurt that predictions notwithstanding, the two parties were already running neck and neck when the scandal broke.
D. Aaron Gerstein
Baltimore, Md.

There is no doubt in my mind that Spain under its new leaders who actually listen to the Spanish people will withdraw its troops from Iraq. The truth is that given the sentiments of the Spanish people, the troops should never have been there in the first place. This is a great day for Spain. Once more it is a democracy. Hopefully other countries whose citizens oppose the war in Iraq will follow suit and America will be forced to withdraw as well due to lack of international support and leave Iraq to the Iraqis. I know that may not be good for the Iraqis, but I have no doubt it will be good for America to get out of that country.
Anthony Barnes
St. Louis, Mo.

The results of the recent Spanish election remind me of Winston Churchill's definition of an appeaser: "A guy who throws his friends to the alligator in hopes that the alligator will eat him last."
Steven R. Duback
Milwaukee, Wisc.

One can only hope that other electorates follow suit. Hats off to the Spanish electorate! Pro-Bushians are scandalized that Spaniards dared exercise democracy. Wait a minute: isn't it democracy that they want to "give" to Iraq? Precisely because the war on terrorism is so important a priority for the world, Iraq-like mistakes cannot be afforded and supported. Democracy is not a synonym for the will of the U.S. The world's well-being is not necessarily the same as the advance of the U.S.'s material interests. The Spanish vote is a welcome reminder of these two points.
Carlos Turriago
Jyvaskyla, Finland

Seeking security by protesting Spain's participation in the fight on terrorism and supporting the war in Iraq will not insure that the threat will go away. Unfortunately, it will only ignite more instances. Ignoring earlier threats during the 1990s has only allowed the hatred to fester. We should all remember the events and complacency that led up to World War II.
Joan Cummins
Troy, Mich.

In my opinion it will boost the terrorist effort to commit more and more attacks now that the terrorists (any kind) know that our price is 200 dead. They were able to remove a solvent goverment determined to fight the world's terrorist threats by any legal means despite the political cost it could incurr (and, in fact, did). As a Spaniard I'm very ashamed of it.
Miguel C. Figuerola
Barcelona, Spain

The Spanish, like the rest of us, were drawn into a war with a nation that has nothing to do with Islamic terrorism. It is ironic they would be attacked by Islamic terrorists precisely for their participation in the Iraq war, but this terrorist attack is further proof that Bush and his so-called "coalition" are off the mark and incompetent in fighting the real terrorists. If Bush had led the world in the right direction in fighting terrorists instead of turning the Dictatorial State of Iraq into the Terrorist State of Iraq, this bombing might never have happened. The Spanish people sent a clear message to their leaders: cooperate with an incompetent, militaristic U.S. President and you will be voted out of office.
Dave
Manchester, N.H.

There is a general perception now that the terrorist attacks in Madrid were successful in that they produced the desired effect. I am sure that the implications of this are not lost on terrorist organisations, such as those now threatening to target France if the new headscarf law is not reversed.
Alia Hameed
Paris, France

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