Spain's Next Prime Minister Says U.S. Should Dump Bush

[gldstwmn]

MADRID, March 17 -- Prime Minister-elect Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Wednesday described the U.S. occupation of Iraq as "a fiasco" and suggested American voters should follow the example set by Spain and change their leadership by supporting Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts for president in November.

"I said during the campaign I hoped Spain and the Spaniards would be ahead of the Americans for once," Zapatero said in an interview on Onda Cero radio. "First we win here, we change this government, and then the Americans will do it, if things continue as they are in Kerry's favor."

Zapatero, whose Socialist Party swept the governing Popular Party out of office in elections Sunday, just three days after terrorist attacks killed 201 people in Madrid, also rejected President Bush's request that he reconsider his plans to withdraw Spain's troops from Iraq unless the United Nations is given control of the country. "I'll listen to Mr. Bush. But my position is very clear and firm," Zapatero said.

"The occupation is a fiasco," he said. "There have almost been more killed after the war, from a year ago, than during the war. In the end, the occupying forces have not handed over control of the situation to the U.N."

Zapatero's implicit endorsement of Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee, was a surprising public repudiation of a sitting U.S. president by the incoming leader of an allied country and fellow NATO member.

Members of Spain's Popular Party -- which will become the opposition when Zapatero, a 43-year-old lawyer, takes office next month -- immediately criticized Zapatero's remarks, saying they demonstrated his inexperience in diplomacy.

"I think that was extremely un-careful," said Gustavo de Aristegui, a Popular Party member of parliament who is expected to become the opposition's spokesman on foreign affairs. "A prime minister cannot say that -- maybe an opposition leader can say that."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Mar17.html

[Sarah]

So it's Commies for Kerry?

I don't see what's so positive about that.

[gldstwmn]

Originally posted by Sarah
So it's Commies for Kerry?

I don't see what's so positive about that.

Kerry was taking some flak from Rove & CO. for saying that some European leaders wanted him to beat Bush. Basically they were calling him a liar and telling him to name names. Turns out he was telling the truth. Vladimir Putin got into the act last week as well, making noises about the way * was selected.

[Sarah]

I thought he was getting the flack for saying that he'd recently met with and visited some leaders who "secretly" wanted him to win... but then they couldn't find proof that he'd gone anywhere?

I don't even care.. I just don't know how much I'd be wanting that endorsement if I were him. It just doesn't seem very positive.

[gldstwmn]

Poland 'taken for a ride' over Iraq's weapons of mass destruction: president

WARSAW (AFP) - In a first sign of official criticism in Poland of the US-led invasion of Iraq (news - web sites), President Aleksander Kwasniewski said that his country had been "taken for a ride" about the alleged existence of weapons of mass destruction in the strife-torn country.

"That they deceived us about the weapons of mass destruction, that's true. We were taken for a ride," Kwasniewski said Thursday.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...1514&ncid=1480

[gldstwmn]

AL QAEDA FOR BUSH

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...7&pageNumber=1

WE WANT BUSH TO WIN

The statement said it supported President Bush in his reelection campaign, and would prefer him to win in November rather than the Democratic candidate John Kerry, as it was not possible to find a leader "more foolish than you (Bush), who deals with matters by force rather than with wisdom."

In comments addressed to Bush, the group said:
Kerry will kill our nation while it sleeps because he and the Democrats have the cunning to embellish blasphemy and present it to the Arab and Muslim nation as civilization."
"Because of this we desire you (Bush) to be elected."

The group said its cells were ready for another attack and time was running out for allies of the United States.

"Whose turn is it next? Will it be Japan or America, or Italy, Britain or Oslo or Australia?" the statement said, adding Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were also targets.

The group is named after Muhammed Atef, also known as Abu Hafs, a close bin Laden aide killed in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.

[CarneVaca]

Originally posted by Sarah
I don't even care.. I just don't know how much I'd be wanting that endorsement if I were him. It just doesn't seem very positive.

God forbid Kerry get the endorsement of the legitimately elected leader of a country in his effort to defeat a leader who wasn't exactly elected.

The people of Spain have spoken: We want peace. And if the government lies to us, we will throw the bums out.

Viva Espana!

[CarneVaca]

Originally posted by gldstwmn
In comments addressed to Bush, the group said:
Kerry will kill our nation while it sleeps because he and the Democrats have the cunning to embellish blasphemy and present it to the Arab and Muslim nation as civilization."
"Because of this we desire you (Bush) to be elected."

I gotta say, this looks like a fake. I don't think the al Qaida lunatics are going to start conceding that a Democratic president in the US could defeat them. It's ludicrous.

[sodascouts]

But I thought it was all a mistake? That he said "more leaders"?

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/s...y16mar16.story

[chiliD]

Bumpersticker of the day:

Regime change begins at home

[darklinensuit]

Originally posted by gldstwmn
MADRID, March 17 -- Prime Minister-elect Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Wednesday described the U.S. occupation of Iraq as "a fiasco" and suggested American voters should follow the example set by Spain and change their leadership by supporting Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts for president in November.

"I said during the campaign I hoped Spain and the Spaniards would be ahead of the Americans for once," Zapatero said in an interview on Onda Cero radio. "First we win here, we change this government, and then the Americans will do it, if things continue as they are in Kerry's favor."

Zapatero, whose Socialist Party swept the governing Popular Party out of office in elections Sunday, just three days after terrorist attacks killed 201 people in Madrid, also rejected President Bush's request that he reconsider his plans to withdraw Spain's troops from Iraq unless the United Nations is given control of the country. "I'll listen to Mr. Bush. But my position is very clear and firm," Zapatero said.

"The occupation is a fiasco," he said. "There have almost been more killed after the war, from a year ago, than during the war. In the end, the occupying forces have not handed over control of the situation to the U.N."

Zapatero's implicit endorsement of Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee, was a surprising public repudiation of a sitting U.S. president by the incoming leader of an allied country and fellow NATO member.

Members of Spain's Popular Party -- which will become the opposition when Zapatero, a 43-year-old lawyer, takes office next month -- immediately criticized Zapatero's remarks, saying they demonstrated his inexperience in diplomacy.

"I think that was extremely un-careful," said Gustavo de Aristegui, a Popular Party member of parliament who is expected to become the opposition's spokesman on foreign affairs. "A prime minister cannot say that -- maybe an opposition leader can say that."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Mar17.html

That does it, I'm calling my local Texas radio stations and telling them to burn his albums.

- Jake

[greatdarkwing]

Yeah, all this says is Socialists for Kerry.....I think if this is what he meant when he said other world leaders want Bush out, then he is barking up the wrong tree....

My opinion...

~Alex

[greatdarkwing]

Originally posted by Sarah
So it's Commies for Kerry?

I don't see what's so positive about that.

He can kiss the Cuban vote goodbye

~Alex

[dissention]

Anoyone seen the insulting Medicare ad that the Bush camp released? I thought nothing could shock me, but that made me throw up my Cream O Wheats. To an unsuspecting TV watcher/voter, they would think that it was the real deal.

And now, the WH is going after MoveOn.org and the networks that run their ads. They say that the ads are sold using "soft-money" and that the stations that run them will risk losing their licenses.

Here's a thought: when ChimpCo finsihes bringing democracy to Iraq, maybe he'll bring it to the US of A.

Just a thought. I know, "silly dreamer."

[dissention]

Originally posted by greatdarkwing
Yeah, all this says is Socialists for Kerry.....I think if this is what he meant when he said other world leaders want Bush out, then he is barking up the wrong tree....

My opinion...

~Alex

Health care for all Iraqi's = Democracy

Health care for all Americans = Socialism