This spin on the Madrid bombings needs to be stopped!!!!

[Francine Frensky]

This idea that the terrorists won by bombing before the spanish election and changing the outcome is pure spin put out by Rove, and I keep seeing it show up in mainstream press!!! 80% of the American people would say this is what happened, because this spin is repeated ad nausem. But is that what really happened? Or is it just the most convenient spin, because then it gives the Bush admin a simple reply to the next terror strike in the us -- don't let the terrorists win! Vote for me and prove them wrong!

Whereas maybe what we SHOULD be thinking, and would otherwise, is "Why can't you protect us?? Have your actions made us LESS safe??"

I think what happened was that the terrorists were able to use Spanish involvement in an unjust war in Iraq as an easy way to recruit young sympathetic terrorists, who were then able to attack a country whose defenses were down due to having some forces abroad vs. at home. And then, probably the kicker for the voters, was that the spanish government at first tried to throw suspicion for the terrorist attacks on some local group that they disliked. So the voters said -- first, you make other people hate us, second, you can't protect us adequately, and third, you lie to us for political gain. So the leaders were thrown out. Did the terrorists "win"?? I think their goal is simply to create fear and chaos, and I suspect that they couldn't care less who won an election -- they would be just as likely to bomb again with this new admin in place in Spain.

That's long-winded and not as cutesy short as the republican spin, so am I wrong here, or can anyone suggest a shorter way to say this??

[spanone]

1. The Govt. of Spain lied to it's people....sound familiar?

[LynzM]

2. Here's my 'short' take:

The race was fairly even before the bombing, most of the citizens were unhappy with their government's decision to go into Iraq, and then the government lied about who was responsible for the bombing. The people were unhappy with their feelings about Iraq being ignored, and angry about being lied to, so they voted for the opposing party.

Still not short, but hits the main points.

[Juan]

3. I think you're right...

People should know that very few people changed their minds after the attacks. The point is that many progressives who usually skipped the elections (those disenchanted with mainstream parties) went to vote in order to overthrow Aznar's government.

[mandyky]

4. I know - I've been yelling at the TV everytime they repeat it

There were 3 reasons the Spaniards ousted their government:

1 The majority of the Spanish people wanted their country out of Iraq.

2 They did not like their government's coziness with shrub.

3 When the attack happened, the gov't tried to blame the separatist group instead of Al Quaeda.

[genius]

5. Bush is the one planning a terrorist attack on America.