Mourning For Spain - Twice

Our hearts are with the Spanish People - but we should pay heed.

The Spanish People have suffered two tremendous blows in the war against terror. First was the horrific bombings in Madrid, which killed 200 and wounded an estimated 1500. In a country as small as Spain, an attack of this size proportionally eclipses the casualties America suffered on 9/11. Second is allowing Al Qaeda to affect the outcome of the national election in such a way as to weaken the cooperation between nations fighting terrorism.

The surprise election to Prime Minister of Socialist Party candidate Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who pledges to bring home Spains 1300 soldiers from Iraq, shows us what could have happened in America after 9/11. I am not certain why the pundits are suprised by this outcome in Spain. The increasingly strident attempts, and their apparent acceptance, to bring Europe under one government should have forewarned of such a possibility.

The Spanish people have mistakenly allowed themselves to believe America is the cause of their losses. They have been led to believe America, not Al Qaeda terrorists, is their enemy. They see the terror threat to Spain as incipient to their supporting America's attack and rebuilding of Iraq. On the one hand, they mistake the goal of Al Qaeda, which is punishment of infidels and assimilation of all others under 'Islamic law'. On the other hand, they make America's case that Al Qaeda and Iraq are linked in the war on terror.

We should learn from the recent events in Spain. We cannot, as Spain has, bow to terror and weaken our chances of survival. For the near future, we need a President who will not shy away from protecting America. We need a Leader much more than we need an administrator. There is no question in my mind who will stay the course and rid us of the threat to our way of life.

John Kerry will not fit the bill - his voting record does not support his foreign policy and leadership claims. He has a poor showing on defense related issues and has led next to nothing in the way of legislation. Don't take my word for it, but certainly don't take John Kerry's word for it. The Senate website will provide all the information you need on John Kerry's votes - you might be surprised at the difference between what he tells us and what his voting record tells us.