My goodness Quintos, Spain is so much more than what you selectively describe!! The ;argest tourist attractions--a HUGE % source of Spanish jobs and income directly from the contributions made by los moros: the Alhambra, La MEzquita, and Andalucia. The two other regions: Catalunya and San Sebastian/Navarra.

Spain is like the US, a wonderful mix that reflects contributions from many, many people.

You should print out these statement s of yours and read them from time to time. Perhaps in calmer times you understand how awful your statements are and how ignornat of SPain's history, past and present.

If all Morrocans were as horrible as you say, then the appropriate policy response would be to kick them out. But yet even the PP would not dare to do such things. Why? Because your economy depends on their cheap labor and that of all the central and South Americans that are all over Lavapies and Legazpi, where I was walking around today.

As in the US, immigrasnt bashing bespeaks an incredible ignornace over how economies actually function. We don't see Spanish maids, nannies, garbage men, construction workers, retail sales clerks, etc. nowadays, so we. These jobs are done by immigrants who rarely do much complaining--they are too busy feeding their families.

So please, study your history and learn some basic economics. Perhaps then you will see that Spain has always been a country of immigrants. ANd her glory days will always bve those in which they looked outwardly rather than inwardly.

One final point: study your history. The 100 year period after 1492 was NOT the glory days of Spain. Please. It was the beginning of a great decline from which Spain is only recently emerging. the pillaging of Latin America led to one of history's greatest squandering of wealth. There was no renaissance. Just great concentrations of wealth and the brutal dominance of the Catholic Church.

Spain is at its finest today. Great growth. Far mroe evenly distributed wealth. More global respect than ever before.

If you were a Spainsh peasant in 1500, your life would have miserable and brutal. Today? I look around and see a great joie d'vivre. A country in love with reading. A country more open to globalization than ever before. Exciting, really. The Spain of the 1500s built numerous buildings and spent its money on ostentation that benefitted only the egos of the rich and entitled. You would have to go backl to the Corbova of 1000-1200 to see such wonderful developments...

Quintos, what would it take for you to shut up? Please, while you are free to express your opinions, can't you wait until all these mourning subside?

I was in Madrid last week and was horrified to see what happened yesterday. I am back in the states now, and I have been glued to the news for the past 48 hours. All I can think of is how much I wish I was there, to show my support, not just as an american, but as a Madrileno, because we are ALL in this together. I wish they could feel our deepest support and sympathy.

Atocha, (and the other stations), will be even dearer in our hearts in the months and years to come. As we travel in and out, we will never forget, but it WILL be dearer to us, and we will value more the precious and inexplicable ambiance and excitement that traveling through Spain gives us.

We can't let these cowards win. If they were so "brave", they would not hide in the shadows.

This will not go unpunished. The damage is done and we will never forget, but more than ever........we need to stay the course, travel, and enjoy like never before.

Spain is precious, and its people are warmer then any on this planet. And after this, Spain is more special than ever. We all stand behind you in support and love for freedom.

We will never forget.

Peter

I am still SO sad for what happened in Spain.....Spain is my second home and my heart is broken from this horrible tragedy

And one more comment, to Quintos who says Arabs have not contributed anything to European culture......Spain is filled with Arab influence and that is what makes Spain beautiful and unique.....my family is from Granada and taking just one look at the ALhambra, one can tell what a significant and beautiful contribution Arabs made to Spain!!!

My thoughts and prayers are with you tonight in Madrid and throughout Spain. I'm reminded of the outcry of the poet Cesar Vallejo, "Spain take this cup from me!" Indeed, you are again going through a passion of your own.

I urge you to hold back judgement until you've considered all possible perpetrators. Could ETA really have done this? As for Al Qaeda (whoever they really are, whatever they do), why this, why now? Would the CIA and the Mossad have more to gain--with elections coming up in both Spain and the USA? Think. Don't unthinkingly become the "useful idiots" of a new, more subtle form of fascism. Have reports of the death of the Generalissimo been slightly exaggerated? What I am saying, plainly, is that you dear people must be as concerned with threats from within as with theats from without. For it is not in the least inconceivable that the events of 9/11 were a kind of Reichstag fire, and that the events of 3/11 are now the same. Do not be manipulated. Let's not jump to hasty conclusions, but let's consider all of these things before there are more dead bodies in the streets of our burning cities. Before we lose more of our loved ones.

I pray the Lord Jesus protect you from all threats both without and within--a prayer were are all so in need of in these troubled days.

Las simpatia mas profundas.

EL DIO LE BENEDICE.

--V.R.

Good point Vinceramos.

From my point of view, we can't still conclude it was on or another terrorist band.

It seems due to recent informations that it was Al-Qaeda, or some type of a new moroccian terrorist band.

To answer if ETA was capable of something like this, let me say: yes, they are capable of something like this or worse.

In these bombings 200 Kg of explosives have been used. A week ago an ETA van was discovered on its way to Madrid (two ETA terrorists captured). It had 500 Kg of explosives.

On 2003 Christmas night (what a day to kill!) ETA members were discovered in Madrid's Chamartin Rail Station with suitcases filled with explosives, with the objective of bombing trains or the whole rail station.

Lastly, two years ago, two vans with a ton (1,000 Kg) of explosives were captured on their way to Madrid. It is suspected they wanted to blow up the whole Barajas Airport, or Torre Picasso (the highest tower in Madrid, 90 stores).

I have no fear, and I think that, althought people is very sad for what has happened, we are not frightened by these killers. I'm completely sure that they will end in prison for the rest of their days.

We are of course not free of further bombings from ETA or radical islamic terrorists, but we have to move ahead and make every possible effort to defeat them.

Fernando

Hi All,

Interesting, but (not so?) witty, banter going back and forth... Quintos, you have said some strong words. Kevin, Kurt, you have made some good points. Fernando, Booklady, Wolf, and some others, you have big hearts.

The elections are going on today and it seems like Al-Cowarda, or some auspice of, is going to get the credit for the attacks, which translates to Rajoy and the PP taking some heat for their support of Aznar.

The mood seems a little somber, for good reason, and I know that after all this commotion I just want to sleep straight thru for a couple of days.

I watched a Jackie Chan movie on TVE-2 last night from my apartment on c/Rios Rosas, for lack of desire to go anywhere. I´ve done so much walking, including to the bombing sites. I ended up taking Norwegian and Dutch journalists to the sites because I wanted to see too. I translated a little for them, and also gave them quotes for their respective newspapers as an American in Madrid.

I am so sad, and *SO* angry about what has taken place on 11-M. Say what you want about who is responsible; Aznar for supporting the US-led coalition into Iraq, Bush, etc...

We must all understand that the congregating of, meeting of, planning by, action upon, by militant muslims right under our noses (Muhammed Atta, for example, and his cronies here in Madrid) merits our attention and attempts to thwart their ability to succeed. No country can allow terrorists to thrive in their cities, as though their cities are petri dishes for some strange strain to be wrought and wreek havoc.

Failure to go face-to-face with terrorists only encourages them to do what they will. And pissing them off by figuring them out only ecourages them to do it more, so how the hell do you win against that?? You call it what it is and you face it! The bully can only push you around in the schoolyard so long before you must fight back.

To the Spanish people: You have suffered 30 years of ETA threats and actions. You have had almost one year free of ETA enacted murders (I think..?), which is really good, in a comparative sense. I am SO sorry this has happened in your city, Madrid. I am still in disbelief... I am so sad, and SO angry about this...

If you believe it is America´s ´fault,´ then I am sorry. The USA did not invent terrorism, nor do we want it either. But we will not abandon you! Our countries have crossed a line together, and I believe we will be with you for long haul.

Again, I am so sorry...

andrew

HAHAHAHAH of course this is not Americas fault. Those peoples faults and Aznar.

How in the hell is it Aznar's fault? Because he supported the United States on the war in Iraq? You can't possibly be that ignorant.

I believe it is Aznar fault because he got Spain involved the middle east conflict and made Spain a target for this type of terriosm. He sould have followed in the foot steps of France and Germany. Just my opinon of course.