Well, it seems like the decission made by the people of Spain offends some Americans.
I'm sorry, but it's our own right to vote what we think we must vote in OUR country.

Spain has not voted with fear but with RAGE. We don't fear terrorism, we have endured it for 30 years.
Now we think that Aznar LIED us, tried to make profit from 200 dead corpses.
AND WE DON't LIKE THAT.

Now the Socialist leader has anounced that out troops will retire from Iraq unless the UN takes control.
That decission was not 'inspired' by the terrorist attack. The retirement was a Socialist claim for long months. Socialists never supported war on Iraq. They always said that the war was illegal.
And the people of Spain have agreed with that. It's our right, and nobody can say ANYTHING about that, specially when 200 were killed a few days ago.

What reasons have the Socialist to be loyal to the USA? for 40 years they were oprimed by Gen. Franco while the USA looked around.

In fact,Spain will still be an ally in the NATO. I don't know why there had to be a 'Coalition'.
What the hell is that? I'm glad that we are no longer part of that 'Coalition', whatever it is.

As MM said, this is a Spain lover's forum, and I hope it stays that way. I was sick of Spain bashing topics and 'Bin Laden wins' rubbish.

I'm a 100% behind you deibid!

Deibid, I am seeing Spaniards with the same sentiments as those "Americans" you are speaking of as well as Americans sharing the sentiments as you. I don't think it's fair to blanket all Americans with the same blanket covering the ones you disagree with.

Believe it or not, I am happy that 71% of Spain voted. And I am happy that the elections were fair and its results uncontested. Yes, democracy did win. It also won with Aznar being elected in the past two elections. Or perhaps are the interests only wrt certain outcomes. That wouldn't be democratic, would it??

But the election both literally and fuguratively is old news. The implementation of policies will be history's true arbiter of success/failure for Spain and ALL of her people.

De Acuerdo?

Totally de acuerdo, for now democracy has always won in democratic Spain.
I was oposing 'democracy wins' to those that say 'Al Quaeda wins'. I can't stad that, I think it's a total disrespect.

Kevin, read the first line of my post please...
does it say 'some Americans'?
I'm not sure. Enlight me

My bad.

Deibid,
There is of course a multitude of opinions out there. For me and a few others, we are less caught up in the who and of which party, then we are in the policies that are to be put forth. The latter, depending on what they are, have consequences beyond the borders of Spain. These are my concerns.

People, have you ever seen such an antidemocratic behaviour? I have. In my country, everyday.

Left parties have extended the idea that democracy is only democracy if they win, and the rest is a dictatorship. Any result is valid, as long as PP doesn't win.

They have accused PP of cutting liberties, of not dialoguing, of autoritarism, of lying and even of assasins of the victims of the bombings. Everything of course without giving any proof, or courting them (why not courting the Government if that was the case?).

By denying legitimation to PP, they make them appear as the saviours of the country.

Such antidemocratic behaviour is unique to Spain, the most inmature democracy of Europe.

Deibid: I have the right to say whatever I want about my country. And yes, Al-Qaeda wins, and Bin-Laden is our next Foreing Affairs Minister.

In case someone thinks I'm exaggerating.

Almodovar, a staunch socialist supporter, has said (in his last movie introduction):

"On Sunday we came back to democracy after 8 years of being out. The information kidnapping and manipulation to which were used, that darkness, is not democracy.

We have to undestand something terrifying. PP was near, at twelve o'clock in the night, to provoke a State's Coup.

[...] We are again in a democratic Spain in which we can talk clear. It has been the spanish people who has gone out to the streets to ask for information and that, fortunately, couldn't be stopped."

This opinion is shared by many socialist people. By taking the streets he makes reference to the demonstrations against PP the day before the polls, something expressively forbidden by our Constitution. Those demonstrations were declared illegal by the Electoral Committee (an independent institution composed by all parties) who instigated an investigation by the Attorney General.

Fernando

I see a lot of reading about peoples opinion on the situation we have at hand now, and most of you are right about having the right to vote for the decisions of nations. What we are all failing to see is that a Terrorist main objective is to do just that. Strike terror into the hearts of people to accomplish any goal sought out by terrorist. At this point the have succeeded with Spain. I am not bashing Spain. My Grandparent are from there. I know they're scared and thats the reason for the decisions being made now. Occupying troops in Iraq from multiple countries are there for one reason. To ensure a fair transition for the people of Iraq. We should not faulter from our paths now and turn on one another. We are all aimed at one world and one peace and to do that we must not and will not negotiate or give in to Terrorist.