spain pullout
Although it is weeks removed from being news, this one states that
Spain to pull out.
Even Kerry voiced disapproval. And I suppose the dismay is not completely without merit. But it cannot be denied: this is representative government.
We might hyperventilate until we believe that what once set our noble land onto a bloody vindictive warpath might set a smaller albeit equally noble European land to stick its head in the sand, but the reality has spoken. Democracy has prevailed in Spain.
Although many wish to ignore the reality and claim that terrorism was the main factor, the majority of Spaniards were against participation long before the invasion. But the then conservative government saw the opportunity, hoped for a quick victory, and ran with it. It’s the same story with any number of less wealthy European lands. Italy, to name one. And many other much less powerful East European lands.
Let us not fool ourselves. Those little governments were not about to send seventy or one-hundred twenty of their soldiers to liberate Iraqis. They saw an opportunity where France and Germany and Russia opted out. They play a little ball, they get some favors. Bush unbashedly confirmed this right at the eve of invasion by having a conspicuous dinner with the head of Slovakia.
Ultimately, this administration is playing senate-styled politics on a world-wide scale. Go along with us, and you’ll have money to fill in them potholes. Look at any number of the the nations involved in the coaliton of the willing. You will find most are populations that were against invasion, yet their governments agreed; most likely they were promised better standing with the US. What works at home, however, does not work on a global scale.
In other words, I feel, that this administation has used smaller nations and won their compliance based on financial and political gains, and has ignored other nations who responsibly and representively responded to their constituents. We embarked on a quest allegedly on behalf of democracy, while at the same time we sneered at it in favor of our own executive power.
Yes, logistically, democracy is slow and clunky, quite inefficient. And yet it is representative. And as we have seen here, Mr. President, if you ignore it, it will inevitably come back to bite you in your autocratic ass.