Centerfield

I think it's premature to view this, as gindleman does, as "a vote for appeasement." The timing is terrible, of course, and the outcome may be a source of short-term celebration by
the OBL club.

But I think it's better understood as an expression of ire by the voters at the ruling party. Some of this ire is obviously residual. Spain's soon-to-be-former leader supported the Iraq war in the face of 90% public opposition. The bombing resulted in something on the order of between 1 in 5 and 1 in 10 people changing their mind about continuing to support the course chosen by the ruling party.

I don't think it's a positive development by any means, but let's note that the winner has spoken to voters of the need to forcefully meet the challenge of terrorism. If Spain is willing to cooperate on agressive anti-terror efforts, they're still on our side even if their policy regarding invasions is that they are to be avoided.

I think he's right, but not because the whole Spanish electorate has changed course. It doesn't take very many swing voters to turn an election. Al Qaeda played them like pros. It was the March surprise. I'd like to think Americans would react like the Israelis do to such attacks, but I'm not so sure they would.