September 14, 2004
GIVING THEM WHAT HITLER COULDN'T TAKE:
Spain marks return to 'old Europe' (Andrew Beatty, 9/14/04, EU Observer)
Spanish premier José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has declared old Europe rejuvenated, following a meeting with his French and German counterparts in Madrid yesterday.Speaking after the meeting with French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, Mr Zapatero declared that "old Europe is as new".
The Spanish government has been keen to stress the importance of the meeting, signalling that Spain has shifted away from the pro-US policies of the Aznar administration.
It certainly is new--Franco knew better than to get in bed with the Germans and French. Posted by Orrin Judd at September 14, 2004 10:00 AM
He's acknowledging that France & Germany are Old Europe. Rumsfeld 13, Chirac 0.
Posted by: pj at September 14, 2004 11:15 AMGood one, pj.
Given that Chirac and Schroeder are very likely to be gone soon, it would seem Zapatero has made a losing bet. Of course, their replacements could well be worse, but that still won't help Spain in any possible way.
Posted by: jim hamlen at September 14, 2004 1:35 PMFor "Olde" Spain to become "New", wouldn't they have to be, at the least, replacing themselves ?
Spain has one of the lowest fertility rates in Europe, which is saying a lot.
OTOH, it does make for great deals for British vacationers looking to buy a sunny second home.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at September 14, 2004 2:05 PMLove 'em and leave 'em, that was Francisco's motto.
He was in bed with the Germans for a long time. Without them, there'd have been no Franco. No Spaniard would fight for him.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at September 15, 2004 2:40 AMHarry:
Try reading other than Stalinist histories of the Civil War. Hitler wanted Franco in power so he could control the mouth of the Med--Franco took control and told Hitler to go take a hike. Meanwhile, the French rolled over for him.
Posted by: oj at September 15, 2004 6:58 AMHarry:
"No" Spaniard would fight for Franco? How did he rule the country for 35+ years? With his killer SS zombie robots? With secret Poitou soldiers? With Pyrenees sheepherders?
Posted by: jim hamlen at September 15, 2004 3:10 PMThe Catholic champion had to bring an army of Muslims to fight for him.
After the Germans and Italians smashed the Spanish Republicans, he ruled with Europe's most successful police state and personality cult.
When he died, it died.
That's all true, Orrin, but if a whore plays her customer false -- which is what Franco did -- she's still a whore
Posted by: Harry Eagar at September 15, 2004 8:58 PMHarry:
Spain was a very conservative country in the 20s and 30s - the Communists did not bank on the opposition they got, and frankly, neither did Stalin. Once the war turned, he backed out (he was fully occupied with the purges by then).
Muslims? Were they shock troops or just conscripts?
Posted by: jim hamlen at September 16, 2004 12:00 AM