The Spanish government snubbed the United States yesterday by cancelling an annual invitation to US troops to join the celebrations of Spain's national holiday parade and instead invited French soldiers to Madrid. The Spanish defence minister, Jose Bono, told the COPE radio station there would be no Americans in this year's "fiesta nacional" which commemorates the day on which Christopher Columbus sighted the New World. The national day "is not the national holiday of the United States, and no one is under any obligation to see the flag of another country in the parade, though it was is a friend and an ally for sure," said Mr Bono. "This is in no way an insult nor a sign of contempt towards the United States."
Weasel words, too. Learning fast
However, the minister then added that Spain was "no longer subordinated" and "kneeling" before Washington.
"We have bravely chosen to adopt a - what do you call it - doggy position, better to accommodate jihad."
"With Bush, peace and liberty have not exactly triumphed," he said.
"We loved Saddam. [sniff] He was a good man. A National Socialist, you know. No time for democracy. A good, good man. Now look at Iraq and Afghanistan: elections! [sniff}. It's just awful. It's horrifying!"
Then in reference to the former prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar, who was often lampooned as a puppet of President Bush, Mr Bono said the new Socialist administration wanted to "show its sovereignty".
"We're Chirac's puppets now!"
Relations between Washington and Madrid have been tense since the Spanish Socialist government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero won elections in March and infuriated Washington by withdrawing troops from Iraq. American troops have taken part in the Oct 12 military parade every year since 2001, when the government invited them out of respect for the victims of the Sept 11 attacks. Mr Bono, who was once recorded calling Tony Blair "a complete dickhead", has suggested French troops could appear as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the liberation of Paris in 1945.
At which Spanish troops were notably absent, the French contingent were allowed a role out of proportion to their actual number, whilst the Brits and the Yanks once again did the lions' share of enabling "peace and democracy" to triumph - a role which certain Euroturds try to denigrate through sick propaganda. Sounds familiar. |