Hush! Spain's Back to Iraq

Libertad Digital ^ | 15 April 2010 | Libertad Digital

[J Aguilar]

Yes to the war, but only with Obama.
The "No to War” Government Prepares to Send Civil Guards to Iraq

After the “mother of all withdraws" carried out by Zapatero and the former Defence minister, Jose Bono, it seems that after the arrival of Obama to the White House the War of Iraq is no longer so illegal, immoral and unjust: agents of the Civil Guard have travelled to Iraq.

Libertad Digital

The news broke out last Wednesday in the Congress, when answering a question from the [right wing] PP member of parliament, Ignacio Cosidó, the Secretary of State of Security, Antonio Camacho, did not have any regret in confirming that the data presented by the PP MP were "very good and complete" and that, indeed, a group of Civil Guards travelled to Iraq, a country that in spite of the improvements in the security of the last months, can still be considered a military zone as much as it was in April 2004, when the Spanish troops rushed to leave the country.

As Fernando Lazaro in the EL MUNDO [newspaper] tells today, citing sources of the corps, last January agents of the Civil Guard, a group of officials, moved to Baghdad, where they held meetings with representatives of other countries that will participate in the deployment in the area promoted by the EU.

This first trip in January was followed by another that ended that same week in which the agents of the Military institution have participated, "working on the ground“ , in the preparation of this international mission that will not be directed by Spain but in which it will have an important role, according to the newspaper.

In fact, at this moment the Spanish participation is open to two possibilities: either a numerous contingent deployed, or a reduced one but formed by officials with high qualification and experience.

The Union of Officials of the Civil Guard complained for the excessive secrecy

The Union de Oficiales (UO) of the corps has issued an official notice in which it protests by the excessive secrecy whereupon this mission has taken, when the normal thing to do is "a public call so that all [agents] interested that meet the requirements demanded could apply" and thus selecting "those that have more and better merits", something that is only explained by the interest of the Government in hiding to the public opinion "this new Spanish participation in a mission in Iraq".

At the moment, the Civil Guard maintains a contingent of near half hundred of agents in Afghanistan.

[J Aguilar]

The Civil Guard is a paramilitary police corps endowed with tasks of security in rural areas, roads, coast guard, etc.

[MSF BU]

It’s interesting that the Spanish don’t see this as an appropriate mission for their foreign legion.

[Incorrigible]

Thanks for the update J.

I seem to recall there was some controversy with the cross/sword enblem that the Spanish troops wore on their uniforms previously. Is that still the case for these folks?

[J Aguilar]

To speak is to generalize, said Spanish philosopher J. Ortega y Gasset. There are many Spaniards: right wing libertarians see it OK, Socialists don’t mind as long as their government maintains their subsidies, ultra right wing oligarchs don’t want to see the dictators with whom they do so profitable businesses removed...

[MSF BU]

Having friends in the South of Spain, I wonder sometimes if it would not have been better if Franco had transitioned a more capable successor. I guess there are no significant number of ‘conservatives’ in Spain as we would understand the term. Portugal has much the same problem.

[J Aguilar]

Yes, the Santiago cross could trigger some controversy, although we usually use a camouflaged version in kaki and black!

I don't think there is any problem with the Civil Guard emblem. In addition, they are a very appreciate corps in stabilization forces, since Civil Guards can perform police-like operations with military strength, if needed.

I think if Israel had such a corps, it would have triggered less criticism in the flotilla assault.

[J Aguilar]

Good point. You hit the nail on the head. General Franco believed that the middle class he had widen and strengthen would allow the building of a Democracy as in northern European countries. He was mistaken.

Fascists in Spain were too powerful. A very few Spaniards were really interested in building a true democracy, but instead, of keeping their share of power.

[marron]

Obama continues the war with Bush’s commander, and Secretary of Defense, and Bush’s strategy. So Zapatero returns to Aznar’s strategy as well.

Sure. Why not.

[marron]

Are any of the other news services covering it yet? I just scanned ABC but didn’t see it.

[cranked]

Terrorists will kick Spain collective arses back out....again. =.=

[J Aguilar]

That’s it. Obama and Zapatero are doing the only reasonable thing it can be done.

Probably one of the conditions for the return of Spanish forces to Iraq was to keep it not secret, but unpublished.

[J Aguilar]

Unlikely. Terrorists are especially active in Spain when a candidate that do not favour the oligarchy is in office. That is not the case of Zapatero.

[Ax]

To the enemy, Spain is Al Andalus. They feel that the Spanish are just temporarily occupying what is rightfully theirs.

[HChampagne]

I will feel even more confident when the French decide they want to be more help.