Thursday, March 11, 2004 |
19:03 - Somos todos espaņoles hoy
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Just spreading the address of the Spanish Embassy around a bit. For expressions of condolences, whatever form they might take. It's not much, but it's something.
His Excellency Inocencio Aris Spanish Embassy 2375 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037. Phone #202-452-0100
Be sure to look at these photos first.
Spain's been a welcome ally in the War on Terror, giving the US the benefit of the doubt over the French on their own border. They've been on our A-list for some time now, but today they should go right to the head of the class.
After all, so much of the criticism of America's pursuit of the War on Terror is (perversely) that it's motivated by our own self-interest. As though as long as terrorism wasn't happening in the Europeans' backyards, they were free to scoff at us-- 9/11, to many in the world, is no nearer than some flickering images on TV. Abstract. Distant.
Now, though, if Spain decides to go full-bore on their own WoT arm, and we throw in our lot wholeheartedly... well, nobody could ask for a better or more powerful friend, as the Spanish will soon discover. And who in Europe will scoff then?
That said, I'm sure it'll be a matter of hours before the meme is spreading that the attacks today were perpetrated by the CIA, specifically to raise European sympathy for the WoT and cooperation with Bush this election year.
My God. These are the things we have to think about nowadays.
Have we become so inured to terrorism that pondering the inevitable wacko conspiracy theories is an activity that's actually visibly on our collective radar?
Time to step back. Survey what's happened. Make a judgment that's free of sarcasm and double-entendre and overanalysis. And act.
It's still September 2001. It's never stopped being September 2001.
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