Saturday, March 13, 2004
The Tragic Trains in Spain
Major internet access problems over the last few days have scuttled much of what I intended to say about the most recent world news. So before my connection craps out, I'll try to mouth off rather quickly.
Don't underestimate just how ugly and damaging the bombing in Madrid were on Thursday. With an election upcoming on Sunday, the Aznar government seems to be limiting the public dispersal of info on the bombers. But everything I've read points to Al Queda. ETA may have some remaining militant extremists, but they've never killed more than a few dozen in an attack (the most damaging way back in 1987). The date of the attack may be circumstantial, but no one can deny the psychological impact of it - 3/11, two and a half years to the day since 9/11. An estimated eleven million Spaniards (out of 42.7M citizens) turned out to protest the bombings. The U.S. has been forced to upgrade commercial train security, which should have been examined years ago. Tragically, a new front has been opened in this so-called War.
The WashPost has a poorly-sourced but dead-on piece this morning itemizing the recent screw-ups of the Bush economic team. The cancelled nomination of Anthony Raimondo being only the lastest and most amateurish gaff. Wherever you place yourself on the political spectrum, there's no disputing that the economic numbers are a very mixed bag as of late. The most damning thing I saw yesterday was that if the long-term unemployed were included in the present unemployment numbers, it would actually be 7.4 rather than 5.6%. That's an extremely large, latently-ugly disparity.
Kerry's rapid response to the first real Bush attack ads came with impressive speed. The big difference this year for the Dems and all those pundits that characterize them for a living - Kerry's willing to fire back. It's gonna get ugly, which will surprise no one. As both sides of this match up loves to mouth off - bring it/'em on.
Major internet access problems over the last few days have scuttled much of what I intended to say about the most recent world news. So before my connection craps out, I'll try to mouth off rather quickly.
Don't underestimate just how ugly and damaging the bombing in Madrid were on Thursday. With an election upcoming on Sunday, the Aznar government seems to be limiting the public dispersal of info on the bombers. But everything I've read points to Al Queda. ETA may have some remaining militant extremists, but they've never killed more than a few dozen in an attack (the most damaging way back in 1987). The date of the attack may be circumstantial, but no one can deny the psychological impact of it - 3/11, two and a half years to the day since 9/11. An estimated eleven million Spaniards (out of 42.7M citizens) turned out to protest the bombings. The U.S. has been forced to upgrade commercial train security, which should have been examined years ago. Tragically, a new front has been opened in this so-called War.
The WashPost has a poorly-sourced but dead-on piece this morning itemizing the recent screw-ups of the Bush economic team. The cancelled nomination of Anthony Raimondo being only the lastest and most amateurish gaff. Wherever you place yourself on the political spectrum, there's no disputing that the economic numbers are a very mixed bag as of late. The most damning thing I saw yesterday was that if the long-term unemployed were included in the present unemployment numbers, it would actually be 7.4 rather than 5.6%. That's an extremely large, latently-ugly disparity.
Kerry's rapid response to the first real Bush attack ads came with impressive speed. The big difference this year for the Dems and all those pundits that characterize them for a living - Kerry's willing to fire back. It's gonna get ugly, which will surprise no one. As both sides of this match up loves to mouth off - bring it/'em on.
Comments:
Post a Comment
