Perhaps Spain has always been jealous of France. Taking the French lead in How To Lose Wars, Mock the Dead, and Invite the Enemy In, they’re making up for lost time and seem determined to be the 21^st century’s Islamic Vichy regime.

After all, it took the Nazis weeks to overrun France. It took Islamic terrorists just a few days to bring Spain to its knees. Nothing is more pathetic than the pandering the Spanish people have done since the horrific train bombings killed so many of their countrymen. They elected Socialists whose leader immediately blamed the United States and the war in Iraq for the horrific carnage.

And then Zapatero, Spain’s soon-to-be Socialist Prime Coward, declared the Poodle the new National Dog. There was some argument, I hear, that some wanted it to be the Afghan, but that was abandoned out of fear of offending Moroccans.

I never imagined that some day I would be comparing the United States with Gary Cooper. But here I go, at least when it comes to the film “High Noon.” If you haven’t seen it, now is the time. It is an American classic—a sheriff who must face a band of murderous thugs alone because the town’s people have abandoned him in an effort to save their own skin.

Gary Cooper’s character, alone, must face evil down. He does so because it’s the right thing to do and because he refuses to run for the rest of his life. He refuses to give up security and peace of mind, decency and principle and what’s right, simply to be guaranteed one more day.

This is obviously a film which has not translated well into Spanish.

Make no mistake--all of us were sickened by the terror attack in Spain. At first, I believed that it would help to fortify the Spanish people’s commitment against terrorism.

This barbarism, I thought, will remind them that the terrorism does not discriminate; the United States is a target not because we are “evil,” but specifically because we are good, because we represent civilization in all its wonder and glory.

Now, I told myself, they will know why we fight. Now the people will understand what Prime Minister Aznar understood—this is a world war of civilization versus barbarians and we must not lose.

It is clear that I could not have been more wrong. And yet, I shouldn’t have been surprised. Socialism is a product of malignant narcissism, its proponents obsessed only with themselves, what they want, what they need, what’s good for them. Of course the Spanish surrendered, effectively begging Islamist animals for mercy. 

Spain’s aggressive manifestation of cowardice, moral rot, and intellectual laziness are the hallmarks of Leftism everywhere. Prime Minister Aznar kept Spain decent, if only by proxy. Leading in the global war on terror, he helped to liberate a torn and desperate country. It’s too bad the Spanish people failed so  miserably to match his moral standard.

I listened and watched, stunned, as Spanish socialists won their elections, with Soviet Hammer and Sickle flags waving on street corners, and voters confirming what analysts have mused about— “This is America’s fault,” says the Spanish man on the street. “Our support of America is what caused this,” and the very familiar, “Helping in Iraq was a mistake. The war is a lie. We’ve made Muslims unhappy.”

Yes, Spain has a brand new Daddy—who needs General Franco when you have Sheikh bin Laden?

The death toll of 201 is 201 too many, I know. Millions of Spaniards took to the street, mourning for their dead. As a slight reminder, 3000 people were slaughtered by these same Islamic freaks two and a half years ago.

Of course, America did not run and hide despite the revulsion of thousands of dead. And yet our own Left did what they do naturally—and began to blame the United States for what had happened, and they’re still doing it.

Howard Dean, in perhaps a bid to out-French the very French John Kerry, has now chimed in also blaming the attacks in Spain on President Bush and the War on Terror. Think about it—Dean, like the Spanish and French, is asserting that terror exists because we’re fighting it.

Yeeeehaharrrrgh!

Bin Laden and his sycophants learned a great lesson after September 11^th—Bill Clinton and his European-style of appeasement, fear and malaise were over.  All-American courage had been unleashed, courtesy of George W. Bush.

Europe loved Bill Clinton for the same reason they love John Kerry—because those men are like them. A spineless leftist in the White House means the world is once again equal—European appeasers would no longer be reminded of their incompetence. George W. Bush reminds them every day what they are not simply by his existence.

As they appease Islamists, the injured Spain should be reminded that rabid animals are made only more excited by an injured victim that has rolled onto its back. Mercy never comes, and Spain has such a lovely stomach—now exposed for all to see. Hitler also saw the underside of most of Europe. Now bin laden expects the same courtesy. If allowed, what happens next will not be pleasant.

Make no mistake—by condemning the United States and the war in Iraq they give aid and comfort to Osama bin laden specifically. This is how they honor their dead—by appeasing their murderers.

It is now said that on the street of other coalition countries, people are expressing concern that they, too, may be next. Well, they may be right, after all, this is World War III, There will be more causalities, and this is where integrity and character become saving graces.

Yes, coalition members will be targets of the enemy. Will more of our partners in Iraq turn and run? We have learned a great deal about the Spanish people, and as the war continues we will also learn what makes the rest of the coalition including the British people, really tick.

What’s fascinating is what people see in the mirror when principle and courage are not just ideas, but actually have to be put into practice. After all, that’s when they really matter.

I, in my romantic and optimistic way (believe it or not, I’m both!), expect the most from our friends. Eastern Europe especially knows what happens when monsters are appeased.  I expect them to understand and become even more resilient in the face of evil.

If you want to feel sorry for the Spanish, feel sorry for those 201 poor souls who were slaughtered by terrorists only to die, at least for now, in vain. And then judge and condemn their Spanish countrymen for being cowards and allowing the lives of those innocent victims to be a rousing success for bin Laden.

And then never, never forget why the United States is the greatest nation on Earth—because we do not walk away, we will not bend to evil to save our own skin. Indeed, we will fight not just to save ourselves, but to save civilization itself.

France and Spain and Germany know it. They will reap the rewards, again, of our courage and perseverance. While they will survive, those of us who did not cower in the face of evil will have victory, and our dignity as well.

Tammy Bruce

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