U.S. Official Says Spanish Government 'Mishandled' Reports on Bombing

[prodigal_green]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/18/politics/18DIPL.html

<snip>He (Dick Armitage) suggested that the Spanish government had clung to the supposition that a Basque separatist group, ETA, was responsible and failed to tell the public about emerging evidence that Islamic extremists might have detonated the bombs that killed about 200 and injured hundreds of others Thursday. In separate interviews, he twice said Spain "mishandled" the matter, The Associated Press reported. As a result, he said, the governing party was ousted in elections Sunday.

"I think the vote that propelled the Socialists into power in Spain, as I understand it, was a protest by the people against the handling of the terrorist event by the sitting government of Spain," Mr. Armitage told a Philadelphia radio station. </snip>

++++++++++
Looks like somebody didn't get the memo.

[jean]

1. Armitage and the b*sh crowd are the penultimate mishandlers - - -

This crowd (to borrow James Carville's word) has been handling things with harsh, heavy hands for too long and the world is on to them.

Give it enough time (and they're starting way too early) and they'll (mis)handle themselves into oblivion. It feels like we're ready this time - there seems to be lots of ammo and many effective gunners showing for our side in the early fighting.

[FuseONE]

2. hmmmm

I guess "mishandling" is better than outright lying. seriously, what is their aversion to the word "lying." everyone knows that's what they did when they were trying to pin it on ETA. why window-dress it? that's a rhetorical question of course.

[0007]

7. Armitage is trying to give us a hand job with his mouth

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. "US official says . . . "

.
.
.

Like I'm going to believe anything they have to say . .

NOT!

[prodigal_green]

4. I thought the message was supposed to be

That the Spanish voted to appease the terrorists.

Actually, I agree that the Spanish were disgusted by the lies (their own government and ours). I think it is highly amusing that cracks are already starting to show in the MisAdministration's argument, and that Republicans are the ones chipping away.

Of course, as far as the Administration is concerned, the Department of State is a terrorist organization or something like that, so maybe Armitage's comments don't matter to them.

5. Actually, this is good isn't it?

"++++++++++
Looks like somebody didn't get the memo."

So, they're having to admit it wasn't appeasement but a legitimate disgust with the popular party.

That's the way I'm reading it anyway.

Am I being too optimistic??

[prodigal_green]

8. Yes it is good

Armitage is supposed to tow the "appeasement line".

I guess I'm not very good at sarcasm.

[0007]

6. Dick Armitage is dead wrong - he knows what happened