Spanish Flu

Paying the price for America's mistake

Doug Bandow | March 15, 2004

(Page 2 of 2)

Containing the Soviet Union, truly an "evil empire," as President Ronald Reagan termed it, was one reason for unity. Combatting transnational terrorism such as al-Qaeda is another. Dealing with regional crises and potential hegemonic threats is yet another.

But it was not in Spain's, or Australia's, or Britain's, or Japan's, or Poland's, or South Korea's interest to back war against Iraq. It is not in their interest to contribute to the occupation force in Iraq. Alas, they all are likely to pay the price for Washington's misguided Iraq invasion, which has made brutal, murderous terrorism more rather than less likely.

As an American, I am happy that other states—the more, the merrier—are willing to alleviate Washington's burden by following the U.S. over the cliff of unnecessary war and endless occupation. But I don't expect them to do so.

Allowing a terrorist attack to influence a democratic election is awful. However, it is hard to begrudge foreign electorates the right to toss out governments that have sacrificed their nations's interests to win favor in Washington.

"We did not want to go to war," demonstrators shouted at Mariano Rajoy, the ruling party's candidate for Spanish prime minister as he voted. Nevertheless, the Popular Party took Spain into war. And the Spanish electorate punished it for doing so.

Voters in Australia, Britain, Japan, Poland, South Korea, and elsewhere might make the same judgment. America's friends should stand with Washington when the cause is just, the action is necessary, and the consequences are positive.

But foreign peoples obviously do not feel blind loyalty to every administration that holds power in Washington. Especially when that administration sacrifices facts for ideology and presses their governments to act against their own wishes.