TERROR IN ANDALUS


In the wake of the massacre in Madrid, when the Spanish government initially pointed the finger at ETA, I was skeptical. I couldn't fathom that ETA would be so dense as to think such a barbaric act would advance their agenda one iota. On the other hand, it makes perfect sense for al Qaeda to strike out against one of the U.S.'s firmest allies in the Iraq campaign. More so, however, Spain holds a critical place in the al-Qaeda mythos. After all, shortly after 9/11 there was reference to getting revenge for the loss of al-Andalus. The clues that have trickled out in the last few days seem to be all pointing to al-Qaeda. If so, it is a stark warning that it retains operational capabilities to strike against its "crusader" enemies. While the upcoming offensive on the Pakistani border, it is far past time that a equal emphasis be placed on properly upgrading our defenses as well.