29
the US list of global terror groups; the United States renewed its bilateral defense
agreement and upgraded the Spanish Government’s access to intelligence. By way of
comparison, Italy has the larger population, the larger economy and the larger defense
budget. Italian troops have lost their lives supporting the US position in Iraq, but it was
still Spain that attended the pre-war allied council in the Azores and Spain who sent its
foreign minister, Ana Palacio, to Iraq for consultations with the Coalition Provisional
Authority, the United Nations representatives and the Iraqi Governing Council during the
early weeks of occupation.
49
Again, it is difficult to show how Spain’s political risk-taking in one instance later
boosted its voice internationally. Policy analysts could debate whether Palacio’s July
visit to Baghdad was an obligation or an opportunity. Moreover, with the overwhelming
US presence, no Europeans are calling the shots in Iraq, but Spain and Britain in
particular, at least had the inside track for making their case to President Bush. As
difficulties in Iraq increase, the ambitious foreign policies of José María Aznar and Tony
Blair mean more to the United States, which is anxious to preserve its allies as a way of
countering critics worldwide who charge it with arrogance and reckless unilateralism.
50
Given their longstanding special relationship, the position taken by Britain in
concert with the United States might have been predicted. That Spain should dash onto
the world stage after September 11
th
and enjoy such access to all the key capitals as
Western allies debated future policies in Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond, this development
49
El Mundo (2003b).
50
Powell (2004); Jaffe (2004). Of course, among the worldwide critics was José Rodriguez Zapatero, the
Socialist who ousted Aznar’s party from the Spanish Government in March 2004. One of the more
interesting policy questions yet to play out is whether the benefits of Aznar’s tack toward the United States
will continue to insulate Zapatero from penalties he would otherwise face as the balance of Spanish foreign
policy swings back toward Europe.
Convention