Inocencio Arias, Spain's ambassador to the United Nations, has apologized for pushing for a resolution condemning the Basque terrorist group ETA for the 11-M attacks on the day following. The Security Council actually did pass the resolution.
We now know that the conservative government was deliberately trying to steer public attention to ETA as the culprits in hopes of winning votes based on their well-known campaign against ETA. With the connivance of their friends in the White House. Ironically, the deception seems to have backfired, with public anger and criticism directed at the conservative party for the deception itself within two days after the attack, thanks in no small part to the opposition social-democratic party's willingness to confront them on the issue.
Arias said in his statement to the press, "We acted in good faith, but in haste. Next time, unless we have one hundred percent certainty, we should not be precipitous. We must apologize for this." (El embajador español en la ONU se disculpa por impulsar una resolución contra ETA el 11-M El Mundo 03/27/04, my translation)
An opposition party that's not afraid to challenge the ruling party on blatant deception of the public on national security issues. A government that actually apologizes for misleading the United Nations. No wonder some Americans find Spanish democratic politics radically different from the American variety.
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