Madrid now counts with the unconditional servitude of someone by the name of Jason Webb. Individual like this Jason fella are the ones that bring a bad name to journalists and reporters, and it should be them, his coworkers, the ones demading a more professional approach to his own job.
The problem starts with the very first paragraph of his article, called 'Spain hopes ETA ceasefire keeps "puppies" on leash'. Here you have it:
Along with stone lifting and all-male cooking clubs, hearty traditions in Spain's Basque Country include violent rampages by "the puppies of ETA" -- young supporters of the separatist guerrilla group.
Excuse me?
He compares two cultural expressions that define what being Basque is with some violent acts carried out by some troubled youngsters who on top he accuses of belonging to ETA.
Are all young US citizens experiencing with drugs and violence members of the CIA or the KKK?
Would you describe the killing of youths by their classmates as something as American as baking apple pie or going to see NASCAR races?
Did not think so.
He then goes ahead as does some describing of what the Kale Borroka is and the present situation in Spain and the Basque Country, but then, he says this:
The Basque independence movement, whose 19th century founding father favoured racial purity and dreamed of his homeland leaving Spain under British protection, never gained the critical mass of public support ETA needed, analysts say.
Sounds familiar?
Indeed it does, it is the tripe told by every single Basque-phobe before Jason Webb. Like I told John Rosenthal before, what about the reasons given by the founding fathers of modern day Israel, are they considered to have favoured racial purity just because they wanted a state that the Jewish community could call home?
I know your answer Jason, it will resemble the one grudginly given by infamous Basque-phobe John Rosenthal.
But let me tell you about the cherry that tops the vanilla sundae:
A recent poll showed only 27 percent of Basques favouring independence.
Is that so?
Hmmm, I wonder if Madrid knows that, because if they don't, then somebody oughta tell them that they should allow the referendum they have been refusing to approve.
Any political analyst would tell you that the reason why Madrid wants nothing to do with referendums is that the result could show the world just how much Basques long for independence. I certainly hope that Jason Webb knows that Madrid demands an 80% yes on Basque independence as a result of any referendum. That would be whopping 25% above the already illegal 55% demanded by scumbag Solana and his European Union to the people of Montenegro.
According to Jason Webb, the outcome of the referendum should not be a reason for Madrid to worry about, I mean, a paltry 27% means the Basques want to be Spaniards. But maybe Jason could explain to me why consistently the 70% of the Basque electorate votes for pro self-determination parties in the Basque Autonomous Community.
Just to show you to what extent are Basque-phobe reporters willing to go, I reproduce to you Mr. Webb's piece of propaganda here:
Spain hopes ETA ceasefire keeps "puppies on leash
By Jason Webb
Sun May 28, 1:29 AM ET
Along with stone lifting and all-male cooking clubs, hearty traditions in Spain's Basque Country include violent rampages by "the puppies of ETA" -- young supporters of the separatist guerrilla group.
"Kale borroka," or "street struggle" in the mysterious Basque language, has often disfigured summer fiestas with smashed windows and petrol bombs. But this year, Spain's socialist government hopes ETA will prove it is ready for peace talks by keeping its "puppies" on a leash.
A quiet summer would be a boon for Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who hopes to be able to tell parliament in June that ETA is honouring a permanent ceasefire it declared in March after 38 years of armed struggle for Basque independence.
If it is, negotiations will begin, though the government says they could last years.
But any outbreaks of street violence in the northern region might allow the conservative opposition, the Popular Party, to withhold support for talks, especially as a majority of Spaniards tell pollsters they are sceptical of ETA's sincerity.
If ETA, which analysts consider a relatively small and disciplined group, keeps its word, the PP will have little option but to back efforts to end a low-intensity conflict which has dragged on since the last days of the Franco dictatorship.
"I think the PP will eventually give its approval, but it will take its time doing so," said Julian Santamaria, a political science professor at Madrid's Complutense University.
ETA has killed about 850 people but has not made a fatal attack for three years. It went into steep military decline in the late 1990s, when French and Spanish security forces began making regular arrests.
Many analysts believe the group wants a face-saving peace deal based on greater autonomy within Spain for the Basque Country -- which already controls its own finances, health and education. A settlement would include legalising ETA's ally Batasuna, a political party banned by the High Court in 2003 for links to the guerrillas.
ETA's declared aims in peace talks refer to recognition of the "rights of the Basque people" rather than immediate independence, plus an amnesty for about 500 guerrilla prisoners.
"ETA is over as an active terrorist organization," said Charles Powell, a history professor at CEU San Pablo University.
"I've been interpreting this as an admission of defeat."
TRAIN BOMBS SAPPED SUPPORT
The Basque independence movement, whose 19th century founding father favoured racial purity and dreamed of his homeland leaving Spain under British protection, never gained the critical mass of public support ETA needed, analysts say.
More recently, the guerrillas were undermined by the Madrid train bombings by Islamic fundamentalists in 2004, which increased the popular distaste for political violence.
A recent poll showed only 27 percent of Basques favouring independence.
Batasuna says it has 12-16 percent support, which could increase if the ceasefire holds, according to Ignacio Sanchez, author of a book on ETA. "They want to convert their military power into electoral power," he said.
"Independence is only a very long-term goal for them."
Zapatero has already fought furious PP opposition to handing more power to the northeast region of Catalonia, including a possible new statute declaring its status as a "nation" within Spain. A similar deal could be on the cards for the Basques.
If so, Zapatero will have carried out a radical overhaul of the Spanish state since his surprise election victory in 2004.
Zapatero, who inherited a strong economy, carried out an election pledge to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq, and has cemented his hold on young voters by allowing same-sex marriages and taking action to provide more affordable housing.
Polls show Zapatero may well be re-elected in 2008.
But the talks with ETA are both an opportunity and a gamble. "This is clearly a high-risk operation, and undoubtedly the man who's running the most risk is the prime minister," said Santamaria.
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