REACTIONS IN JAPAN, KOREA, AND SPAIN TO BUSH'S OCCUPATION

...

AMY GOODMAN: The attitude in South Korea towards the invasion of Iraq?

DR. ANDREW OROS: The attitude of South Korean citizens is similar to
Japanese citizens and citizens in most of the world outside of the
United States, which is not in support of U.S. operations in Iraq. I
believe about 80% of South Koreans are against the U.S. efforts to
reconstruct the government and infrastructure in Iraq. That's a
similar number to the percentage in Japan.

AMY GOODMAN: In addition to Professor Andrew Oros from Washington
College, we're joined by Ignacio Carrion, Senior Writer at "El Pais"
in southern Spain. Welcome to Democracy Now!.

IGNACIO CARRION: Thank you.

AMY GOODMAN: It's good to have you with us. Can you talk about the
death of the seven Spanish agents, the intelligence officers from
Spain in Iraq and the response in Spain?

IGNACIO CARRION: Well, it has been a shock, painful situation here in
Spain because, as you know, 85% of the population is against the
invasion of Iraq. It's against the participation of Spain in any
possible way involving a decision that the government took without the
approval of parliament, took that position, I suppose, as an attitude
of -- personal attitude of being serving and being a butler for Mr.
Bush. I don't think that the population at this point is at all
agreeing with the continuation of the situation.

...

IGNACIO CARRION: ...But now, we -- the perception here as we are not
willing to be but we are in war with the country that we never had the
intention to invade.

AMY GOODMAN: Why is Asnar's interests with President Bush?

IGNACIO CARRION: Well, I suppose that he -- he's always -- he is a man
with a complex of inferiority. I'm sure that he is trying to produce
the image of Spain as a great, important country. The moment Germany
and France said, well, we will wait and see what is going to happen.
We think that the approval of the United Nations is essential for this
mission, at the moment he hears that French and German populations
were keeping a certain distance, a very wise position, I would say,
then he was very intrepidly, I'm going to produce my own way of
conducting things. As we have some problems with terrorism in the Bath
province, he said, well, I know about this business. This whole theory
is that it is not terrorism. It's not only terrorism. It's more than
terrorism. It is a war If you have talks in your country that has
invaded a country, your country, and then you have the possibility to
kill these people. Then it's -- I suppose the resistance is all
allowed.

AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you very much for being with Ignacio
Carrion, senior writing with "El Pais," Spain's largest daily
newspaper, joining us from southern Spain.. and Also, Dr. Oros,
Professor of Political Science at Washington College in Washington DC.
You are listening to Democracy Now!. When we return, we'll talk to
Rick Mcarthur of Harper's Magazine, author of the book, "Second Front:
Censorship and Propaganda in the Gulf War" about Bush's highly
secretive trip to Baghdad this weekend. Stay with us.

Listen online to audio and video:

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/12/01/152203

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