One more on reciprocity and Islam

La Meca disco was founded in 1989 in the city of Águilas in the south east province of Murcia (Spain) with the only intention of establishing an entertainment business with some arab glamour.

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This month of June "La Meca" was re-opened and this has exacerbated the wrath of several muslim groups accross the Islamic world.

If we were to believe that always repeated mantra most Western politicians want to tattoo in our brains that proclaims that only fundamentalistic muslims are evil, we would expect that only those fundamentalists have had a negative reaction regarding the fact that a disco has the name of an Arab city.

Well, contrary to what we could expect if we were to believe the bunch of naive and silly politicians that rule our Western countries the reaction accross the Umma (Islam countries and peoples) has been negative and threatening.

The same "spontaneous" group that led the demonstrations which took place at the Moroccan-Spanish border by the city of Melilla ("The Platform of Northern Morocco Civil Society") accusing the Spanish police to be racist without any evidence has urged the Moroccan Ulema Council to rule on the relations that the Spanish Popular Party (PP) has with muslim organizations in the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla and they have added:

"...Especially when the party that promoted and gave approval to the name of Mecca to a nightclub in the coastal town of Murcia which governs this extremist party"

This Moroccan civil society organization that insulted and denigrated Spanish policewomen without presenting any evidence and that did not mention that some of those policewomen they yielded at had been spitted on, threatened and even slapped in their faces by Moroccan men entering Spain only for the fact of being women and doing their duties as policewomen.

In Morocco there is no "civil" society; the country is completely controlled by the dictatorship system former king Hassan II established and that his son Mohamed VI has improved and consolidated. No one does anything without the system´s approval, no one has profitable business without the king´s consent, newspapers can and are seized for whatever reason, etc. It is really funny how the Moroccan authoritarian regime has come with the "civil society" term to name this remote controlled organization that was created ad hoc for the occasion.

The re-opening of this disco has been featured in Al Jazeera Television, as well as in many other allegedly moderate muslim TV stations accross the world, also arab press, radio, web pages and all the media and the unanimous conclusion is that the fact that a disco is named after the city of Mecca is an insult. Then the official integrists muslim organizations have called to the holy war against Spanish crusaders, the demolition of our nuclear plants, the need for retaliation and all their usual crappy and sicky slogans and threats.

Meanwhile the moderate muslim community in Murcia has, while proclaiming how modarate and nice people they are, asked for the change of name for this disco as well as for some architectural remodeling.

The owners of this business have agreed to change the name and to undertake the appropriate changes of the building so as to become a more muslim friendly business.

Did these entrepreneurs accept these suggested changes out of an special sensitivity towards religion and not to offend muslims or were they scared to death of what they knew was behind the suggestions these muslim community representatives made?

Maybe the answer can be found in the endless number of businesses named "La Catedral" (The Cathedral) or La Iglesia (The Church) accross Spain. I have no news about The Vatican issuing a protest note or about Christian media calling for war.

At the end this is very much the same as the unanimous condemn that came out of the muslim world after those cartoons depicting Mohammed where published in Denmark.

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Islam does not tolerate freedom of speech and has no room for sense of humor when who they claim to be a prophet is involved and that same applies to whatever they may think is holy and thus us infidels must refrain from even comment.

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The same people who do not let us proselytize in the muslim countries, do not only proselytize in ours but also tell us how we must deal with whatever they consider sacred. The same people who have a highway in Saudi Arabia with a large highway sign (see picture above) that forbids non muslims to continue towards Mecca is telling us that we must rename a discotheque, build a mosque where muslims terrorist killed thousands of people or change our laws to adpt them to their lovely Sharia.

I would say it is about time to wake up and become aware of a fact that is as real as the sun rising in the east: Regardless of what we think Islam seeks, and means, submission not only from muslims, but also from us infidels and in a larger degree.

President Obama or our bewitched President zapatero can come up with their bollocks any time but that will not change the cold facts. We may not be at war with Islam but Islam is at a constant war with anything that is not Isam.

The problem is not the people but the ideology behind Islam and its compulsory mandates for supremacy. Scary? Yes, as scary as true; if someone wants your house and family the fact that you pretend to be his friend will not deter him from those objectives, furthermore it will encourage him to go on. It is about time to open a dabate on the need Islam has for a big change, or else we shall all be soon praying towards Mecca...

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Obama´s speeches or don´t letting the truth spoil your false fantasies

In his famous speech at Cairo university President Obama said among other naiveness things:

"Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition."

Let us analyze that sentence.

Definition of tradition by the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

"An inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action or behaviour."

July 2010, Pakistan. Let us see how that inherited and established pattern applies today:

Recently more Christians are facing charges under the controversial blasphemy laws in Pakistan. Christian families in Lahore were forced to flee for their safety as thousands of Muslim protesters demanded death for Christians in Faisalabad who are alleged to have blasphemed against Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

Muslim mobs marched July 10-11 in Faisalabad City, in the province of Punjab, demanding the death penalty for two Christians, brothers Rashid Emmanuel, 32, an Evangelical pastor, and Sajid Emmanuel, a graduate business student of Daud Nagar, Faisalabad. They were arrested on July 2 on the charges of writing a pamphlet with blasphemous remarks about Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). They were detained at the Civil Lines Police Station Faisalabad.

Does that sound like a customary pattern of tolerance? Let us see what Mohamed, founder of Islam had to say to establish the beginning of that tradition of tolerance that Islam has according to barack Mohamed Obama:

"The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter" (Qur´an 5:33)

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Very tolerant, isn´t it?

Qur’an9:123 “Fight the unbelievers around you, and let them find harshness in you.”

And the list goes on and on proving the origings of that customary pattern of tolerance Islam has for Obama.

But let us go back to President Obama´s sentences during that amazing speech full of lies and wishful thinking adressed to the Cairo University students:

"Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition."

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The second of these sentences says that Islam proved to be tolerant in Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition. It is hard to say so many lies all together with such few words.

Obama claims himself as a historian sometimes, then how can he read this total fiction sentence without blushing?

During the Inquisition (it would be more appropriate to say in the time of...) Cordoba was no longer under Islam´s fist. It had been reconquest by Ferdinand the Third in 1236 and all the lives of the inhabitants respected.

Lie number 1:

The Inquisition was enforced in Spain in 1478. An Islam ruled Cordoba NEVER coexisted with the Inquisition in Spain.

By the way President Obama forgets the fact that muslims were INVASORS that our ancestors fought for 800 years.

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Lie number 2:

President Obama, the historian, forgets or does not know that Andalusia is the name of a region in Spain and in the times when we were INVADED by those "tolerant" muslims they named all Spain Al Andalus. The name of Andalusia comes from this name given to ALL Spain and Portugal so if Obama would have been more precise he would have used the term Al Andalus and not Andalusia.

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Lie number 3:

Muslims in Spain were by no means tolerant. Non muslims were forced to pay the "Jizya" and and other special taxes for non muslims. You can imagine how many christians converted to Islam to be exented from these taxes!! Bells were not allowed to toll, non muslims were forbidden in certain jobs, muslims were told not to greet non muslims, muslims applied a total separation and granted not muslims the worst jobs and a third class citizens status.

Averroes translated the work of Aristotle for Sultan Jusuf I. As he died, his successor, Jakub Al-Mansur issued a decree in 1195 proclaiming that Greek philosophy was banned, burned the books of Aristotle and Averroes's work. Averroes was whipped before the Cordoba Mosque (built after demolishing a church in that very same spot) and was sent to the exile.

Tolerant Islam in Al Andalus Mr. Obama? Bullshit! Seems like some Imman who wants to build a mosque in NYC ground zero with funds from "tolerant" Persian Gulf states, wrote your speech since it lacks any credibility and it is nothing but fairy tales and a bunch of malicious lies.

Now Obama has said that the US is at war with Al Qaeda and not with Islam. Whatever Mr. President but you should know that Islam was, is, and will be, at war with what the West represents.

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Ground Zero Mosque. Only muslims have got rights. Non muslims cannot complaint

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf the man promoting the building of the Ground Zero Mosque talks about serving the community, about love and understanding between faiths and about not politicizing religion and on the other hand he says that if the mosque is finally not built in the sorroundings of Ground Zero the muslim world will take this as an offence to Islam and the muslim world will understand that Islam is under attack.

Jolly good Mr. Rauf !! All your bollocks about that peace and understanding that you pretend us to believe that Islam fosters vanish the very moment you say that if you don´t get what you want then the muslim world will be very upset and see it as an offence and as an attack on Islam. Then you go on with that bullshit of yours saying that the mosque must be built on the grounds of national security being preserved. Yes we understand what you mean, if you don´t get what you want maybe the "bad guys" will do evil things, and of course no one wants these bad boys doing such things, don´t we Mr. Rauf?

Thank you Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf for acting like some kind of mafia godfather henchman that kindly warns us of what could happen if we do not do as we are being told!!

What will be next thing the West will have to do so as not to offend the peace and loving followers of Mohamed? why not a mosque in St. Peter´s Cathedral or why not teaching the Koran in all western schools?

Don´t we remember Palestinian children rejoicing at the terrorist attack on 9-11 and their parents cellebrating in the streets, I bet some of them were muslims...

Let´s imagine a bishop on Aljazeera television complaining about not being allowed to build a church in Mecca, shall we? Well only imagine it because it will never happen. The same people Mr. Rauf goes to visit in the Persian Gulf States that tell him how disappointed all muslims will be if a mosque is not built near the place where 4000 people died because some muslims in the name of Allah crashed two airplanes, they will by no means allow any church being built in Saudi Arabia and no bibles or new testaments being in their bookshops.

These people who argue and complaint about how bad Islam and muslims are treated do not EVER demonstrate to protest for the killing of priests in Turkey or the burning of bibles and churches accross the muslim Umma.

These people who ask for equal rights in the West for their religion followers do not allow other religions to proselytize in their countries. Morocco has recently expelled American Christians that were taking care of orphans. Morocco law as well as all other muslim countries legislation forbid to proselytize their nationals.

These Saudi king and princes build huge mosques all accross the Western countries and demand respect for their faith and in their country they beat Philippins servants that are caught praying or have a rosary or a bible. They do not allow to build churches or to worship and they claim for their rights abroad?

I think that Islam and muslims treat us as what they think we are (and I am afraid they are close to be right): idiots.

Muslims in all Western Europe are plundering the welfare state using the public free services such as medical care, education, integration income support, etc in a much larger scale than the rest of the population. They demand everything and collapse our services on and on and they complaint on everything here in Spain. Back in their country they kick anyone that they may think is preaching the Word of God (the Christian God, the merciful) to their citizens.

Do they claim for equal rights? It is a deal!! But they abuse the freedom we enjoy in the West to take advantage of our idiocy while they ban, forbid and prosecute christians, buddists or anyone that is not muslim.

In many muslim countries there are even specific taxes only for non muslims, in Egypt they burn Copt churches and in Indonesia they kill christians and I do not see those so called moderate muslims demonstrating against these muslim crimes.

Moderate muslims are just like UFOs, many people claim to have seen one or two but there are no actual evidences of their existence.

Now let us go back to that fictitious priest demanding in Aljazeera the building of a church in Mecca. Imagine this bishop that has come from a tour to different christian countries telling the interviewer "If this church cannot be built in Mecca the national security of muslim countries will be at risk". Odd isn´t it? What would the reaction from muslims be? Now imagine that that church is going to be built in the same spot where some fictitious christian fundamentalists blasted some bombs. Would muslim countries like the idea? Would they allow this church to be built for the sake of the freedom of cult that they of course don´t have?

If anyone can come up with an answer to those questions please leave a reply.

American flags are burnt in several muslim countries on a regular basis, it is almost a national sport in Iran and now there is a pastor in Florida who tells he will burn one or two Korans and that is a horrid sin and a matter of national security. I don´t like to burn books and I think the Koran is a good book for those who enjoy terror novels but it seems that here the only ones who have sensibility are muslims. I find ablation a much worse thing, I find stoning a much worse thing, I find burning churches and killing christians a much worse thing and yet in muslim countries those practices are usual.

In other words. Imagine dear reader that you like wine and I like beer and in my house wine is forbidden. I go to your house and I protest because you dont want to give me a fourth beer and another day you come over to my place and you ask me for some wine and I go nuts and tell you that that is an insult and that of course I will not give you wine and that you must respect my traditions.

It is as simple as that. Some reciprocity and some respect from the Islamic world is not only a need, it should be a MUST.

Some people here in Spain talk about something they call the Civilizacions Alliance, what I claim is an allience of civilized people to stop these abuses and lack of respect that us western people suffer in silence from the muslim world.

Mr. Rauf wants to name his mosque "The house of Cordoba" we shall have time to dedicate a post about why did he chose that name and what does Barack Obama have to do with that name as well.

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Al Qaeda praises and congratulates Zapatero. ETA wants his share too

In Spain the Ministry of Foreign affairs should be renamed as the Ministry for the Affairs of Foreigners.

Some months ago (see the post dedicated to it here http://thespanishview.blogspot.com/2010/08/is-paying-ramson-best-choice-zapatero.html ) two Spanish citizens were liberated by suppousedly Al Qaeda terrorist in North West Africa. The ransom payed was of some 5 to 8 million euros.

Spanish government made no comments on the money issue but Al Qaeda praised the behaviour of the Spanish government as opposed to that of the French. A French citizen who was also held captive by alqaeda in the same area was killed after a commando strike failed to rescue him. This man, like the two Spanish, was also in some humanitarian aid mission in the area but the French did not pay, thus Al Qaeda congratulated the Spanish Government for the way in which they had handle the issue and the French man was killed...

For God sake, why do we have to pay a ramson for these people on the first place? They knew where they were going and what goes on there. Now this non governmental organization is announcing a new aid trail for next season!!! Do they expect us all to pay again?

If we pay for grown people who take the decission to travel to a high risk area why on earth do not we pay for all kidnapped children? do we only pay to muslim terrorists or for those kidnapings that have a media coverage?

Zapatero, if YOU pay terrorist to save 2 lives this is what you get:

• Terrorist will not use that money to buy food or medicines for starved children, they will not buy toys or candy. They will buy guns and ammunition to go with their killing and plundering business
• Terrorist will take good note that a Spanish citizen is worth some 3 to 4 million euros whereas a French can cost the lives of the terrorists. Great news for Spaniards travelling the world: we are the most sought after by any "smart" terrorist
• the Algerian government is really upset with this Spanish attitude because they suffer the impact that this money have in their country. We have funded terrorists, terrorist do kill, therefore we have funded murder. Algeria is really very upset with the Spanish government for this matter and also for the fact that Morocco is Algeria´s first enemy (they have a territorial dispute of more than 150,000 sq kilometers in the north-central border and the Western Saharan pro independence and anti-Maroccan forces´headquarters and the logistical support are in Algeria). Algeria is Spain´s most important natural gas supplier until now. As anyone can imagine the Algerian government is not in a romance with spain nowadays.

As icing on the cake we gave away a sea surveillance airplane for free to Mauritanian authorities to thank them for the liberation of a terrorist (these terrorist do not just wanted money...)

Our chancellor Moratinos seems to be under some spell and behaves as he was to defend all dictators in the world instead of Spain´s interests. Who pays for your salary Miguel Ángel? Why don´t you have the guts to catch a plane and fly to Algiers to explain your boss´conduct?

Moroccan King Mohamed´s henchmen spit and insult Spanish policewomen in the border booths and where is Mr. Moratinos? he is out on holidays in France, please do not disturb him. Moratinos comes back from his holidays and his first statement is "no incident occured". Fourteen Spaniards are beaten by Moroccan police and he say that we must comply with other countries laws when we are in those countries regardless of the fact that the penalty for non authorized peaceful demonstration is not being kicked and punched in the public square, not even in countries like Morocco.

It seems like he has his phone only available to listen to what Hamas, Hugo Chávez or who ever wears a turbant have to say instead of defending our country interests. For some reason Moratinos reminds me of those women who write love letters to imprisoned bloody criminals or even rapers; these women are often nice and caring but they do believe what their jailed lovers tell them and end up thinking that their loved ones are not as bad as the society think and that maybe it was not their fault to have murdered or rape.

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Moratinos is the perfect foreign affairs ministry for President Zapatero, a man who began his first years in office strutting his good mood ("talante") whatever the heck that was suppouse to be and that is on his way to have his name written in the Guinness Book of Records under the epigraph "Biggest political liers in recent History"

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At the beginning of this year a man who knows a lot about ETA terrorism Mr Jaime Mayor Oreja was warning that an ETA truce was on its way and he was warning that this cease fire was going to be as the other previous three, just a trick.

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Mr. Mayor Oreja former minister of interior in the Popular Party administration is well known for his accurate predictions about ETA terrorists, however most media and all the socialist flock of idiots discredited his words as usual...Now ETa is offering a truce again with the sole intention of negotiating with our weak government that their political branch can run in the forecoming local elections. Mayor Oreja was also right, as he is also right when he says that this offer is a poisoned one, again.

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Our government knows a lot about ETa and they know quite a lot about our government too and it is going to be very difficult for Zapatero to tell our home terrorist that he will not give ETA anything when ETa is watching how their colleagues in Somalia get millions for liberating a fishing ship and their Al Qaeda (by the way i doubt these were from Al Qaeda but anyway) pals get 3 to 4 million ramson for each captive they held.

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Now ETA using some low budget spy movie manners contacts the BBC and handles this journalist their videotape where we can watch this typical ETA´s cumbersome staging of three hooded idiots sitting on a table with some flags on the background telling their old bollocks about invented oppresion and so on. They want money too!! They want to keep their way of life and they must be jallous of their turbanted colleagues.

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Meanwhile some foreign media lioke the Finatial Times or the BBC still call ETA "basque separatist group" like if they were a band of rock and roll instead of a mafia gang of murderers and extortionists.

Wild, wild WEST...

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CNI Spanish secret service. A kings business? Part 5

We have repeatedly said that the king has a preference for the PSOE. This may sound odd taking into account PSOE´s history and its republican tradition. But it is that very same tradition of republicanism and the long history of betrayals, coups d´etat, murders and intrigue that the PSOE has that makes this party the King´s favourite.

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The king has had no fears about the conservative party (PP) same as he did not fear Adolfo Suárez party (UCD) so he has allowed himself to act as a despotic king (it is in his genes) imposing appointments in the defense minister or in the secret service (among many other things). He knows that usually PP leaders and officials are less likely to protest or to air his royal sins.

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On the other hand Juan Carlos does fear PSOE a lot, he specially did in the early years of our very deficient democracy.

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Between 1975 and 1982 he contemplated how the conjunction of a savage terrorsit activity, a raging economic crisis, an increase upsetting in the military, and the annoying demands of nationalistic and separatist parties, were undermining the control of circumstances that an increasingly weaker Adolfo Suárez Administration had.

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All these things were endangering the success of the political process Spain was undergoing, and worst of all it was putting at risk his king business. The king knew that the PSOE was anxious to govern the country before things would get any worse. Adolfo Suárez was forced to resign and when he wanted to change his decision (during the theatrical coup d´etat in february 1981 Suárez tried to undo his resignation and he was not allowed by someone) he was stopped and Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo (a good manager but with no charisma) managed the months before PSOE overwhelming triumph in the 1982 elections.

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Keep your friends close to you and your enemies even closer the saying goes. With PSOE in office the king did all it was in his royal hand to please the newcomers in every aspect being always well awared of the fact that PSOE was not as easy to manipulate as other more liberal or conservative parties. During the 14 years that Felipe gonzález was in office the King forged a real tight alliance with the party apparatus and the government and same as the PSOE leaders did he also became a really wealthy man.

During these years (1982-1996) PSOE placed its members and sympathizers by thousands in the public administrations, public companies, the secret services, the police, and shamelessly benefited those entrepreneurs and business men that where on the PSOE side. Felipe González helped media giant PRISA that was managed by Mr. Jesús de Polanco (who became rich during Franco regime by selling text books for school children) by granting this company licences for radio stations and tv channels and by laminating those media that were not so supportive with the PSOE.

But lets go back to the kings business. Jesús Cacho a well reputed journalist says in his book "El negocio de la libertad" (The freedom business):

"...One of the earliest forms known was oil, oil commissions coming from the oil imports Spain needed to meet its energy needs. As soon as Juan Carlos I occupied the throne after the death of the dictator, Manuel Prado y Colón de Carvajal, was devoted to send several royal letters to many reigning monarchs, especially the Arab world, asking for money on behalf of the King of Spain".
There is documentary evidence of a letter signed by Juan Carlos I and addressed to the Shah of Persia, on July 4, 1977, where the monarch following a description of the political situation said: "I take the liberty, with all respect, to subject to your generous consideration the possibility of granting 10 million dollars as your personal contribution to strengthening the Spanish monarchy. "

Manuel Prado y Colón de Carvajal who recently died in 2009 was a close friend of king Juan Carlos, he was appointed as senator in 1977 (the King used to have a quota of senators he could freely appoint), was also President of Iberia Airlines when this company was public and the list goes on and on (Saudi Arabia Abdul Aziz Order, France´s Legion of Honor...).

With respect to the book we have quoted above Mr Prado y Colón de Carvajal said about journalist Jesús Cacho:

"We must get rid of what you represent"

Such a gentleman!

Prado y Colón de Carvajal was imprisoned on April 26, 2004 in the Seville prison serving a sentence of two years for the "Wardbase" case. For humanitarian reasons he was awarded the second grade prison two months later.

As head of "Grand Tibidabo", he was convicted in 2008 for misappropriation: three months' imprisonment by the High Court.

The Supreme Court had already sentenced him to one year in prison for misappropriation in September 2007 by a diversion of money from Grupo Torras.

The royal scandals finally reached France, where during the preliminary investigation about Elf (2003) for misappropriation, its former chairman Le Floch-Prigent said about buying ERTOIL:

"...having delivered 55 million francs in Spain to many politicians, in particularly those close to Felipe Gonzalez and King Juan Carlos environment ", with who Le Floch-Prigent claimed to have met in multiple occasions.

According to Jose Garcia Abad, author of the book "la Soledad del Rey"(The Solitude of the King):

"Felipe Gonzalez turned a blind eye to the royal businesses and trips and even got to make some important negotiation for the benefit of the royal family: he sent his righ-hand man, Julio Feo , to negotiate with the Greek government about the return of the assets of the family of Mrs. Sophia, which had been confiscated when King Constantine was deposed"

The list is endless and all the royal family has been benefited with important positions and lucrative businesses: daughters, son, sons in law, daughter in law.

Then we could list the list of lets call them venial sins like promoting brands in the annual yacht race named after him, subliminal advertising and so on.

How much money does the king have?
The cost item of the General State Budget for the expenses of the royal family by law is not subject to review by the Court of Auditors. The 1978 Constitution allows the monarch to dispose of it without further explanation. In 1980 the government assigned 200 million pesetas (1,2 million euros of that time would be like 6 to 8 million currently). Until then, the king just collected a salary of captain general. Currently the General State Budget assigns some 7.78 million euros for the king and his family.
Due to the opacity of the royal house, the fortune of the king is difficult to quantify. Forbes Magazine (April 2003) includes Juan Carlos I in the sixth place among Europe´s monarchs and with a fortune of 1,790 million euros the king is the 134th among the richest in the world.

The advent of the socialist party was a blessing for the King´s financials and his pro-PSOE attitude has paid well off. But being King and serving so much is a non stop job and the king must look after his family and his wealth and to do so he needs to keep all mouths shut and it is of key importance to keep the secret services under the control of trustworthy people that will not leak information whatsoever.

In this context when Aznar´s PP won the general elections in 1996 it was of utmost importance for both the King and the PSOE to keep the secret service under the "right" control, thus both the minister of defense and the director of the CNI were imposed to the new President José María Aznar.

By doing so the PSOE could be sure that all the information regarding the corruption and the crimes of state would be under lock and the King could nothing but agree. The saying goes: "you scratch my back and I scratch yours" and it seems to have worked out fine for this singular alliance.

Now you can believe in Santa Claus and the eastern bunny or in the Reyes Magos (the three wise men that bring presents in the night of january 5th to children in the Spanish speaking world) if that makes you happy, same as you can go on thinking as most people do that the King of Spain is a goody fellow, kindhearted and always friendly. Maybe he is like that sometimes, we are all humans, specially with his family but he is also a powerful individual with a huge interest in keeping his way of life.

End of the series.

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CNI Spanish secret service. A kings business? Part 4

The evening of the 23rd February 1981 the Spanish Parliament was voting on second round the Adolfo Suárez successor appointment to the Presidency of the Government.

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Suárez had resigned a few days before, and announced such decission with a really serious expression on the television. Suárez had cracked down under the pressure of the economic crisis, the demands from the PSOE, the urge from the always selfish nationalistic parties, the pressure from his own party that was self collapsing, the demands and fears from some of the military establishment, and the continuous ETA terrorists murders that had the Armed Forces about to explode in wrath.

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Felipe González was really in a hurry to access to power because he also knew from various sources (CIA probably included) that something could happen in those days of the eary 80´s. Besides he did not precisely threw flowers at Mr. Suárez (while Suárez was tackling the terrorist problem the PSOE opposition was being ruthless) and he had his share in the collapse of Adolfo Suárez´s government as we have explained before.

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He knew that with the Suárez party (UCD) dissolving and the increasing social unrest he was going to win the next elections (as he did in 1982) easily.

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For some elements a marxist in Moncloa was something unbearable and for some others the PSOE was a better alternative than the feared Communist Party (PCE) thus they thought that winning over Mr. González for the cause of a government of national unity with ministers from different ideologies could be somehow a good thing to do.

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The idea was not really bad at all in the sense that it would have been a good way for the new PSOE to win experience and for those reluctant to see a marxist as President it would have been a way to prove them that González could change.

(And, oh boy did he chain!! Between 1982 to 1986 he held three different positions with respect of the adhesion of Spain to the NATO: First he was completely against, then he was not too convinced and finally he ended begging all Spaniards to vote yes in the referendum to that effect)

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In February 1981 a group of over a dozen Guardias Civiles broke into the Parliament carrying weapons and told the congressmen that they were there to hold everyone inside until the "competent authority" would show up. Meanwhile that very same night of february 23rd 1981, in Valencia, general Milans del Bosch took his tanks for a walk (stopping in each and every traffic light by the way) down the streets of Valencia. One of the biggest masquerades in Spain´s History was on stage.

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The first minutes of the assault were broadcasted life so everyone in Spain could witness what was going on in the congress. After some few hours of confusion King Juan Carlos in his Capitan General uniform addressed a speech to the citizenship condemning the coup d´etat attempt and defending the constitutional legitimacy.

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It was very celebrated the courage of the King as well as the fact always highlight by the brown nosers courtiers that the King was wearing his pajamas under the uniform...a funny touch of drama to stress that the King was by no means expecting such thing to happen.

At 5 am in the morning of the 24th Milans del Bosch withdrew his tank parade and by noon February 24th the coup was completely deactivated.

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Let me add it was completely deactivated from the very beginning and it was nothing but a performance orchestrated..., ok ok lets say maybe orchestrated, by the secret service, the King and the socialist party.

Let´s go back some days before the 23rd of February 1981.

Suárez made his resignation public on the 29th of January. On the 3rd of february the minister of Defense, Mr. Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún appointed General Alfonso Armada as number two in the military rank. This appointment was made not only against all Suárez recommendations but without his knowledge. Mr. Sahagún signed the appointment after being pressured by King Juan Carlos.

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Alfonso Armada ended up in jail on the charges of being one of the leaders of the coup d´etat that took place some weeks after being appointed by a minister whose boss had resigned.

Luis Herrero a well known Spanish Journalist that has also been EU MP tells in his book "Los que le llamábamos Adolfo" (Those of us who called him Adolfo):

that on February 3, 1981, Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún, then Minister of Defense, "signed the ministerial order appointing Alfonso Armada as deputy commander in chief of the Army." "It was the appointment Adolfo had tried to avoid at all costs and whose veto had cost him several formidable fights with the King in the past" he says.

He adds that with Suarez and ministers resigned the monarch had bridged the President and had demanded the defense minister to sign the appointment. The appointment prompted an angry response from Suárez and he called the minister and told him "you have just signed the authorization that will allow a coupe in Spain and when you see Armada leading the whole thing you will know it was all your fault"

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According to this the King wanted at any cost that his close friend general Alfonso Armada would be appoited deputy commander in chief and he took advantage of Suárez´s situation to force the defense minister to do something. Sounds so "Borbón" to me, it reminds me of Alfonso XIII playing war games back in the 1920s before General Primo de Rivera lead his "soft" coup d´etat.

Because let us be logical and apply the common sense. If a coup is going to take place and you think that the Head of State is not going to support it or back you up, then the first thing you do is to capture the King himself (sounds like chess but its basic common sense) and not allow him to put on his uniform under his pajama in such a hurry...

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But the majority of the Spanish people took the bate and believed that the night of the 23rd the King saved the democracy from his comfortable living room in the Zarzuela Palace.

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Whoever pretends me to buy that the leaders of the coup were all complete idiots that did not think of the possibility that maybe if they did not take the royal premises and the King himself His Majesty would have something to say, will make me laugh.

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Alfonso Armada had been number two in the "Casa Real" as Secretary General of the Royal House he was also a support teacher for Juan Carlos in the different military academies that he attended in his younger years, and on top of that the King took advantage of a politically weak Suárez to appoint Armada to a key position in the military shortly before the big masquerade began.

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Who on earth has the guts to come and tell that the King knew nothing about the whole thing and that he was completely off his guard the very day the new President of Government was to be elected??

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Let us venture a hypothesis, only a hypothesis:

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In fear of a real and more hardliner coup d´etat the secret services needed some one loyal to the king like Alfonso Armada in a high position in the military in order to guarantee the success of the masquerade.

If other elements in the military saw that a close friend of the king was appointed contrary to the President Suárez opinion (Suárez came from the Franco Regime and was perceived as a traitor among some elements) they would be more likely to join this remote controlled coup d´etat thus they would come under arrest and be neutralized. Most of the took the bait

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Probably king Juan Carlos told Armada that the idea was to perform a "soft" coup that would bring a government of national unity that would include ministers from all the different ideologies. A government presided by Armada with Felipe González (PSOE) as vicepresident.

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Armada would have been said that this coup was the best for Spain and after being appointed deputy chief of command with the king´s assistance he would have no doubt that it was something that would really come to term.

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The elements deployed in the congress were waiting for some authority (Armada) and that authority was probably waiting for the king to announce that a salvation unitarian government was on its way. So there was no reason to keep neutralize the king since the elements in the coup were simply waiting for him to "bless" the whole enchilada...

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Alfonso Armada, Milans del Bosch, Antonio Tejero and the rest of the military that were prosecuted for this coup attempt were shocked the night of the 23rd when they found out that the king instead of backing them up, as they expected after Armada was designated deputy commander in chief with the king´s help, was comdemning their acts on the television.

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As I said its only an hypothesis but it does really make more, much more, sense than that of a coup d´etat that would simply had forgotten to take care of the king...

What it is sure is that the hypothesis of a masquerade is the most borbonic of the two, but no one knows.

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King Juan Carlos is not a very intelligent person, his wife Queen Sofia is in my believe far more intelligent than him but Juan Carlos has an instinctive intelligence to cling to power, it is almost like a genetic intelligence coming from the evolution of the Borbon dinasty. The king is not an avid reader or a person fond of fine arts, he enjoys fast cars and sailing and he does not want his family to end up like his grandfather´s family back in 1931 and if that ever occurs he has made sure that he will be really well off in a golden exile unlike "grandpa" did.

end of part 4

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CNI Spanish Secret Service. A King business? Part 3

Before going on with the Kings affairs in Spain´s recent History let us review a little the "glorious" history of the party that holds the reins of our country nowadays to have a broader skope so as to understand what can the King´s favourite political party be able to do.

No other political party has such a long record in Spain´s History of intrigues and coups d´etat like the PSOE (Spanish Worker Socialist Party) that currently governs our country.

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In 1909 PSOE was involved in the "Barcelona Tragic Week" a time of revolt and indiscriminate crime that forced the government to declare the state of war. Thousands were killed and the main motto was "long life to dynamite", among other crimes several members of the clergy were killed and graves were desecrated. Pablo Iglesias first condemned this revolt and years after he admitted that the PSOE was also in the plot.

It is something really striking how many people do still see this party as a champion of freedom and democracy bearing in mind its totally rotten history. PSOE´s founder Mr. Pablo Iglesias who has several streets accross Spain named after him said in the parliament in 1910:

"We must, in view of the the tendency caused by Your Lordship to the present political system, commit to overthrow this regime. Such has been the outrage over Mr. Maura Government's policy in the proletarian elements that we've come as far as to consider that before Your Lordship rises to power again we must go to the personal attack"(p. 439-443 Parliament Daily Record 07/07/1910).

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This is what the founder of PSOE had to say in the Parliament to the President of the Government. He was urged by the President of the Parliament to withdraw those words 3 times and he refused to do so.

Fifteen days later Manuel Posa shot Mr. Antonio Maura who was seriously injured, the next day a protest was formulated in the Congress, a protest Mr. Pablo Iglesias did not subscribe.

In the same session of the Congress where he threatened to kill the President of the Government Mr. Iglesias also said:

"...we are in (subjected to) the law while the law allows us to acquire what we need, outside the law when the law will not allow us to realize our aspirations"

In the light of events in which the PSOE has been involved that went on in the years after this statement was spitted, Mr. Iglesias could be considered a really sharp prophet.

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In 1917 the PSOE supported the Revolutionary General Strike, an attempt of revolution inspired in the Soviet 1917 revolution in Russia.

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In 1923 they took part in the Primo de Rivera dictatorship despite the huge political differences between PSOE and the general and in the next years the PSOE was in charge of the State Council and they also were part of various other councils and other government agencies. King Alfonso was kindly asked to remain seated and not mess in politics which he obediently did...

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In 1929-1930 they abandoned Primo de Rivera and began to work against the establishment of a parliamentary republic proposing the establishment of a revolutionary republic instead.

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In 1931 after April´s municipal elections where the monarchist forces obtained more councillors than the republicans, but that the republicans won in the larger cities, the PSOE was among those who urged the King to go before 7 pm on April 14th on the grounds that if he did not do so they would not be able to guarantee his safety and that of his family.

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Those elections were intended to vote over the townships representatives not to change the political regime, however it became yet another de facto coup d´etat and Juan Carlos´ grandfather packed every thing quick and left for Rome...always serving Spain.

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Interesting to highlight that all leftist parties in Spain consider nowadays this coup d´etat as an example of legitimacy as opposed to General Franco insurrection against that same republic offsetting the fact that the advent of that idealized republic was a completely illegal change of regime that was not voted by the Spaniards.

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In 1934 the PSOE organized yet another coup d´etat. The reason for doing so was no other than the fact that the conservative party (CEDA) won the general elections in 1933. The left wing parties told the CEDA leaders that they would not accept a government ran by this party (CEDA). Sounds incredible, doesn´t it? Incredible but true. CEDA conceded and the centre radical party led by Mr. Lerroux conformed a government, when finally CEDA got to enter in the government holding only three ministries the revolt broke.

The coup included the kidnapping of the President of the Republic and establishment of a Government of People's Commissars. By that time, Luis Companys declared the Catalan State within the Spanish Federal Republic.

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The coup collapsed throughout the country except in Asturias, where 30,000 men, socialists and other groups were picking on priests, guardia civil and some civilians. The Socialist deputy Ramón González Peña blew the safes of the Bank of Spain. The government managed to maintain control by sending the army, but still nearly 3,000 lives were lost. Largo Caballero (PSOE leader) was several months in prison.

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During this revolt in Asturias among other military that were sent by the government to fight down this revolution there was a young officer named Juan Rodríguez Lozano to the orders of a young general named Francico Franco. The first happens to be Zapatero´s grandfather. A man our president prides himself on being his grandson fought under Franco military command against those socialists that were killing and revolting.

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Mr Lozano ended up being murdered by Franco military as Zapatero has told several times but although he went to Asturias to shoot PSOE militants down under Franco´s command his grandson seems not to remember those events although as Secretary General of PSOE nowadays he should have something to say.

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In 1936 a PSOE militant murdered Calvo Sotelo (leader of the opposition), and this event was the stroke that broke the camel and the already on its way military uprising took place shortly after.

During the Spanish Civil War Largo Caballero (PSOE) who was President of the Government for several months answered in this way to Stalin´s recommendation to keep some form of parliamentary activity in order to gain the sympathy of Western democracies for his cause:

"Whatever the fate the future preserves to the parliamentary institution, it (parliaments) has not among us, even among Republicans, enthusiastic advocates" Sounds so democratic!!

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A statue of Largo Caballero was built in Moscow and a huge one of Stalin presided the "Puerta de Alcalá" in Madrid not far from the torture center installed in "Círculo de Bellas Artes" (The Circle of Fine Arts) where red commissars interrogated suspects that were arrested on the grounds of wearing a hat or going to church.

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When Franco won the war in 1939 the PSOE practically vanished into the air and the exile government and the scarce resistance (mostly operating in France and Spanish America) was almost completly carried out by the Spanish Communist Party (PCE)

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In 1975 Felipe González (now one of the wealthiest Spanish persons) who had been elected Secretary General two years before in Suresnes (France) walked freely accross Spain shortly after Franco´s death. Police had instructions not to arrest him under any circumstances and he was already in talks with King Juan Carlos who was, family traditions, intriguing as usual.

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It is said that either Mr. González contacted the CIA or it was this agency that got in contact with him but the reason for these talks would be that by supporting PSOE the CIA would prevent the Communist Party to have a more relevant role in the transition to a parliamentary democracy. This does make sense specilally given the cold war scenario and the strategic importance that Spain has for the US for geographical and obvious reasons.

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Furthermore, in those years Spain could either become a rear front enemy allied with the Soviets or the strategic second line of defense in the case of a Soviet successful "blitzkrieg" assaulting Western Europe.

First general elections were won by the Adolfo Suárez lead UCD (Democratic Center Union) and in the 5 following years Mr. González and the PSOE opposition was ruthless and mercyless with bawdy insults spitted on and on and the constant threat of a revolutionary general strike.

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Anyone can imagine that King Juan Carlos was contemplating how his grandfather story could repeat again on himself making him run away same as King Alfonso did in 1931. He wanted the socialist to be in office as soon as possible so that after having a grip of Power they would become less revolutionary and somehow more easy-going.

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In part 4 we shall see how tight they (PSOE) squeezed the udders of democracy and how they became factical allies to the King in the building up of what we can call the Spanish Establishment although it would be more precise to call the Ruling Club or the Wise Guys Lodge...Yet another couple of coupes d´etat for the long record of PSOE "epic" history.

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Soon part 4

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CNI Spanish Secret Service. A King business? Part 2

In this second part we shall go through the main mailstones of King Juan Carlos de Borbón´s political history and we shall see that he is far from being the friendly and affable good-humored person that all the brown-nosers courtiers that butter the King up want to make us believe he is.

Juan Carlos de Borbón is no newcomer to the politics arena.

He was born in Rome in 1938 in the exile, a year before the end of Spain´s disastrous Civil War. His grandfather Alfonso XIII left Spain in 1931 shortly before the proclamation of the 2nd Spanish Republic (disastrous as well) and in his childhood years in Rome although his family was not poor, he did not enjoy the luxury and the glamour that he later achieved and that he is so fond of.

Francisco Franco´s intention was to perpetuate his Regime ("El Movimiento Nacional" "The National Movement) under the figure of a authoritarian monarchy and he chose Juan Carlos instead of his father who was the direct successor of dethroned King Alfonso XIII. In 1969 Juan Carlos was appointed Franco´s Successor and he acknowledge the political legitimacy of the Franco Regime (first video) and swore loyalty and fidelity to the principles of the "National Movement" and to Franco, and in 1975 after Franco´s death he became King and chief of state (second video)

In 1969 immediately after being proclaimed Franco´s successor he wrote a letter to his Father Don Juan saying that he had to accept this decision for the sake of Spain.

Of course nobody in their right mind can believe such story knowing the firm determination that Juan Carlos father had to become King.

In his inauguration speech right after Franco´s death Juan Carlos de Borbón praised the figure of Francisco Franco:

"An exceptional figure comes in history. The name of Francisco Franco is now a landmark of Spanish History and a milestone event that will be impossible to stop referring to understand the key to our contemporary political life. With respect and gratitude I recall the figure who for many years assumed the heavy responsibility of leading the government of the State. His memory will be for me a demand for performance and loyalty to the duties I assume for the service of this country. It is of great and noble peoples to remember those who dedicated their lives to the service of an ideal. Spain will never forget who, as soldier and statesman, has devoted his whole life to service.

I know that the Spanish people will understand my feelings at this time. But the line of duty is above any other circumstance. My father taught me this from childhood, and has been a constant in my family, who always wanted to serve Spain with all its (family) might."

This last part is incredibly funny if we consider that out of ten "Borbones" only one can be considered an above average statesman. The Borbón family has always been noted for caring about their family businesses and their particular interests rather than caring about Spain´s fate. King Juan Carlos great-grandfather Ferdinand VII was probably the worst of kings spain has suffered in the last 500 years. He betrayed his father, another useless lazy fellow, Charles IV, and allowed Napoleon to ravish Spain for years while he was living safe in France. After Napoleon was defeated he again betrayed Spain for he did not like the liberal ideas flourishing in our country after the Constitution of 1812 was proclaimed and he brought an army sponsored by absolute monarchs (popularly known as the 100.000 sons of Saint Louis) to reinforce the king´s authority. Ferdinand betrayed his father, brought two wars and betrayed the confidence of thousands of people who shed their blood for the cause of his throne. What a life dedicated to serve Spain!!

Elizabeth II was a scatty lady who was fond of appointing her lovers as ministers or relevant politics. Alfonso XIII (Juan Carlos´grandfather) was responsible of the biggest massacre during the Moroccan war when in a place called "Annual" (El desastre de Annual) thousands of Spanish soldiers were killed after being ambushed by the enemy. Alfonso XIII was fond of playing as a brilliant general being no more than a "lounge" general and he interfered in the strategic guidelines of the high command which ended in the coup d´etat led by General Primo de Rivera who put an end to the war with a victory in Alhucemas and an end in Alfonso´s hobby of playing strategist games that costed Spain so much blood and pain. Of course he did not set a foot in Spain during the Civil War which he followed from Rome on the radio...We could go on and on reviewing this eagerness the Borbones have had to serve...

Going back to the recent past we can say that in less than ten years Juan Carlos de Borbón betrayed his father Don Juan by accepting something his father wanted for himself with the ridiculous excuse of doing it to serve Spain (always serving!)(1969), swore loyalty to Franco and his regime (1969), again swore loyalty to Franco in 1975 and then betrayed his own oaths in 1978 when he became the King of a regime completely different of that he swore to be loyal to 3 years before.

Would you buy this man a second hand car?

Being Head of State for 35 years, enjoying complete and official criminal immunity by law, having an undisguised taste for wealth and luxury, showing a proven capacity to let´s say "change his mind" when he finds it convenient, being a reputed flirt, and having such a tendency for intrigue make King Juan Carlos a coveted target for all secret services in the world and very specially to those of enemy countries like Morocco (let us call things by their real names).

Spanish secret services cannot lack behind and must be also in the loop of what goes on around the Spanish royals in order to try to be a step ahead of their colleagues and also to try to neutralize their (other service´s) strategies, not forgetting that regardless of the monarchy´s fate there will always be secret services with one name or another, and a well structured and documented information in the right hands becomes a precious piece of intelligence when needed.

In Spain criticizing the King can result in up to 2 years of inprisonment and some times people are afraid that the most innocent of critics can be interpreted as an insult by the thousands of suckers that populate Spain´s ruling class.

It is also a very interesting fact the appreciation of the king for those who have never supported him and his contempt for those who he assumes as loyals as we shall see later on in this series of posts.

Soon part 3!

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CNI Spanish Secret Service. A King business? Part 1

In 1996 Spanish Popular Party (PP) won that year´s General Elections by a narrow margin after 14 years of socialist rule.

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One of the main messages that the PP consistently sent to the public opinion was that a political regeneration was necessary. This need for regenaration was indeed understood and supported by most well informed Spaniards and apparently was something that José María Aznar was going to tackle at the beginning of the PP´s first time in history political term.

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Aznar was willing to wipe the sewers of the secret service and the Ministry of the Interior and shed some lights in the dark events that occurred during the 14 years of Socialist governments.

He never did so and that was the cause of what has gone on with the PP ever since then, with a very spacial significance in the terrorists attacks of March 11th 2004 that paved the way for a new Socialist era in the elections that took place only three days after (March 14th 2004).

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We shall go through some of the most relevant of those dark events mentioned avobe but first we shall see how Aznar´s first attempts to cleanse the rotten core of the security services where immediately headed off by King Juan Carlos.

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It is a well known fact the disaffection that King Juan Carlos has always had towards José María Aznar which it is in my believe corresponded by Mr. Aznar, and that in my opinion is something that honors him.

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Aznar intended to designate Rafael Arias-Salgado as minister of defense. In Spain the Ministry of Defense is in charge of the secret service (CESID in those years, now known as CNI).

Arias-Salgado was convinced of the need to assist the judiciary by handing the requested classified documents to the courts that were instructing cases of corruption and murder involving the 1982-1996 Socialist Party administration.

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Ex-president Felipe González who had just lost against his most hated adversary could be brought to trial before a court to face charges of state terrorism. Mr. Gozález, nowadays a really wealthy man that works for tycoons such as Carlos Slim or tyrants as King Mohamed VI of Morocco among others, could not tolarate such humiliation and talked to his good mate and friend King Juan Carlos to convice his Majesty of the need to stop the little moustache guy (Aznar) from designating Rafael Arias-Salgado and to appoint someone more docile in the Defense Ministry.

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No doubt King Juan Carlos was easily convinced of the need to stop Aznar in this one since he knew that the secret service had abundant information about some not too clear royal deeds and despite of enjoying full immunity meaning that he cannot be judged under any circumstances, airing out some of Juan Carlos deeds could damage the Kings unrealistic image of a matey and hartey fellow that still most Spaniards have about the King.

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The pressure applied on Aznar had to be really big and probably the conversation turned to the "raison d´etat" to convince Aznar that prosecuting an ex-President could end up being bad for the democracy and the country in general and of course could become a precedent to prosecute other Presidents...

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Aznar gave up and appointed Mr. Eduardo Serra as head of the Ministry of Defense and thus as top responsible of the secret service. Eduardo Serra had already been number two in the Defense Ministry under González socialist administrations and was and is considered one of the Kings´men. No single paper was sent to any court from the CESID headquarters.

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Mr. Jorge Dezcallar was also imposed as Director of the CESID to make sure that all was "under the right" control.

The secret services must be under control of course, but under the control of the government and the parliament not under the control of an "establishment" that wants to thrive and keep its "businesses" unknown to the public opinion as much as possible.

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To know the skope of the things that this "establishment" wanted, and wants, to keep under lock simply highlight some facts: a minister of Interior during the Gonzalez administrations, Mr José Barrionuevo, was convicted and jailed on charges of supporting and funding state terrorism and a General Director of Guardia Civil, Mr. Luis Roldán, ran away after plundering huge amounts of money intended for the security of this prestigious police force (barracks, equipment, etc).

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Luis Roldán was later captured in a yet unexplained operation in Laos (it was not Laos at the end) that we may try to explain some day in this blog.

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Basically the Aznar Administrations from 1996 to 2004 were infiltrated with the royal acknowledgment by numerous elements loyal to the socialists and willing to keep all the accumulated dirt under lock as well as to provide the PSOE (socialist party) constant and relevant information on inteligence matters while they were in the opposition. These elements always kept the PSOE socialist aparatchick on the loop and according to many people in Spain were responsible by act or by omission of the terrorist attack in Madrid in March 2004

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Jorge Dezcallar played a very important role and paid a very important service to his mentors in the clue days between the 11th and the 14th of March of 2004. After the terrorist attack he spoke 7 times to Mrs. Ana Palacio (Foreign Affairs Minister in those days) who was in talks with the UN Security Council in order to issue a statement against the terrorist group ETA.

According to Mrs Ana Palacios, Mr Dezcallar told her the night of the 12th of March:

"In these attacks there is what we call noise in the system. [...] I can assure you that I have spoken to all the major intelligence services and no one has heard any noise on this particular attack." assuming that what he had told her 7 times before (that the attack came from ETA non controlled elements and not islamic terrorist) was right.

By doing this Mr. Dezcallar paid a very important service to his mentors by misinforming the government and providing, as many people suspect, intelligence to the PSOE that they used in the 3 days after the attack and before the general elections.

Dezcallar services were praised by the socialist Zapatero administration and he was appointed ambassador to the Holy See and is currently Spain´s ambassador to the USA. Not too bad for the person who apparently knew nothing of what was going on...only apparently.

Also Dezcallar name´s appears as a candidate to become the new Chief of the "Royal House". This position is obviously only for those most trusted by the King. Isn´t it amusing?

End of part 1

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Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and the Caspian Oil and Gas. Some strategical clues on what goes on there

Caspian Sea accounts for some estimated potential reserves of 200 to 300 billion barrels of oil (Saudi Arabia has some 260 billion) and in terms of natural gas its reserves could be among the 3 most important in the world.

Basically the Caspian Sea countries have a potential to produce 15% of the world total oil output and a bigger share of the total gas.

Compared to Saudi Arabian rigs the extraction costs are much higher and the quality of the crude and of the gas (specially this latter) is also lower.

Although the Caspian oil has been extracted from the Czars times this immense wealth is yet to be exploited since the current actual production for the area is still very low when compared to the total reserves.

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The reason for this gap between the potential and the actual current production is no other than the significant effort required in terms of technology and economic investment to drill for and to extract this oil which makes it less attractive than that of the Persian Gulf . However the oil is there and it should not be more difficult to extract it that the oil from the North Sea or the the crude Russia plans to extract from Artic Siberia.

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After the collapse of the Soviet Union five countries share this 371.000 sq kilometers sea (aprox. the surface of Germany) Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan. The first issue was to determine if the Caspian was a sea or a lake.

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That was not a silly question to debate over since if it was considered a lake the 5 countries would have shared its natural resources on a 20% basis (that is 1/5th) whereas if it was considered a sean then it had to be divided into economical sectors as it has been done "de facto" (see second map).

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To refrain the US from meddling in this big business and from getting some share of these strategic assets was impossible. The ever oil thirsty US need to have a foot in the Caspian and also need to guarantee a safe and own controlled gateway for the crude.

China has obviously also a great interest in this business. But the Chinese have a much easier way to guarantee its stake in this business and they have funded an oil pipe line from Kazakhstan and pretend this country to become its ally in the region.

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In order to help understand the general picture I shall briefly describe the interest, strengths and weaknesses of the 5 coastal countries and the 2 super powers (US and China) with respect to the Caspian treasure.

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Russia:

Russia has a great interest in becoming the main player for the oil and gas distribution in the area since it enhances its control over Western European countries (specially with the gas) supplied by Russia. Adding this gas and oil to those distributed from Western Siberia puts Russia in a very strong position when negotiating almost anything with the EU.

Russia has also a great interest in blocking any attempt to threaten its strong position, meaning that will always be interested in the failure of any alternative routes for the oil and gas distribution.

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Last but not least Russia sees a big business opportunity in assisting other Caspian coastal countries providing them with the extraction technology and the know how.

Russia counts with an already existing pipe-line network and also with the only navigable exit off the Caspian Sea: The Volga.

A ship can only leave the Caspian using the Volga and can access the Baltic and Black seas through Russia´s immense water canal network.

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On the cons side, a Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan pipeline that could get the Caspian oil in the Indian Ocean harbours is not an attractive scenario for the Kremlin. Neither does Russia like the idea of an US friendly Iran teaming up with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to drill and prospect and then getting the oil in the Gulf through a Persian pipeline bypassing Russia´s present predominance in both fields.

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Russia is well awared of the fact that US military bases in Turkmenistan and the fact that this country is practically outside the Russian sponsored Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) mean a challange from the US.

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Chechenia is also a major problem for its territory is crossed by one of the main pipelines that gets the Caspian oil to the Russian Black sea harbour of Novorossiysk. No wonder why the US have always made a big fuss anytime Russia punishes Chechen terrorist (yes, that is what they are)

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We shall presumably see an artificial buid up of tension in Daghestan and Chechenia secretly fostered by the US in order to weaken Russian position in the area and to make their existing and forecoming pipelines less safe

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Kazakhstan:

Kazakhstan has an easy position if compared to other of the Caspian players. They have a large border with China and good relations with Russia. They settled with Russia the maritime borders fast and have since 2005 there is a pipeline in place since 2006 that has supplied China this last six months with 5 million tons of Caspian Oil.

Of course Russia is not terribly happy about Kazakhstan independence in terms of oil distribution but it is not as much a concern as it is the US involvement in the area.

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Turkmenistan:

This country is a personalist dictatorship. In 2006 after Saparmyrat Nyýazow died his son Gurbangulí Berdimujammédov became the Turkmen ruler. Although it is formally a democracy under the 1993 constitucion, Turkmenistan is a presidencial republic with only one political party. Nyýazow was an eccentric individual who enforced laws to make everyone in his country read his book. Turkmenistan is considered by the UN one of the most repressive countries in the world and although it formally belongs to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) it is not a trustful member.

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The US has two military bases in Turkmenistan and has closer ties with this dictatorship in its effort to have a stronghold in the area and to consolidate its first stage for its longed project to construct and control a pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan.

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Turkmenistan has always held a very opaque position in the talks about the Caspian Sea with the other four neighbours, and given its trend towards fundamentalism and its border with Iran it is a major concern for both Russia and the US.

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Russian and Uzbek minorities as well as non muslims, Islam is the official religion, are closely controlled by the authorities. My opinion is that Turkmenistan will be entering a period of revolution. For Iran it is a threat to have US troops and fighter planes in its north east borders and for Russia it is important to keep Iran´s fundamentalistic hands off Turkmenistan while defending Russian citizens living in this country and at the same time trying to induce a more pro Russian regime that could shake off the US military presence.

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Iran:

The Ayatollahs regime is the least benefited in the partition of the Caspian waters for its stake is the smallest and has always tried to push Russia to recognize the Caspian as a lake instead of as a sea.

Their main interests under the present situation are to construct a pipeline to deliver Caspian oil in the Iranian ports of the Persian Gulf and to gain for its cause both Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Iran is probably the biggest US adversary in this scenario. For the US an Iran-Turkey pipeline is not a secure gateway for the Caspian Oil and the construction of a trans Iranian pipeline is also among the US biggest fears. The US will use the nuclear controversy with respect to Iran to take any military action in this country should they believe that pipeline is about to be constructed.

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Iran has a friendly relation with Russia that is nothing but a tactical maneuver to try to shield its interests against US interference. Russia is considered an enemy by the Iranian regime but they need each other to sweep their patio before they start their own game.

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Azerbaijan:

This country has a big, and old too, oil and gas industry. It is the biggest oil producer (in the region, obviously Russia and Iran produce more in total) and is the only one sharing borders with both Russia and Iran. It is of key importance for Russian projected new pipeline that will go start in Baku and will pass through Daghestan instead of Chechenia.

Neither Russia or Iran want to, at present time, confront interests in Azerbaijan.

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The US military presence in a ruthless dictatorship such as Turkmenistan, the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and the incredible support to Pakistan as well as the inexplicable understanding given to the double game the Islamabad regime plays suporting both the US and the Taliban depending on their tactical interests, are different aspects of a huge effort to guarantee the US a controlled supply of oil.

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Of course there is a war on terrorism going on but if the US has to undertake a war project against terrorism it will always be more likely that they do it in Afghanistan than in Sudan or Mali, or Morocco.

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In this conflict Spain has troops deployed in a couple of places in Afghanistan, same as other western countries, and our president Zapatero wants us to believe it is for humanitarian reasons. Bullshitting as ever.

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We are in a war against terrorism and it was really handy that this terrorists had their headquarters in one of the key countries the US and maybe the rest of the Western world needs for its plans to get the Caspian oil fueling our way of life.

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I don´t forget I have on assignement to go through the Zapatero alliances with so called democratic parties such as PNV...do not miss it!

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Zapatero´s struggle to keep his political office can end in disaster for all Spaniards

Spain´s Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, known also as ZP by the general public is facing what almost all political analysts consider his worst political year.

ZP has denied the mere existence of an economic crisis and of a credit crunch. When other Western administrations were on their guard getting ready and passing contingency economic laws in order to face the worst part of the recession, ZP was still living, or trying to make us all live, in his particular socialist wonderland, only concerned about such "important" needs for Spaniards as the homosexual marriage or adapting Spain´s 20th Century History to what he would have liked it to be; trying to make sure that we all share his points of views and not giving a damn about the truth if that truth was not "his" truth.

Zapatero is not a clown, although he really looks and sometimes even acts as one, is not a dumb and it is not a fool. Zapatero is the worst among the Spanish political breed. He has never worked for any private company and he began his political career in the university and then in the PSOE in León (North West Spain) where he was famous for his ability to convince and for his ruthless eagerness to climb in the "aparatchik"

He was a dark and silent member of the parliament for several years and in year 2000 he became Secretary General in a very tied vote pushed by the fears and concerns that some Felipe González (Prime Minister from 1982 to 1996) supporters had about the other main candidate (José Bono).

In 2004 he won against all odds the General Elections, just three days after the worst terrorist attack in Western Europe (March 11th 2004) and soon after he became Prime Minister.

The terrorist attack that took place three days before he was elected remains unsolved, the explosive ended up being other different than the one the official version claimed it to be, yet in the three days right after the attack the PSOE mobilized all its terminals and supporters to siege the Partido Popular offices accross Spain and to call former Prime Minister (José María Aznar) a murderer.

For the PSOE and of course for Zapatero, March 11th 2004 must disappear from the political arena same as all the hundreds of tons of train wreckage and passengers personal belongings vanished with no reasonable explanation in less than 3 days.

Now this man, with a very complex mind and a Napoleonioc ego is realizing that his time as Prime Minister is over, and the problem is that he is smart and able to jeopardize Spain´s future to remain one or two more years in office. His good social democrat boy mask has fallen and his smile becomes even more artificial.

The cold facts are devastating. Zapatero has impoverish Spaniards at a fast rate destroying over a million employments when he postulated in his campaign in 2008 "Por el pleno empleo" (Towards the full employment), has increased indirect taxes that hit those lower classes he has always claimed to have defended, has fostered the believe outside Spain that our government is not a trustworthy one when he began saying in Tunez that he recommended other countries to do as he did, that is to pull out of Irak without consulting any ally.

Zapatero has always backed down when confronting dictators such as the ones in Morocco or in Venezuela, has looked to another side when police women were spitted and insulted and threatened by Mohamed VI henchmen (he said that he was some kind of "avenger for women", that may sound odd but is true).

He has taken care of details such as having as many women as men in his cabinet instead of being concerned about having the best of cabinets no matter if that means all women, all men or anything. He has been selling air and not a very good one and now he is about to leave not only empty handed but leaving us all divided, confronted and empty pocketed.

He has lied on and on and deep in his mind he knows that you can lie to someone several times, you can lie to some people some times but you cannot lie to everyone all the time.

I hope his wife Sonsoles can convince this man of getting some 20 or 30 years of holidays.

Tomorrow I shall talk about the alliances that Zapatero will be forced to do to remain in "La Moncloa" Palace another 14 to 18 months and why this alliances can mean even worst news for us all.

I look forward to hearing from you all readers and do not hesitate to comment and to send me articles that I promise I shall post in this blog provided they are correctly argued.

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