Spanish stupidity

You know, I lived in Spain from 1987-90, and I don't recall the Spanish as bing this stupid. Now, my husband and I were based in southern Spain, not in a major city, and fifteen years can certainly make a difference in how people think. But geeze!

From CNN:

A Spanish judge issued an international arrest warrant Wednesday for three U.S. soldiers, charging them with murder in the death of Spanish TV cameraman Jose Couso in Baghdad, Iraq.

Couso, who worked for Spain's Telecinco network, died at the Palestine Hotel on April 8, 2003, as U.S. forces advanced to take control of the city in April 2003.

Investigating magistrate Santiago Pedraz of the National Court will seek the extradition of the soldiers to Spain, a court spokeswoman told CNN.

They are wanted for "murder" and "a crime against the international community," according to the warrant, a copy of which was viewed by CNN partner network CNN+.

My friend Raven posts "Spain Issues Arrest Warrents for American Soldiers" and speculates whether the Spanish have gone mad.

The sputtering and spoiled Spanish have gone MAD. First they wimp out and leave Iraq, after the Islamafreakoids bombed their trains in Madrid. Now they’ve joined the “International Condemn America Club”.

They’re seeking criminal charges against US soliders for the death of a journalist-in the war zone- a couple years ago.

I see that Cox & Forkum have reposted Targeted, a cartoon from February during the Eason Jordan affair. C&F point over to the Mudville Gazette, which has a very detailed account of the battle and the events leading to the journalists' deaths. That information is very clear that, although a tragic mistake, the accidental deaths were far from murder.

Barcepundit, who I've never read before (thanks, C&F for linking to him) has this scathing comment:

Anyway, I think there are grounds for not only not prosecuting the 3 GIs under war legislation, but for arresting all the journalists that were so keen to play witness to what had happened in the Palestine hotel. (all emphasis mine)

Works for me.