I am skeptical about the response of Spaniards to the tragic massacre of their fellow innocents. It could just as likely work against the war on terrorism.

Already some Spaniards blame their prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar, for the atrocity because of his alliance with Bush in the invasion of Iraq where over a thousand Spanish troops are stationed. Not a few already believe that the prime minister hopes it is the Basque separatist group, ETA, that is behind the bombings. If the ETA is behind them, then it will be a political coup for Aznar's anointed successor, Mariano Rajoy, because Aznar has been a foe of the separatist group and his opposition to it will be vindicated. However, if it proves to be al Queda or some other Islamist group, that could mean that Rajoy's anti-war and Socialist opponent, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, succeeds Aznar because the attack will be viewed as payback for the prime minister's alliance with the United States in the war on terrorism. The elections tomorrow should determined what happens.

What kind of game is being played? To begin with, Spain claims to have arrested five men in connection with the bombings. So are we to believe this was not a suicide bombing? If so, how very un-al Queda. Furthermore, two are claimed by Spanish authorities to be Spaniards of "Hindu" origin. That must mean Indian and presumably Muslim? This is obviously the fog of hysteria or simply careless reporting.

Now street protestors in Spain are holding signs that read "Peace" and "Cover Up," in a gathering blame-fest against Aznar. I fear the worst. The attacks are most likely the work of Islamists but that will not create momentum for the war on terrorism but its opposite: a potential pull-out of Spain from Iraq. Rather than redouble a commitment to the war on terrorism, the attacks will undermine Aznar's alliance with the United States.

No doubt the Islamists, like Saddam Hussein, know that the West is weak precisely because it is divided. What better way to exacerbate that division than by forcing the Spaniards, many of whom never supported Aznar's decision to join Bush in the invasion of Iraq, to rethink their government's stance in the war on terrorism? If so, then the massacre was a stroke of genius.

My worst fears may come true. We will have to see more carnage in Europe before there is serious resolve in fighting Islamo-fascism.