(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in Spain clearly disagree with a former president’s decision to back the coalition effort, according to a poll by Sigma Dos published in El Mundo. 81.1 per cent of respondents think José María Aznar was wrong in supporting the Iraq War.

Aznar—a member of the conservative Popular Party (PP)—governed Spain from 1996 to 2004. In 2003, Aznar backed the United States-led coalition effort in Iraq. On Mar. 16, 2003, Aznar participated in a high-level meeting at the Azores islands with U.S. president George Bush, British prime minister Tony Blair and Portuguese prime minister Jose Durao Barroso.

In September 2007, the transcript of a conversation between Aznar and U.S. president George W. Bush—which took place on Feb. 22, 2003—was made public. Aznar calls on Bush to "help" in the public opinion arena, because supporting the coalition effort would mean "a change in a policy that Spain has followed for 200 years."

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero of the Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE) was sworn in as president in April 2004, following his party’s victory in the legislative election. Zapatero ordered the return of Spain’s 1,420 soldiers stationed in Iraq just hours after naming his cabinet.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein’s regime was launched in March 2003. At least 4,458 soldiers from 23 nations—including 11 Spaniards—have died during the military operation.

In March 2008, Aznar defended his decision to support the coalition effort, saying, "The Iraqi people can take part in elections, and speak freely. There is freedom in the country and the possibility of establishing a democracy. (...) The world is better off without Saddam Hussein and without the Taliban."

Polling Data

Do you think former Spanish president José María Aznar was right or wrong in supporting the Iraq War?

Source: Sigma Dos / El Mundo
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Spanish adults, conducted in August 2008. Margin of error is 3.16 per cent.

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