Why is Spain the most "tough" country in Europe against war?

（Source: Shangguan News）

Since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran, Spain has expressed opposition through clear and specific measures, becoming one of the most “tough” anti-war countries among European nations.

From refusing to open military bases to closing its airspace to relevant military aircraft, Spain has repeatedly taken on the U.S. publicly “head-on.” At the same time, Spain has also been dealing with trade threats and political pressure from the United States.

Multiple “tough” confrontations with the U.S.

According to Xinhua News Agency, on March 31, Spain’s Minister of Defense Robles confirmed that on February 28—the day the U.S. and Israel launched military actions against Iran—Spain decided to restrict the use of Spanish airspace by military aircraft involved in the related military actions. In addition, Spain clearly refused to authorize the U.S. to use two military bases inside Spain to strike Iran.

In remarks to the parliament, Robles said Spain could not accept “two countries dragging the whole world into their war,” and criticized the related military actions for lacking consultation with allies.

Spanish citizens hold anti-war protests. Photo source: Xinhua News Agency

Since the fighting began, Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez has repeatedly publicly condemned the U.S.-Israeli military actions as “extremely serious mistakes,” saying directly, “Someone is setting fire to this world, while others have to bear the ashes—this is unfair.”

In the weeks before the United States and Israel attacked Iran, Spain and the United States engaged in intense negotiations over the deployment of U.S. military aircraft. The United States hoped to deploy B-1 and B-52 bombers in Spain, but Spain refused from the outset to cooperate with a military operation that lacked legal basis. After the military action began, about 15 U.S. KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft also subsequently left Spain for bases in France or Germany.

Where does the “toughness” come from

Spain’s tough stance has triggered a strong reaction from the United States. U.S. President Trump publicly threatened to “cut off all trade ties with Spain.” U.S. Secretary of State Rubio accused Spain of, as a NATO member, refusing U.S. use of its airspace and bases, and hinted that the U.S. might need to reassess NATO after the war.

Spanish Prime Minister reiterates his anti-war stance. Photo source: Xinhua News Agency

Faced with intimidation and pressure from the United States, Spain still insists on its tough anti-war position—so where does the confidence really come from?

First, it comes from reflection on history. The 2004 Madrid “3·11” series of bombings caused heavy casualties, and is regarded as a spillover consequence of Spain’s follow-on involvement in the Iraq War after aligning with the United States. This memory makes Spain highly sensitive to participating in overseas military operations; Prime Minister Sánchez has repeatedly emphasized, “We cannot make the mistake of the past again.”

Second, it is influenced by domestic public opinion. After the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, anti-war rallies broke out in multiple places across Spain, and public opinion generally called on the government to avoid being drawn into the conflict. In the face of public sentiment, anti-war action has become an important tool for the Spanish government to build social consensus and consolidate its governing foundation.

Third, it is constrained by economic structure. Spain’s economy relies heavily on tourism and external energy supplies, and geopolitical conflicts may affect people’s livelihoods through energy prices, transportation costs, and more.

Fourth, Spain’s diplomatic stance. Spain has always emphasized that the U.S.-Israeli military actions “lack a basis in international law,” framing its anti-war stance within the framework of international law, and clearly stating its opposition to “solving everything with bombs.”

Send clear signals

What Spain’s steadfast anti-war position reflects is a renewed re-examination within Europe of “strategic autonomy.”

On the one hand, although U.S.-Spain relations are tense due to current disagreements, there has been no rupture. Spanish economist Balagán pointed out that U.S.-Spain relations are “highly institutionalized” through NATO mechanisms, military base agreements, and the Europe-U.S. trade framework, and that current frictions are more like short-term tensions rather than a structural break.

On the other hand, uncertainty in transatlantic relations is increasing. Some analyses suggest that in recent years, Europe has begun to re-examine its reliance on the U.S. on certain issues, and the disagreements triggered by the Iran issue further reinforce this trend.

Spain is sending clear signals to the international community through concrete actions: calling for peace and opposing war cannot stay at the level of words only, but must be translated into action. Under the principles of international law and the UN Charter, even countries that have U.S. military bases can make independent choices on major issues. This is not only the safeguarding of national interests, but also the commitment to the basic rules of the international order.

Original headline: “The most ‘tough’ anti-war country in Europe—why is it Spain?”

Column editor: Qi Xu

Source: By Author: Xinmin Evening News Wang Ruoxian

A massive amount of information and precise interpretation—available on the Sina Finance APP