US TROOPS weren't good enough for the October 12 parade, which is Spain's national holiday; Zapatero preferred the French ones. But the most amazing thing is who Spain's current government chose to invite to the celebration too, in equal footing to the other participants:

The Spanish government has sparked a fierce row by inviting a soldier who fought with Hitler's Wehrmacht to share the podium at the national day military parade today with a republican veteran of the Spanish Civil War.

The defence minister, Jose Bono, who was once caught on microphone calling Tony Blair a "complete dickhead" [this is has become a staple on every information on Spain by UK's The Telegraph; almost like when James Taranto always says "who by the way served in Vietnam" every time he mentions Kerry], said the presence of the former member of the Spanish Blue Division, recruited to fight for the Nazis in the Second World War, was part of the reconciliation process between the two opposing sides in the 1936-39 civil war.

So besides being the first to run scared from Iraq, our country just added another world record: honoring people who fought with the Nazis. That's something that not even the French -let alone the Germans- would have dared to do.

Jimmy is amazed at this lack of judgement:

You know, that’s a great idea. That sounds like a great way to commemorate the liberation of Paris. First, disinvite the US, without which Paris would never have been liberated. Then invite the troops of the country that actually needed to be liberated back then. Then don’t leave the representative of the Spanish soldiers who actually did fight to liberate Paris on the stage by himself - make him stand up there with a Nazi sympathizer!

Yeah that Minister Bono. He’s got a keen grasp of history, he does.

Ed Morrisey, who remembers that Defense minister Jose Bono had said that US troops had been disinvited from the parade because Spain "was no longer subordinated and kneeling before Washington" writes:

So now the Spaniard Socialists subordinate and kneel to the Nazis? One wonders exactly where the Wehrmacht will march in the parade. The natural position will be in front of the French, if the Spaniards really intend on commemmorating World War II, and probably trying to drag the Spaniards along, too.

Can't blame Cap'n Ed; quite a few of us over here are embarrased.

UPDATE. Look! Subversive commandos in Madrid during the parade!



And another!



Those are two screencaps from TV (thanks, Fernando!); apparently several people decided to show up at the parade waving American flags; somebody I know told me that there weren't too many (health hazard!), but he was pleasantly surprised when he saw quite a few more than he expected. So perhaps not all's lost over here, after all.

Hopefully I'll have some pics taken by real people; will post them when I get them.