Al Qaida should be very happy that it has influenced the Spanish elections:

MADRID, Spain — Voters punished Spain's ruling party in elections Sunday, with many saying they were shaken by bombings in Madrid and furious with the government for backing the Iraq war and making their country a target for Al Qaeda (search).

Does terrorism work?

Until the bombing, the conservative Popular Party was projected by most polls to beat the Socialists, although perhaps without retaining their majority in the 350-seat Congress of Deputies.

And not in the way it should.

AFTERTHOUGHT: "Socialism or death!" might not be a bad campaign slogan....

MORE: Reading through this article, I am struck at what I can only call a potentially dishonorable election result. I say "dishonorable" because Spain sent soldiers to Iraq and Aghanistan for the country's national defense (as part of an international war against terrorism). The attack on Spain in retaliation actually vindicates the decision to fight the terrorists -- precisely because it shows the true murderously evil nature of the enemy Spain has been fighting to defeat. To withdraw their support now because of such an attack would constitute surrender. (Via Glenn Reynolds.)

On the tape, a man speaking in Moroccan-accented Arabic said al-Qaeda had retaliated for Spain's support for Washington.

"If you don't stop your injustices, more blood will flow and these attacks are very little compared with what may happen with what you call terrorism," he said, according to a transcript in Spanish from the Interior Ministry. The tape was not released.

The man, who said he was speaking for Abu Dujan al Afgani whom he described as military spokesperson of al-Qaeda in Europe, referred to Iraq and Afghanistan where Spain has troops.

The caller noted the March 11 blasts occurred exactly two-and-a-half years after the September 11 attacks on the United States.

I hate to see terrorists win.

I hope they don't.