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PARTISAN REVIEW
investment as well as a defense base . But it is possible , after all , that the
American interest , as interpreted by Mr. Kissinger , will see itself better served
by Arias than by Carrero and his technocrats in the Opus Dei, ousted after his
death .
The essential question , after all , is stability , in the European defense
alliance as well as in Spain. The Opus Dei was instrumental inJuan Carlos's
nomination as Franco 's successor but, as the confusion of last summer clearly
shows, was unable ro manage a transition . Portugal has meant another change
in the balance of power in the Mediterranean requiring, in the State
Department' s view , a more flexible Spanish Government than the Carrero–
Opus Dei combine , reminiscent of Gaullist pride and blindness.
Perhaps for ideological as well as strategic reasons , Kissinger has implied
that the European Social Democrats should be both more concrete and more
flexible in what they ask of Spanish officials . He would , apparently, like to see
a strong , Western-oriented Social Democratic force loosen the c.P . 's grip on
the popular opposition movement .
Until a few months ago , the Spanish Communists, like the Italians
to
whom they are closely linked, were not on very good terms with the Soviet
Union . Ironically , this fact probably militated against the American interest ,
since America is not essentially anti-Soviet , but rather , anti-socialist and
anti-Communist . As capitalists begin to think of the Soviets less as the Fathers
of Socialism and more as trading partners, the best guarantee of a " good boy "
C.
P. in Spain, or in any European country , is a Soviet-oriented
C.
P., respect–
ful of Soviet-American agreements .
Hence , perhaps , the surprising reconciliation of the U.S.S.R. and the
Spanish c.P . last fall. The new friendship will increase the party 's credibility
to
the right .
Spain , it 's been said, might tip the balance of Europe
to
socialism. Such
prophesies add little to a correct understanding of events . But the American
left should be awake
to
the need for blocking the tendency of America to
prevent further advances toward socialism .
P.S. The latest international developments seem to validate what we ' ve said
above . Efforts (including American)
to
get Franco
to
retire in favor of Juan
Carlos, on the basis of a limited "democratic " pact embracing the moderate
left and excluding Communists and ETA independentists , continue. President
Ford 's visit
to
Madrid should be understood against this background.
Divisions within the military led some of them (like Comandante
Bosquests and CapitanJulbe) to approach democratic oppositionists (and be
arrested) ; they only accelerated maneuvers in the circles and around the
regime .
