Introduction to International Politics
Foreign Event Analysis
| Locale | ![[]](http://www.kvasaheim.com/flags/flag15-fr.png "Flag of France, Metropolitan") | France, Metropolitan |
|---|---|---|
| Title |
Suspected ETA Leader Arrested
| |
| Summary |
One of the suspected leaders of the Basque Separatist movement, also known as the ETA, was arrested in France. He was arrested in connection to the killings of two Spanish police officers in Southern France last December. The arrest was the culmination of a joint effort between the Spanish and the French.
| |
| Analysis |
Garikoitz Aspiazu, also known by his alias, Txeroki, was arrested in France this past weekend. Aspiazu is considered a leader of the Basque Separatist movement, known as ETA, which has long aspired for an independent Basque State. The ETA is considered a terrorist organization across Europe for its radical and violent actions. The ETA has been responsible for the deaths of over 820 in its 40-year campaign.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero called the arrest a severe blow to the Basque movement and praised the continued cooperation between the French and Spanish police forces to fight Basque terrorism. In a world where the power struggle is no longer between states, but between states and sub-state actors, the arrest of Aspiazu along with the arrest of Lopez Pena, another suspected ETA leader, back in May of 2008 signifies a significant power shift in the favor of the legitimate governments of France and Spain.
| |
| Perspective |  | Realist |
| In-Region URL | ||
| Out-of-Region URL | ||
| Submitted | November 17, 2008 at 10:03 pm | |
![[Go Cowboys!]](images/osulogo.png "Go Cowboys!")