Spain’s refusal to allow the United States to use its military bases at Morón de la Frontera (Seville) and Rota (Cádiz) for its war on Iran, arguing that the US-Israeli attacks are “unilateral military actions outside the United Nations charter” has brought the simmering conflict between Pedro Sanchez, Spain’s socialist Prime Minister and President Trump to a head.  

On Wednesday Sanchez followed up by delivering a stunning rebuke to Trump. Speaking for ten minutes on national television, he said that his government’s position could be summed up in four words: “No a la guerra” (No to war). He described the attacks on Iran as a flagrant violation of international law that threaten to plunge the entire Middle East into terror, hinting that the real aim of the war is to line the pockets of a plutocratic oligarchy. He went on to demand – he was at pains to emphasize that he was demanding – that hostilities cease immediately “before it is too late.” It was an eloquent, impassioned plea that seemed to come from the heart: pacifism has deep roots in Spain.

Meanwhile a furious President Trump has lost no time in announcing that his administration is cutting off all dealings with Spain which he has described as a “horrible” and “unfriendly” ally. “We are going to cut all trade with Spain,” he clarified: “Spain has absolutely nothing that we need other than great people but they don’t have great leadership.”

This is not the first time that Trump has described Spain’s left-wing administration as........

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