“The Need to Reinforce Bilateral Cooperation in the Fight against Jihadi Terrorism

Abstract

The terrorist attacks of March 11 in Madrid, organized by an Islamist cell based in Spain, made it clear that the Jihadist threat is real. This article analyzes the evolution of Spanish foreign policy in relation to Islamist terrorism in the first decade of the 21st century. Two presidents and two different policies: the first one, with José María Aznar, was characterized by its vocation Atlanticist and a close relationship with the United States. The second one, with Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, was marked by the sharp disagreement with Washington and closer relations with the countries of European Union and the Maghreb. The difficulty of reaching agreement on international organizations because of the absence of an agreed definition of terrorism at an international level and because of the presence of some Muslim states that do not separate the independence movements of terrorist groups makes the reinforcement of bilateral relations a key weapon against the threat of Islamist terrorism for its ability to materialize into specific actions.