We actually sympathize with the cause of Basque independence, but given everything that is going on in the world, why does anybody think blowing up random civilians is a legitimate means to acheive political aims? The Basque movement does appear to be divided—or does this indicate that the attack was a provocation to sabotage the peace talks? From The New Standard, Jan. 4:

Basque separatists say surprised by deadly ETA bomb

The banned Batasuna party – which about 1 in 7 polled Basques support and is seen by Spain's government as the political wing of Basque guerrillas ETA – has professed surprise at Saturday's car bomb that killed 2 Ecuadorean immigrants and injured another 19 people at a Madrid airport. In response to the first ETA attack to claim a life in over 3 years, the government has ended efforts at dialog during a 9-month ceasefire with the separatists. Batasuna leaders' ignorance of the bomb may signal divisions within the region's independence movement.

See our last posts on Spain and the Basque struggle.

New Years Eve terrorism was also a big item in Thailand this year, as it was in Aceh in 2003-4.