|
The attacks on the
U.S. on September 11th
2001 brought violent death
on a scale that is all
too familiar in many developing
countries. The initial
reaction of shock and
horror, and a questioning
of US foreign policy,
unfortunately soon gave
way to the more familiar
beating of the drums of
war. War in Afghanistan
and the pursuit of Osama
Bin Laden was quickly
followed by the targeting
of Iraq and another war
which began in March 2003.
The Irish Government's
role throughout has been
appalling, consisting
of the unsolicited handing
over of landing facilities
at Shannon Airport, first
to the war in Afghanistan
and later for the war
in Iraq, a war that doesn't
even have the approval
of the UN Security Council.
The Dáil debate
which followed the commencement
of war in Iraq, produced
some of the most shameful
statements ever heard
in Dáil Éireann.
The Tainiste Mary Harney
said 'The US and Britain
are our closest friends
who have helped us work
for peace over terrorism
in our own country …
we trust them as friends.'
Does this trust extend
to the killing of four
young sisters between
the age of 2 and 9 in
a bombing raid on Iraq
on March 25th? Does the
'pursuit of peace' extend
to the killing and wounding
of at least fifteen civilians
in a market in Baghdad?
It is ironic to the point
of tragedy that the Irish
government perceives complicity
in an illegal and unjustifiable
war, involving the killing
of innocent civilians,
as appropriate repayment
for support of the peace
process in Ireland.
The Taoiseach added that
'the US and Britain {are}
Ireland's partners in
the Northern Ireland Peace
Process, working with
us to bring peace to our
island. They are our biggest
trading partners, they
are the biggest foreign
investors in our economy.'
Such shameful placing
of crude self-interest
above the lives of the
Iraqi people marks an
all time low in political
discourse in Ireland.
The Taoiseach's sordid
attempt to use the peace
process and investments
as excuses for facilitating
an illegal war is cynical
in the extreme.
This is a bleak moment
in world history as the
Bush administration supported
by Britain attempts to
shape the Middle East
in its own image and likeness
through use of bombs,
bullets and propaganda.
The makers of war and
the makers of weapons
of war are jubilant. Mr.
Bush has asked for an
additional $ 75 billion
(on top of a US military
budget already in excess
of $ 300 billion annually)
to execute this disastrous
war.
As Irish people we are
shamed that our government
has bought into the lies
and propaganda of the
US/UK axis because of
cowardice and sickening
self-interest.
Joe Murray
Afri Coordinator
|
