Furious exchanges in the Dáil today saw a walk-out by Green Party TDs, the Taoiseach produce his own evidence of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the promise of a the review of the military use of Shannon.
Mr Ahern told deputies that the policy of allowing US military planes use Shannon would be brought before the Dáil - in the event of unilateral action in the Gulf.
He defended Government policy of allowing US planes carrying munitions using Shannon saying UN Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan "is not opposed to the military build-up to try to get compliance" to UN resolutions.
But the Green Party were unimpressed and drew the ire of the leas Cean Comhairle by unfurling a "No to War" banner before staging a walk-out.
"You are completely out of order," amid jeers from the Fine Gael benches that the Greens were "full of slogans".
Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny complained about the lack of debate and demanded what the cabinet thinking on possible future events might be.
Mr Ahern refused to be drawn before claiming "Saddam Hussein and his corrupt regime" were hiding 6,500 chemical bombs.