The bombing of Baghdad by US and British aircraft has been described as "an act of revenge, nothing more, nothing less" by the former minister for foreign affairs, Mr David Andrews.
Speaking at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday, Mr Andrews (Fianna Fail) said it was "sub-intelligent" to suggest that the bombing was carried out in self-defence.
He had been the leader of a deputation from the committee to Iraq before Christmas to see the effects of UN sanctions. "What we saw there first-hand was quite horrific," he said. He held no brief for Saddam Hussein but the UN sanctions committee should be urged to visit Iraq.
Labour's foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Michael D. Higgins, said it was reported that the decision to launch the air attacks was taken by military personnel rather than elected politicians and it was also being described as a "routine" operation. "This raises the most serious questions."