Dublin: The Taoiseach must get off the fence and deliver the message that Ireland is opposed to a war on Iraq, several hundred anti-war demonstrators were told at a rally outside the US embassy in Dublin at the weekend, writes Nuala Haughey
Labour Party MEP Mr Proinsias de Rossa said US generals were going to carpet-bomb citizens in Iraq, a move which would be a war crime and would result in the kind of casualties not seen since the first World War.
It was not legal to launch a war of pre-emption, and "the Government in my view can no longer sit on the fence".
"It must defend the rule of law; the rule of international law in international relations. Our Constitution obliges the Government of the day to defend international law. We must reflect the overwhelming view of the Irish people that war is neither necessary nor is it legal. By standing up to be counted, Ireland will win far more friends in the United States than we will lose.
"It is increasingly clear that the Bush administration does not even have the support of the American people for a unilateral attack on Iraq."
In any event, the situation was far too grave for Ireland to "sing dumb" on the basis that our so-called national interest was at stake.
"Ireland's national interest lies in having a peaceful, stable world based on international law. It cannot be otherwise."
Mr de Rossa said it was essential that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, delivers the message on March 17th - the date proposed by the US, UK and Spain as a deadline for Iraq to show full co-operation with UN disarmament demands or face invasion - that Ireland does not support the US in its war on Iraq.
The MEP, who recently visited Iraq, was speaking at a rally on Saturday afternoon outside the US embassy organised by the Irish Anti-War Movement under the slogan: "Say No to War - US Military Out of Shannon."
The event was one of many anti-war demonstrations held across the State on Saturday.
The movement's chairman, Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, condemned the "disgraceful complicity" of the Government in the US war drive. Irish people have taken to the streets against the war, and the Government has responded with "arrogance and contempt, rather than listening to the will of the people".
Mr Boyd Barrett outlined protest plans for "Day X," the day any future full-scale invasion of Iraq begins.
At 6 p.m. on that day, protests will be held in every village and town in Ireland, with a 10-minute general stoppage at noon the following day. This would be followed on the first Saturday after "Day X" by mass demonstrations in cities worldwide, including Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Galway and Belfast.
Ms Aoife Ní Fhearrgail, from the Socialist Workers' Party, said global protesters had "managed to delay this war but we haven't stopped the drive to war", and it was important to acknowledge that "people power" does make a difference.
She said the slogan used in the Stop the War Coalition in Britain was: We need to stop the world to stop this war.
She added: "The day after any attack on Iraq, we need to try and shut down the streets and cities all across the world to stop this war.
"If we want to stop this war we have to stop the economic system that breeds it. That system has a name. It's capitalism. If we want to stop war we need to shut down capitalism."
Trinity College reid professor of law, Ms Ivana Bacik, said the proposed war would be illegal, unjustifiable and unnecessary.
Between now and March 17th, "we must call upon our Government to assert our neutrality as a positive thing, not as something to be ashamed of.
"We must call upon the Government to stand up with the governments of old Europe, France and Germany, and take a stance against war and for peace."
UCD academic and feminist activist Ms Ailbhe Smith said it was the first time in many years that she was not celebrating International Women's Day, but was instead joining women across the world marking it as a day of anti-war protest.
She said "smart bombs" killed vulnerable people quickly and precisely so they could not be seen and could not talk, stand up for themselves, or express their bewilderment as to why they are to be killed surgically and smartly.
"Why they, rather than you or me? I abhor that. I cannot bear this language that tells us lies."
She said collateral damage was not an object or a package. It meant disposable or dispensable people; the 90 per cent of casualties in war who were civilians, the majority of whom were women and children.
She said women were not at those tables where war was decided.