ERIN SPILLANE,
Madam, - Lest Irish Times readers think that all Americans feel the same as Michael Higgins (January 31st), I thought, as an American living in Ireland, I might write to let them know that some of us feel quite differently.
Mr Higgins's initial argument is an illogical attempt to paint as hypocrites those in Ireland who are anti-war but who make their living in the tourist industry or with a company that has US links. Huh? Does he really think that just because you work for Intel or welcome a group of golfers from the States into your B&B, your hands are somehow bloodied? Or that the bulk of American tourists who travel to Ireland every year will stay away simply because the majority of Irish people are anti-war and are free to speak their minds about it?
Isn't that the "freedom" that Higgins's hero, Bush, says is worth fighting for? It is hard to say who this argument insults more - the Americans or the Irish - but Mr Higgins is so far off base here it is almost laughable.
He also claims that Bush is motivated by a desire never again to "bury 3,000 people". Let's set aside for now the dubious morality that implies is is just fine that Bush should strive never to bury 3,000 Americans, even if it means burying thousands more Iraqis. Instead, I would argue that a US attack on Iraq will only put more Americans - and, by association, more "Westerners" - in danger. This tactless, unbending push for war, as orchestrated by the Bush administration so far, plays directly into the hands of Islamic extremists and alienates otherwise mainstream Muslims world-wide. Furthermore, war with Iraq is sure to destabilise the region and lead to the kind of power vacuum there in which extremists thrive.
Outside the United States, and in particular in the Middle East, the US is losing badly the war of public opinion - a conflict far more important to American security than any action in Iraq. Bush cannot continue to be the bull in the china shop of world affairs. Not only is this war immoral, it's just plain stupid. And rushing headlong into it is what truly puts Americans, and others, at risk. - Yours, etc.,
ERIN SPILLANE,
Ennis,
Co Clare.
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Madam, - An anti-war stance is not an anti American stance.
Whatever deals were agreed between the current administrations in America and Ireland regarding Shannon have nothing to do with the will of the people in either state.
Do we have to have a referendum on everything in this country for this Government to be forced to accept the will of the majority?
We demand neutrality in this and any other war not instigated by ourselves - a war which could only become possible, if we were attacked by another nation within our own borders (now expanded to European).
We have not taken or been asked to take on the mantle of global police. That role can only be sanctioned by a United Nations with the agreement of a majority of nations.
We empathise with all Americans post 9-11, but reserve the right to choose when we assist in the waging of a war. Some may call this selfish. I call it civilised and intelligent. - Yours, etc.,
LYNDA MURPHY,
Oakland's Drive,
Sandymount,
Dublin 4.
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Madam, - Is it too late for us to submit to some serious psychotherapy before we simply self-destuct? To have any credibility today we need to overcome the enormous national guilt complex that is the root cause of our so-called neutrality. Let's face it once and for all and maybe then we can move on.
In the 1930s and 1940s, when the Jewish people in Europe were seeking refuge from Nazi genocide we slammed the door in their faces. To add to our shame we continued to hide behind the flag of neutrality while tens of thousands of brave men and women - including many Irish - fought to defeat the evil regime enslaving Europe. How quickly we forget the truth of the saying, "For evil to triumph all we need is for good men to do nothing."
American citizens have been humiliated and murdered by Arab extremists all over the world since the 1970s, culminating in the Twin Towers mass murder of 9/11. Maybe there are bigger war criminals than Saddam Hussein out there but Iraq is as good a place as any to start sorting out the mess. Our protestations of "neutrality" become fairly transparent when we read what passes for fair comment in some of our papers. Much of the comment is so nakedly pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli and anti-American it prompts the question: are these journalists being funded from Baghdad?
As for the so-called peace camp in Shannon, who do they represent, us or the PLO? The British police realise - possibly too late - that Muslim extremist terrorist cells are well-established there, under the guise of asylum seekers. Do we really think it's any different here, in Britain's back yard, given our open door policy?
Making a stand with our American friends, under the UN flag, we might lose a leg in the ensuing conflict but if goodness prevails we will survive. Sitting on the fence guarantees we lose both legs when the going gets rough. Neutrality is a myth and a cop-out and has no place in a world under threat from international terrorism. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN F MURRAY,
Garrylucas,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
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Madam, - For many years, I have protested at the imposition by the United Nations of sanctions on Iraq. Each month, according to the UN, 5,000 children under the age of five have died in Iraq as a result of these sanctions.
On a number of occasions (including Christmas Day) I stood with a small group of people (12 at most) in protest at the sanctions outside the US and British embassies.
On no occasion was there a single peace campaigner present.
While I am totally opposed to war in Iraq, I am curious to know, where so many anti-war and anti-American protesters have suddenly come from.
They, of course, are right to make their voices heard - peacefully!
One wonders how many lives is worth a barrel of oil. - Yours, etc.,
NIALL ANDREWS MEP,
European Parliament Office,
Molesworth Street,
Dublin 2.
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Madam, - I am alarmed at the uncanny similarity between Colin Powell's aerial photographs of chemical munitions bunkers in Iraq (The Irish Times, February 6th) and RTÉ news footage of illegal sludge pits in Roscommon.
What are we to make of this damning evidence of biological warfare? Will Roscommon be the next legitimate target of the crusaders against the so-called axis of evil? - Yours, etc.,
Dr DAVID MEAGHER,
Ogonnelloe,
Scarriff,
Co Clare.