BRENDAN BUTLER,
Sir, - Now that the Bush administration is putting the final touches to plans for the invasion of Iraq the Irish Government should heed the advice of the US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld: "Leadership in the right direction finds followers and supporters" (The Irish Times, August 29th).
The Government, for an historic once, should show moral leadership, get down off the fence and make it clear to the Bush administration that the use of Shannon airport as a transit point for the massing of US forces to invade Iraq is out of the question - and also that the overflying of Irish air space by such an offensive force will not be tolerated.
This type of symbolic moral leadership in the face of an aggressive world power is what Irish neutrality should entail in practice.It should mean being a positive and fearless voice for peace and justice in society no matter where grave injustices exist.
If the Irish Government allows the use of Shannon airport for such an immoral and offensive act such as an attack on Iraq it will finally show the morass of moral bankruptcy to which Irish political life has dragged the honour and good name of Ireland. - Yours, etc.,
BRENDAN BUTLER,
Pennock Hill,
Swords, Co Dublin.