JOHN ARDEN,
Madam, - The world is poised on the brink of war. We hope that it is not too late to prevent this conflict and wish to add our voice to the many millions throughout the world who are calling for the momentum towards war to be halted.
Ostensibly the reason for this war is to check the possibility of Saddam Hussein using weapons of mass destruction. But is it not clear that the most immediate victims of his repressive government, his own citizens, are those who will suffer terribly in the event of war?
Furthermore, let us suppose the war is a success in US terms - a short conflict leading to the replacement of Saddam. Will the result be a safer world? Or will we find ourselves in a situation where the bitterness generated by such an invasion results in further violent acts, aimed against the US government and those seen to have supported them?
Wars have always been cloaked with noble ideals, such as the defence of "small nations", "democracy" "freedom". But the actual motives for conflict have very often been far more sinister and predatory.
In this case it suffices to draw attention to the fact that Iraq controls the world's second largest oil reserve.
We oppose a US led war against Iraq. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN ARDEN,
CLARE BOYLAN,
HELEN BRENNAN,
MARY ROSE CALLAGHAN,
LORCAN COLLINS,
MARGARETTA D'ARCY,
EVELYN CONLON,
SHANE CONNAUGHTON,
JOHN F. DEANE,
RAYMOND DEANE,
KATIE DONOVAN,
RODDY DOYLE,
HELEN DWYER,
THEO DORGAN,
BRIAN FRIEL,
ROB SWANNOCK FULTON,
MIRIAM GALLAGHER,
ROBERT GREACEN,
ALEXIS GUILDBRIDE,
RITA ANN HIGGINS,
MÉIRÍN JOHNSON,
FRED JOHNSTON,
JENNIFER JOHNSTON,
BRENDEN KENNELLY,
CONOR KOSTICK,
GAVIN KOSTICK,
LIAM MacUISTIN,
EUGENE McCABE,
SAM MCAUGHTRY,
PAULA MEEHAN,
DANNY MORRISON,
JIMMY MURPHY,
JOE O'CONNOR,
HANS CHRISTIAN OESER,
TOM PAULIN,
ETHNIE ROSENSTOCK,
GABRIEL ROSENSTOCK,
PETER SHERIDAN,
PETER SIRR,
EAMONN SWEENY,
WILLIAM WALL;
On behalf of
"Writers Against the War",
Irish Writers' Centre,
Parnell Square,
Dublin 1.
A chara, - I believe neutrality means that a country takes no part, direct or indirect, in a conflict. It is therefore a black-and-white issue. Surely the allowed passage of personal firearms of American military service personnel through Shannon airport means that that we have taken sides against Iraq. Hence our claim to be neutral is a joke and we should admit to ourselves that we are involved in the coming war.
If we were really want to be neutral, we should prevent this use of Shannon and argue at the UN that America is wrong to engage in unilateral action. Or have the Irish Government, and by extension the Irish people, been so brought to heel by American investment that we will bury our heads in the sand and do nothing? - Is mise,
DARA O' SULLIVAN,
Listowel,
Co Kerry.
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Madam, - As an American who also enjoys Irish citizenship I find the notion of national neutrality an intriguing one, and I would see some sense in the principled stand taken by those people objecting to US troops travelling through Shannon.
As I understand it, though, this is what Irish neutrality says to the world at large: we are small, we are weak, we are inconsequential. Please do not attack us.
For the moment anyway, the earth's mightier nations (and nastier terrorists) are heeding those words - inasmuch as they listen at all to what Ireland has to say. But no scenario is unimaginable these days. My question, then, is this: are the Irish people prepared to support the notion of neutrality with actual defensive force? And further, are they prepared to divert money from health, education, the environment, to ensure that in the (admittedly unlikely) event of attack or occupation, Ireland's defence forces won't need to seek help from outside the State?
Neutrality can be a noble stand, but when it appears driven primarily by economic self-interest or vapid ideology (as the protesters at Shannon are convinced is the case with the US on Iraq), it loses some of its moral lustre. - Yours, etc.,
STEPHEN CORONELLA,
Shankill,
Co Dublin.
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A chara, - "Saddam Hussein has. . .survived sanctions", writes Dennis Murphy (January 28th). He may have done so, but unfortunately UNICEF estimated in 1999 that 500,000 Iraqi children had died as a result of these unjust sanctions.
Such a policy punishes not Saddam, but innocent civilians. I fear that war, UN-backed or not, will also punish the wrong people. - Is mise,
BARRY MAHER,
Brixton,
London.