TREVOR SARGENT, TD,
Madam, - The Green Party/Comhaontas Glas has grown from the principles of peaceful conflict resolution. Might I remind the public that we do not condone law-breaking or vandalism. The courts have yet to decide on the case of measures taken to prevent a US military aircraft at Shannon proceeding to a war which does not have a UN mandate. It can be argued that under the Criminal Act 1991, there are circumstances when damage to property has "legal excuse". However, unlike Mr Fitzharris, I do not wish to put myself in contempt of court by pre-judging the outcome of the case.
On the other hand, the tyrant Saddam Hussein is under threat of death from President Bush of the US, as are many innocent Iraqis. No court case before sentence of death is passed on the Iraqi people; however US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld tells us that the US is at war with Iraq already. Without a further UN resolution, which needs to conform with the UN Charter, a war against Iraq is a breach of international law. By partaking in this war, the Irish Government is not only a party to this criminal act but is also in breach of Irish law.
Apart from pursuing an alternative to the enormous human, political, economic and environmental long-term tragedy of a second Gulf War, the Green Party/Comhaontas Glas is also in support of compliance with the law. Raining terror on an impoverished people is a grotesque criminal activity that must be stopped and I am thankful that the majority of people in Ireland and the US feel the same, according to opinion polls. - Yours, etc.,
TREVOR SARGENT, TD,
Leader, Green
Party/Comhaontas Glas,
Dáil Éireann,
Baile Átha Cliath 2.
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Madam, - The US Navy Boeing 737 damaged last week at Shannon has again become the butt of anti-war activists. As an American student doing a law degree at Trinity College, I am outraged at the recent attacks on aircraft parked at Shannon.
Of primary importance and concern is the issue of security at Shannon Airport. Last week the Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan, assured the public that security had been stepped up at the airport to prevent any further attacks. Clearly, that is not the case. If security had been stepped up no civilians would have been able once more to get on to the tarmac at Shannon. If an ordinary member of the public can do this, surely any trained terrorist, belonging to a group such as al-Qaeda, or the IRA for that matter, could target commercial aircraft.
If such attacks (and costly damage) continue there will be significant economic repercussions. According to reports last week one airline, World Airways, has ceased using Shannon for stopovers and is now flying through Frankfurt. Of course, that pleases the protesters at the Shannon "peace camp", as it is paradoxically named. But at what expense does this come? Hotels and businesses in the Shannon region have already suffered losses as the result of 9/11 and now face further losses if airlines cease to use the airport because of security breaches.
Hotels in the area depend on the business of the airlines using Shannon for crew stopovers. Catering companies are at risk. Fuel companies will lose business if US military aircraft stop landing at Shannon. All this means lost jobs. People "just doing their jobs" won't take too kindly to the idea that it was their fellow countrymen who caused them to be lost.
And may I direct the protesters to the address of Dáil Éireann? Perhaps TDs would take their case more seriously if they were to set up camp on Kildare Street. It is the government of this country that invited the American military to use Shannon Airport for stopovers. I may not agree with the objectives of the Shannon Protesters, but they do have every right to voice their sentiments. But they should redirect their attention to Dáil Eireann, Bertie Ahern, and Seamus Brennan, all with addresses in Dublin, not Shannon. - Yours, etc.,
SEAN P. McMAHON,
Lower Mount Street,
Dublin 2.
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Madam, - What a sad day for the nation when the forces of a friendly country and our own Garda Síochána are forced to call in the Army to protect themselves from "peace campaigners" on Irish shores.
Peace campaigners with hatchets and hammers - isn't this a contradiction in terms? - Yours, etc.,
PETER FITZPATRICK,
Darlinghurst,
Sydney,
Australia.
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Madam, - I always thought that in a democracy the purpose of the army was to protect the citizens from foreign military powers. In our democracy, apparently, the army is used to protect foreign military powers from the citizens. - Yours, etc.,,
BRIAN MacGABHANN,
Béal an Daingin,
Conamara,
Co na Gaillimhe.
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Madam, - Michael Higgins (January 31st) thinks we Irish should pocket our tourist and multinational dollars, quit our "yapping", and give the American boys and girls in khaki a slap on the back as they pass through Shannon. Otherwise, he threatens, the US media will demonise Ireland and it will "not play well" for us.
Personally, I'm not convinced. Multinationals are not motivated by selfless principle and will move on to Eastern Europe or Asia as soon as their Wall Street analysts tell them to. As for tourism, the opinion polls tell us that Mr Higgins is at odds with his fellow Americans: in the US, the majority are clearly against the unsanctioned bombing of Baghdad.
Either way, I place a higher value on my right to yap; I call it freedom of speech. - Yours, etc.,
PETER MURPHY,
Mount Prospect Park,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
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Madam, - Niall O'Dowd (Opinion, February 4th) relates the tale of one of his colleagues who was ashamed to be Irish-American because of a perceived coldness towards a US soldier at Shannon. Surely, if the supply of guns from Irish-Americans to paramilitaries in Northern Ireland to kill not only black men serving in the British Army but Irish men and women wasn't bothersome to much of Irish America, then dragging out the schmaltz of Blarney Stone Ireland in order to score a political point really offers a most unfortunate hostage to fortune. - Yours, etc.,
JUDITH GOLDBERGER,
Redwood City,
California,
USA.
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Madam, - Why all the fuss about the US using Shannon to ferry troops and arms to Kuwait, in preparation for its attack on Iraq?
Surely if the Iraqis sought permission to use Shannon to fly a few rockets to, say, Cuba, our Government, operating an even-handed neutrality, would agree.
After all, we are a neutral country. Aren't we? - Yours, etc.,
HUGH O'NEILL,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.