Independent Media Centre Ireland     http://www.indymedia.ie

War? Killing Innocent People? Defence Minister says 'We're in!'

category national | miscellaneous | news report author Friday January 17, 2003 13:51author by Eoin Dubsky - Refueling Peaceauthor email info at refuelingpeace dot orgauthor phone 087-6941060

The Irish Minister for Defense Michael Smith stated in the clearest terms yet in an interview with RTE yesterday (Webpage: http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0116/shannon.html, RealVideo: http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0116/6news/6news3a.ram) that Ireland will not honour our legal responsibilities as a Neutral Power, and supports the slaugher of people in Iraq.

Putting the 'Mic' into Machiavellian, the Irish Defense Minister said there is no such thing as complete military neutrality, or neutrality at all, when it comes to threats to innocent people. He was wasn't being ironic... he was responding to criticism from groups in Ireland opposed to war, who demand that our consent for US aggressions be withdrawn, and Irish airspace and airports not be used for US military traffic (http://www.indymedia.ie/).

To put it another way, since this deserves emphasis: The Minister for Defense publicly conceded that Ireland is actively supporting US assaults against Iraq, in the knowledge that these actions are killing countless people, and that they contravene our legal responsibilities as a Neutral Power.

Opposition in Ireland to a US invasion of Iraq has grown substantially in recent months, with people speaking up about the state's complicity in the media, the courts, and the Shannon Airport Peace Camp where peace activists witness thousands of troops and military flights refueling on their journey to the Middle East (http://www.shannonpeacecamp.org).

Related Link: http://refuelingpeace.org

Comments (4 of 4)

Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4
Media blackout?
author by Daragh Breathnachpublication date Fri Jan 17, 2003 15:00author address author phone

After seeing this on the RTÉ television news I was looking forward to reading reaciton in today's papers. Not one of the broadsheets seems to be carrying the story but they all talk abotu the 11 war heads being found. Are they self censoring? What the minister obviously meant was that Irish neutrality does not exist when ordinary innocent people's lives are in danger unless they are ordinary innocent Iraqi lives in which case we are on the side of the people putting them in danger. Why has not one paper picked him up on this?

The European member states are presently positioning themselves on the UN resolution trick.
author by iosaf jedi of the grapevine.publication date Fri Jan 17, 2003 15:20author address author phone

So far declared;
UK Italy Spain with US.
France Germany opposed.
Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Turkey
not quite fallen into step with France Germany.
Neutral Power alignment;
Ireland with US UK.
presently still commited to escalation.
Austria with France/Germany
has sought to end escalation.
Finland with Russia.
Russia supporting UN inspection mission.
Sweden with Finland.
Poland Czech republic Hungary with Germany/Russia.

not all states declared.
States declared in favour of US/UK
all suffering internal unrest with governments considered to be "unpopular".

Why is Ireland still committed to escalation?

Mr Cowan and assitants attended Prague.
We know what was said.
so
Why is Ireland still supporting escalation?
Mr Cowen at the fiftyfourth second of his morning Ireland interview on RTE yesterday claimed that the Irish electorate could not understand European issues and the complexity of the European constitution.
Sorry but that really is not true.
We want our votes.

I understand the European constitution because I andmy weird friends have written parts of it Mr Cowan.
or is Cowen?
o as if

will it be spelt right? think not. :-)
author by good luck with constitution iosaf.publication date Fri Jan 17, 2003 22:44author address author phone

meanwhile
-- The writer is a Prague-based free-lance writer and documentary filmmaker. She is a frequent contributor to these pages.

those pages being praguepost
go read her article.
then think about those who were caught up innocently in the Irish troubles.
How many for such a small conflict.
how many years did they serve for crimes they never commited?
But the movies and books were good.

http://www.praguepost.com/P03/2003/Art/0115/opin1.php

Coean et al flouting international law
author by legal eaglepublication date Sat Jan 18, 2003 00:46author address author phone

Ireland is in breach of international law in allowing US war planes to land on its territory. This is the most overlooked aspect of this governments disregard of their responsibilities.

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/24332

Indymedia Ireland is a media collective. We are independent volunteer citizen journalists producing and distributing the authentic voices of the people. Indymedia Ireland is an open news project where anyone can post their own news, comment, videos or photos about Ireland or related matters.