Shannon Dail Debate Thursday: Vive La Resistance

national | miscellaneous | news report

Tuesday March 18, 2003 22:01

by imcer

Wrap-up of Recent Anti War Articles on IMCIRL

As Anti War Protests in Ireland Continue it is clear that the UK and US are about to attack Iraq without UN backing.

As Anti War Protests in Ireland Continue (-2)(-1) (0)(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7) it is clear that the UK and US are about to attack Iraq(8)without UN backing (9).

The Dail has been recalled for Thursday 20th March amid calls from opposition (10)(11) and Government TD’s for a debate on the prospect of war. The debate will focus on the government’s position (11) on allowing US Military use of Shannon Airport (12) during a war without a UN Mandate. Activists have been urged to make their voices heard (13) in advance of the debate and the idea of a protest outside the dail on Thursday has been mooted. (14)

The Shannon saga continues with a growing list (15) of Activists facing court cases (16) due to the fallout from protests at the Airport. Calls for solidarity (17) with those arrested as well as letters (18) from inside Limerick Prison (19) have also been published recently by contributors. US Military use of the Airport is continuing (20 with the support of local political and business interests (21) despite continued opposition from activists (22), some of whom have called for citizens to take action (23) against what they see as the criminal nature of the Government’s continued involvement in the US war effort.

Groups including Busdrivers (24), Unions (25) and Schoolkids (26) have begun planning actions for ‘Day X’ - the day the War starts. Day-X actions are being called for by the Irish Anti-War Movement (27). A list of local Anti-War groups in Ireland is now available on their website (28). The IAWM is also calling for a series of National demonstrations on the Saturday following the outbreak of War. Arrangements for a Cork demonstration (29) on Saturday 22nd march have already appeared on the newswire - as have details of ongoing Vigils in Dublin by the Catholic Workers (30) and Women in Black (31).

Debate on the merits of Direct Action has died down here at present but in the UK (32) (33), USA (35), Australia (36) and Italy (37) - direct action tactics are being widely employed by those strongly opposing the war.

Comments (1 of 1)

by Intransigent

Tue Mar 18, 2003 22:29

Yeah but it's all a little late don't ya think? By thursday we will probably have witnessed the start of the war. The deadline ran out monday, early monday. But Bertie chooses to wait until they start. By now the use of Shannon will not be greatly required I would assume. There are already about 250000 US troops in Kuwait. How many of those came through shannon? Bertie must remove the use of Shannon from US troops though he is unlikely to do so. And Fine Gael have suddenly come out against the war after trying to convince people not to go on the protest march against the war on february 15. Hurray for the talking shop that is the dail. Just don't expect anything to come out of a debate. Ahern never answers the questions posed to him anyway.