Irish Army Officer Returns Medals in Iraq Protest

national | anti-war / imperialism | press release Sunday September 28, 2003 12:12 by Edward Horgan 086 2380911 or 061-330567

Shannon airport is still being used as a virtual US military base.

Edward Horgan, retired army commandant, and United Nations Peacekeeper will return his medals in proterst at the presence and use of the defacto US military base at Shannon.

Edward Horgan, retired army commandant, and United Nations Peacekeeper

In November 1st, 2000 Edward Horgan, retired army commandant, and United Nations Peacekeeper, wrote an article in the Irish Times on the risks to Irish neutrality in which he undertook to return to the Irish Government, his military medals awarded by the United Nations, and the Irish Defence Forces, if our government took a decision to end Irish neutrality. On the 20
March 2003, the Irish Government ended Irish neutrality by participating in the war against Iraq.

Commandant Horgan now feels obliged to honour his commitment to hand back these medals and certain items associated with his military service, as a symbolic gesture, in protest against Ireland's participation in the war against Iraq, and the loss of Irish neutrality. The medals and other items of uniform will be handed back at Government Buildings, Merion St., Dublin, on Saturday 27 September during the peace demonstration, organised as part of the Global Day of Action against war. They include, the UNFICYP medal awarded for UN peacekeeping services in
Cyprus in 1966, the UNEF medal awarded for UN peacekeeping service in the Middle East (Sinai) in 1973, the Irish Defence Forces Service Medal with bar, awarded for 22 years service, and most importantly, the United Nations special Medal for Peace awarded to all military peacekeepers on the occasion of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to the United Nations in 1988. The uniform emblems being returned include silver parachuting wings, awarded in recognition of paratrooper training completed in 1984, unit insignia for HQ Cavalry Corps, and the Military College, indicating his last posting as a lecturer at the Command and Staff College, Cavalry Corps officer's Glengarry cap, and United Nations Blue Beret, as well as ceremonial lanyards. Of more significance is the original Commissioning Scroll presented to Edward Horgan in September 1973, on the occasion of being commissioned as a Second
Lieutenant into the Irish Defence Forces. This document is signed Eamonn de Valera as President, Sean Lemass, as Taoiseach, and Michael Hilliard as Minister for Defence.

The following statement has been issued by Commandant Horgan:

While I have held each of these items as treasured reminders of my service to the people of Ireland and to United Nations peacekeeping, I feel obliged in conscience to return them because of the dishonourable conduct of the Irish government in abandoning Irish neutrality, contrary to international law, by participating in the war against Iraq in March 2003, thereby actively assisting in the commission of crimes against humanity. Today, 27th September 2003, the war is still in progress, Ireland is still participating in this war, by facilitating the passage of US troops and munitions through Ireland, and by providing a de facto US military base at Shannon airport. Our participation in this war against Iraq, and this loss of Irish
neutrality has not been approved by the Irish people, and poses a very serious threat to international peace and global justice. Irish neutrality and our commitment to global justice must be restored. The smaller countries of the world must reform and improve the UN, and support UN collective security. We must rein in the dogs of war let loose by terrorism, and by states operating beyond the control of international law. International jurisprudence is vital to protect the majority of the world's individuals against terrorists on the lunatic fringe, and against the abuse of power by super-states.

An Taoiseach announced in the US that Ireland is considering offering Irish troops to the UN mission in Iraq, where they would serve under US command. This would be the equivalent of sending Irish troops to the Lebanon in 1982 under Israeli command, after that army had committed crimes against humanity in Palestinian refugee camps. Irish troops should only be sent on genuine UN peacekeeping missions and not as cannon fodder for the US occupation force
in Iraq. He also stated that Ireland is a neutral country. The Irish High Court found, in April 2003, that Ireland had contravened the Hague Convention and customary international laws on neutrality by allowing US troops and munitions to pass through Ireland on their way to the Iraq war. Mr Ahern should either withdraw his statement that Ireland is a neutral country, or appeal the High Court case of Horgan V Ireland, et al, to the Supreme Court.

In his address to the UN on 25th September, Mr Ahern did an amazing U-turn when he stated that he condemned the principle of "pre-emptive" military strikes against potentially dangerous regimes. This statement contradicts the reality that, in March 2003, Ireland shamefully failed to support a United Nations approach to the crisis in Iraq and backed an illegal war by
US led forces against Iraq. Irish participation in this unlawful war helped to kill over 20,000 Iraqi conscript soldiers, and about 10,000 innocent civilians. We helped to murder little children who were incinerated in front of their parents, and parents who were shredded by weapons of mass destruction in front of their children. These crimes against humanity cannot be obliterated by a few well-chosen words in front of the UN.

My action in returning my military emblems and medals is to highlight the shameful crimes committed in our names, in the so-called Irish national interest, and the fact that Shannon airport is still being used as a virtual US military base.