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Shame at Shannon
The article is taken from this weekends "Limerick Leader". not yet available on the net so reprinted here in full. SHAME AT SHANNON Brendan Halligan, Limerick Leader Saturday October 26, 2002 How quickly we forget in the immediate aftermath of September 11 we wept with the United States. We vowed to defend our shared democratic values. We pledged to co-operate with America in her determination punish the terrorists whoever they are, wherever they are and whatever the materials cost. And we insisted that precious notions of neutrality which equate rogue states with legitimate democracies would not get in the way. We lied. Or so it may seem. We may have meant what we said at the time but once the communal sense of shock had subsided we reverted to type. Apathy resumes its reign. And so we said nothing when commentators on this side of the Atlantic began to hint that America was somehow to some extent responsible for her own suffering. It is true that America has made mistakes in her conduct of world affairs. But nothing she has done or failed to docould ever excuse September 11. And when we said nothing when the poison of anti-Americanism was reintroduced to the mix that is Irish politics. Anti-Americanism isn’t the questioning of particular aspects of American foreign policy. It is the presumption that American intentions are malign. The truth is the exact opposite. America might be hamfisted, even reckless, in some of her actions. But America and Americans mean well. How do we know this? Because America is our best friend. And America is our best friend becausewe know her so well. But if no other nation is emotionallt closer to America than Ireland, no other region in Ireland is emotionally closer than the Mid-West. Our historical relationship has been intensified in our time by the ascent of Shannon and all the American blessings, social and economic, that have been showered on our community. How obscene then, that Shannon should become the focal point of Irish anti-Americanism. The airport is targeted bu demonstrators on the pretext that troop carrying us planes touching down there are breaching Irish neutrality. In fact, of course they are not they are doing no such thing, They are violating neither our constitution nor our laws. Their refuelling is merely a continuation of time-honoured custom and routine practice under successive governments. Besides, military neutrality should not mean moral neutrality. The day may yet dawn when designating Shannon as an active staging post in the war against international terrorism is not only permissable but essential in defence of humanity. Meanwhile, the vast majority of theIrish people ought not allow themselves to be misrepresented by a tiny minority of unrepresentative zealots. And the vast majority of our politicians, who wish America well, should refrain from giving a different impression. They have the right to independently scrutinise any proposed operation by democratic America but they have a duty not to allow such scrutiny to be seen as support, however tacit, for any rogue state. In short, across the country but especially in the Shannon region, in the war against international terrorism we should never forget which side we are on.
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Comments (6 of 6)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6Terrorism is held by the international community to mean the use of Terror to achieve political goals.
Terror of death, starvation, and war.
If we must again consider the terrorist events of 2001 Sept. 11 as opposed to the terrorist events of 1974 Sept.11 or any other year, we remember terrorised people that is true.
But to which political end were they terrorised?
At the completion of one year, the geo-political balance appears to have copperfastened US military and economic interests most particularly those interests associated with the Oil industry in countries such as the "stan" republics of the former Soviet Union, where the US military now maintain bases.
Would I be disingenous to argue that that was a political goal achieved by terror?
Would I be disingenous or "anti-american" to argue that the american and european people fell more at risk from bio-chemical attack than at any other stage since WW2? I think not, sales of "counter-biological" protective clothing and gasmasks have increased to levels unknown since state issued gasmasks in the WW2 period.
Would I be disingenous to argue that "democracy" itself had been sullied in the eyes of many American citizens in the aftermath of the Gore/Bush Election recounts?
Would I be disingenous to point out that in excess of five million citizens of the USA have taken to the streets in the last four months to protest against the course of action taken by their government in widening the current state of war to include not only "the war against international terrorism" but to also include "a war against Saddam".
Would I be foolish and naive to point out that only the secret services themselves presumably know how many times bio-chemical weaponry has nearly been used in Europe? (The same for dirty atomic material bombs). Would I be a whinging cowardly fool to point out that Ireland herself is at risk if one of the softest nuclear targets in Europe were attacked?
Maybe...
I am not anti-american.
I am a European.
To paraphrase the words of the French foreign ministry yesterday "Europeans look forward to world of peaceful co-operation and sustainable development" as opposed to one of "full spectrum dominance", that nonsensical term which drives current american foreign policy.
I am a European, I live next to beaches where depleted uranium has washed up on the sand lnog after the Limerick Leader has forgotten the balkan conflicts.
I am a European, I daily see the seething mutual misunderstanding between those who originate to on the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea and those to the North.
I am a European, amongst my neighbour "states" are included two more countries deemed to be "state sponsers of terrorism" by the USA State Dept. I further note that they are also deemed to be major producers of Oil.
Forgive me Limerick Leader if by being a European, by noticing the tender and sensitive postition of my continent as regards the enemies military, political or economic of the US I see Americans in their ignorance cause future problems for my continent.
Forgive me Limerick Leader for thinking the Irish were Europeans when obviously for you they are merely the rump of a migrant people now safely naturalised as American citizens.
I would like to urge people who read the above article, and feel strongly about it,to contact the Limerick Leader (see details at related link)and let them know how you feel as well as posting here.
grá,
Joe
on behalf of the Shannon protesters
or the wider European Neutrality movement.
with this curious piece of circular logic you have scooped the prestigious "Suckling Yankee War-Monger´s Ass-Slime Award 2002", a trophy reputedly highly coveted amongst scavenging provincial JournoWhores such as yourself.
Your prize consists of a precision laser-guided 6-Tonne Napalm munition carelessly dropped upon your witless skull from an altitude of 40,000 Metres by the blundering, dope-addled pilot of a US military gunship in illegal transit over Ireland.
Enjoy the 'Friendly Fire', Brenda !!
Schalom, BlackPope
PS: By the way, Brenda, don't talk anymore about 'Anti-Americanism'. The above embarassing sample of your so-called thoughts only served to display your total ignorance and aversion to differentiation and analysis. In short, you wouldn't recognise an 'Anti-American' even if he had just latched his teeth in your flabby white ass. Please, just go back to being *QUIET* trash.
of Bum-Bandit Halligan trying to insert himself into Butsch's Colon via me. But then I very much enjoy having editors fisting around in there, just as God W.[horeMeister] Butcher enjoys having Tischockks excavating his own sacred buttocks.
Keep up de good work, Brenda - girls like you will never be short of a trick in my Irish Province of Yankilandia.
With fond memories,
Bertrude Ahern's Colon
PS: Please send more copies of your rag for cheek cleansing purposes. I am a very busy and professional Colon.
An excellent editorial by Mr. Halligan for which he is to be praised by all right thinking people. For too long Indymedia has been dominated by these left wing subversive elements who seek to damage our relations with a friendly country such as United States. Our assistance to the U.S. aircraft landing at Shannon is our small contribution to the war against international terrorism. Our contribution will also have positive economic benefits for the mid west region. What contribution to our economy and country have the two layabouts who vandalised a U.S. aircraft made?