Bush's War Wallet grows even fatter

by Ciaron, Damien, Elaine - DCW/PSP5 Fri Apr 22, 2005 14:14 ...there must be someone out there whose name begins with "F" who is interested & available? 087 918 4552

Visual opposition to Ireland's role in Bush's wars seems to be at a minimum in Dublin. We are struggling to keep our weekly vigil afloat. The DCW & Ploughshares have sustained a weekly downtown vigil against the use of Shannon Airport by the U.S war machine since June 2002. First at the GPO, then at the Aviation Authority (who seemed to have upped their security technology since our sit-ins), now we are back at the GPO.

The problem we have is that we need three people minimum on Mondays from 4pm-6pm. One to maintain the shrine to the war dead and two to hold the "U.S. Military out of Shannon" banner facing O'Connel St. Two of us work shift work at a homeless shelter and the other is a fulltime carer for her elderly father...so we three are not always available.

(We are often joined by Colum who maintains his own visual anti-war display form 4-5)

If you find you can join us for a 2 hour shift on any given Monday text us on 087 918 4552 on the day or the day before.

If you can drop by and join us for 20 minutes or whatever (so we can get a coffee or roll a ciggy or get chat to you while we keep on vigilin'). Please do....there are lots of interesting interactions to have with locals passing by, American tourists and folks from the Middle East. Don't just do something, stand there...and it's amazing how much of the world will come to you.

If you're down Limerick way, Ed & Tim and friends need your support in the work they do around Shannon warport.

by Sems Like Sat Apr 23, 2005 01:00

Hope this vigil survives. The Irish anti-war scene is in bad shape.

The Authoritarian left in Ireland seem comfortable in a 6 month cycle of ever decreasing mass rallies and the rumour that the SWP are moving their priorities from anti-war to anti-racism means even this phenomenon will be on the decline (new orders from London or homegrown opportunism, who knows, who cares?)

The Libertarian left in Ireland don't seem to have a proactive focus on Irish involvement in the war on Iraq. They don't seem to be able to muster an annual mobilisation at Shannon (90,000 U.S. troops have passed through in the first 3 months of this year without barely a murmur).

Seems to be this CW vigil & the Ed & Tim show at Shannon are the only visible opposition. They should be supported and accompanied in their small and significant efforts.

by Noel Sat Apr 23, 2005 11:09

It's difficult to muster enthusiasm against a war that's been won.
So don't expect million man marches any time soon.

by Seems like Sat Apr 23, 2005 13:01

Which war are you talking about? What are you reading, if anything, to come to such a conclusion. The peace movment maybe defeated in Ireland, the military resistance has not been defeated in Iraq.
The war has hardly started

When did you think the British had won the war in the north, '68? When did you think the war on Vietnam was over?

Denial just ain't a river in Egypt. Turn off your tv and get on the streets.

by Seems like Sun Apr 24, 2005 13:42

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050424/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

by Zbig Sun Apr 24, 2005 18:59

it's no wonder the anit-war lobby is in such a sad sad mess. the most you seem to be able to do, is argue between yourselves on points that are at best irrelevant to the bigger picture. bertie and the lads must be well satisified if the face of such infantile carry-on. your analysis of the shannon issue and the methods employed to 'highlight' it are embarassing and sucks of secondary school. who really cares if an 'apo' acts like an ass (tims latest shannon expo) , and why devote pages of analysis to something that will always remain on the fringe, the lobby will and cannot move forward under the weight of such bull. please something different and dare i say :ORIGINAL, or just keep to playing conkers.

by Stain' the obvious Sun Apr 24, 2005 22:40

Lead on Zbig, show us the way...or is the comfort of your commentary position to cosy to abandon?