PANA tells Forum on Europe No Vote next year for Fianna Fáil, PD & Fine Gael pro-war policies

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | press release Wednesday September 13, 2006 11:25 by Sinéad Ní Bhroin on behalf of - PANA

PANA Press
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www.pana.ie
Contact Roger Cole 087 2611597

PANA’s Chairperson Roger Cole will tomorrow welcome Hans Blix, Chair of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission and former Chairman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, to the National Forum on Europe which serves to promote public debate on the EU, its future & Ireland’s place within it.

During his speech to the Forum Cole intends highlighting the Irish Governments unquestioning support for US foreign policy despite the wants or worries of its own citizens.

On February 15th 2003 near on 100,000 Irish people took to the streets of Dublin in a demonstration against the impending attack on Iraq. Bertie Ahern with the support of the PD’s has time after time ignored the constant demands by the voters to disallow the use of Shannon Airport by US military. So supportive are Ahern & PD leader Michael McDowell of US foreign policy that despite the recent public acknowledgement by US President George W Bush that America does operate secret CIA detention centres around the world, they refuse to implement a search procedure on non commercial US aircrafts refueling in Ireland.

Bush & his primary collaborator UK Prime Minister Tony Blair have seen a very steady domestic waning in support for their foreign policies and in turn their respective political parties & their own political careers. Blair is now considered a liability by many of his own party faithful as illustrated by the recent demands for a date by which he will step down as leader of the party. Truly a dishonorable end to what started out as a shining career.

Cole will point out at tomorrows Forum meeting “that Bertie Ahern & Michael McDowell also face an uncertain future due to their blind support of US foreign policy & destruction of Ireland’s neutrality.” Last Thursday an Irish Times/TNS MRBI poll showed that over 50’s, who statically are better voters, are more concerned with how the US & its allies are conducting the war on terror than the condition of our healthcare system. Cole pointed out to the Forum “the Irish Peace Movement intends making war an election issue. Over the coming months we will be stepping up our campaign to inform the general public of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael & the Progressive Democrats pro war policies.”

In conclusion Cole will urge political party representatives attending the Forum gathering “to bring this message back to their party leadership. The people of Ireland want their neutrality reinstated in a meaningful way. They do not want to live in an increasingly militarised society. We are a people who hold democracy & human rights as values before all others.” Fianna Fáil & the Progressive Democrats have together destroyed these values by committing Ireland to US foreign policy, to EU battle groups and supporting a closer relationship with NATO. Fine Gael too supports these Government policies. “We will campaign the length & width of the country for a coalition Government that consistently represents the local & global values of the Irish people. The reality is there is little economic policy difference between the 3 main parties. This is already evident. There are however alternatives to Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael & the Progressive Democrats pro war/anti democratic policies.”