Irish ayes and nos
The Irish government has decided to allow the US military to continue using Shannon Airport, reports the Irish Times. A withdrawal of these landing rights would be "a hostile act", the Taoiseach (prime minister), Bertie Ahern, said. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen, introduced a Dᩬ (parliament) motion that "recalls the longstanding arrangements" covering Shannon and US military overflights, and "supports" the Government's decision to continue those arrangements. To the anger of opponents, the motion did not criticise the United States and the United Kingdom for acting without UN approval. Instead, it "regrets that the coalition finds it necessary" to go to war" and condemned the Iraqis "continued refusal" to comply with UN orders, while noting that Iraq was found to have been "in material breach of its obligations".
One person who will not like this decision is Tom McGurk, broadcaster and pundit with The Sunday Business Post. In the current edition of the paper he gives vent to his feelings in a piece called "US is about to commit a wilful war crime". Here's a sample of his venom:
"And now at last, after all the pretence and the posturing at the United Nations, the United States is about to do what it wanted to do late last autumn, invade Iraq and depose its sovereign government.That such a government is also run by a criminal monster is neither here nor there.
This weekend the full dimensions of the international crisis we face in world affairs are becoming clearly visible. Let's spell it out carefully in case there is any dispute. The US is about to act in a premeditated fashion, unilaterally and illegally under international law and in clear confrontation with world opinion. A war crime is about to be committed."
Dumbstruck by, "That such a government is also run by a criminal monster is neither here nor there." Well, it's certainly not "here" in the cosy Dublin where Tom McGurk was writing those words, but it is "there" where people have not had the right to express trenchant opinions without fear of state reprisal for some 30 years now. How can anyone write such a revolting sentence?
