claredaly.ie
More than a few US invasions ago, beginning with Afghanistan in 2001, transport aircraft chartered by the US military have shuttled almost 3 million troops through Shannon Airport. My youngest son and his gun truck company made the stopover trips through County Clare to the carnage in the Middle East twice, in 2003 and 2004; even disembarking for the terminal lounge in full battle dress while their aircraft was being refueled. There was never an attempt by the soldiers to hide this unwitting disregard for Irish neutrality. To my son’s knowledge there was never a search of the planes and his troops were armed to the teeth, in violation not only of the Irish constitution but also the Hague Convention restricting the movement of troops or munitions by neutral countries.
Shannonwatch.org
Irishexaminer.com While not exactly hidden in plain sight, this US-Hiberno cooperative received very little global attention until peace and human rights activists pushed back, most prominently Western Ireland’s Shannonwatch, by monitoring, posting and publishing all US military movement flights into and over Shannon Airport, more than 600 landings a year since 2012. While unchecked power tends to remain absolutely unchecked, opposition to this ongoing illegal military alliance is heating up. Dublin’s MEP Clare Daly has always been among its more vocal opponents. Responding to a regional poll denoting a growing resistance, she remarked, “A country with a policy of positive neutrality would not facilitate the massive, devastating displacement of tens of millions of people through wars whose only purpose is to keep the gears of the military-industrial complex oiled.”
On June 6, former mayor of Galway and TD Catherine Connolly, after standing in solidarity with Shannon Airport activists, voiced her frustration in an interview, “We’re facilitating the murder and slaughter of innocent people…and Shannon, unfortunately, is an absolute integral part of that. On any given night there are more military aircraft or more civilian aircraft carrying military than there are ordinary flights. We’ve set up Shannon now to depend on our collusion with wars abroad.”
As a growing majority continues to oppose this affront to Irish neutrality, Shannon remains square one for all US now and future wars. One likely rationale, according to Shannonwatch’s John Lannon: “From the US point of view it’s a means to suck in another previously neutral or unaligned country into their coalition and ultimately into NATO. So we are being dragged into something that is destructive, something that is causing millions of people to be displaced from their homes and probably millions to die directly from the wars in the Middle East.”
On June 6, former mayor of Galway and TD Catherine Connolly, after standing in solidarity with Shannon Airport activists, voiced her frustration in an interview, “We’re facilitating the murder and slaughter of innocent people…and Shannon, unfortunately, is an absolute integral part of that. On any given night there are more military aircraft or more civilian aircraft carrying military than there are ordinary flights. We’ve set up Shannon now to depend on our collusion with wars abroad.”
As a growing majority continues to oppose this affront to Irish neutrality, Shannon remains square one for all US now and future wars. One likely rationale, according to Shannonwatch’s John Lannon: “From the US point of view it’s a means to suck in another previously neutral or unaligned country into their coalition and ultimately into NATO. So we are being dragged into something that is destructive, something that is causing millions of people to be displaced from their homes and probably millions to die directly from the wars in the Middle East.”
Tarak Kauff and Ken Mayers being taken back to jail after being denied bail March 18. PHOTO: ELLEN DAVIDSON This year opposition to the militarism of Shannon Airport clearly went global. On March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, two US veterans, longtime anti-war activists and Veterans For Peace members Ken Mayers and Tarak Kauff, attempted to expose this clear breach of international law at Shannon by unfurling on the apron a large banner that read Respect Irish Neutrality, U.S. War Machine Out of Shannon Airport! As one would expect, the peace-vets were abruptly apprehended by airport security and Gardaí, and long story short, their passports were confiscated. They are still in Ireland grappling with an Irish legal labyrinth and one excruciating delay after another, for trespassing.
By contrast, in December 2010, Ken and Tarak and more than 130 other peace veterans were arrested at the Obama White House during an anti-war demonstration, amidst numerous banners and just as much righteous indignation. Cuffed, dragged through the snow to awaiting vans, and jailed, they were released in less than a day. Some were even given the option to return for trials, and a few of them did just that. Conversely, on July 11 the Dublin High Court denied the VFP exiles’ appeal of bail conditions, requiring them to stay in Ireland until their trial date is set, possibly - but not necessarily - this October. It seems the US Justice Department’s treatment of dissidents might be rubbing off on the Irish courts.
Ken Mayers, Tarak Kauff, and supporters on the steps of the Ennis District Court after their hearing April 3. Stopthesewars.org
In 2018 Patrick Smyth of The Irish Times wrote, “The trouble with the concept of ‘neutrality’ as an expression of a fundamental Irish foreign policy values is that it is loaded with contested political meaning and historical resonances above and beyond the simple desire to remain militarily non-aligned. Some of its subtext clearly resonates with national aspirations, notably a desire not to be complicit in great power or neo-imperialist military adventures.”
Perhaps so, but that was last year. That non-alignment ship has long sailed, along with a rich Irish tradition of resistance. Ireland is all in now, a player, and fully vested in the bloodshed of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, as well as future war zones. Only now this alliance with the US military, facilitating a globe-circling havoc launched from Garrison Shannon, is in full view.
The author of this piece is Gene Marx from Bellingham, Washington. Gene is a Vietnam veteran and former Naval Flight Officer aboard the USS Coral Sea in 1971-72. He is a past Secretary of the Veterans for Peace National Board of Directors and is currently a member of VFP-111. He lives in Bellingham with his wife, Victoria.
Perhaps so, but that was last year. That non-alignment ship has long sailed, along with a rich Irish tradition of resistance. Ireland is all in now, a player, and fully vested in the bloodshed of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, as well as future war zones. Only now this alliance with the US military, facilitating a globe-circling havoc launched from Garrison Shannon, is in full view.
The author of this piece is Gene Marx from Bellingham, Washington. Gene is a Vietnam veteran and former Naval Flight Officer aboard the USS Coral Sea in 1971-72. He is a past Secretary of the Veterans for Peace National Board of Directors and is currently a member of VFP-111. He lives in Bellingham with his wife, Victoria.