IRISH ANTI WAR MOVEMENT (IAWM)–PRESS RELEASE 11 OCTOBER 2012
• PROTEST AT DÁIL THURSDAY 11 OCTOBER AT 5.30PM
• DON’T ATTACK IRAN – END SANCTIONS NOW
• IRELAND – STOP SUPPORTING U.S. AND NATO’S WARS ABROAD
• US MILITARY AND TORTURE FLIGHTS OUT OF SHANNON AIRPORT
• CLOSE GUANTANAMO BAY TORTURE CENTRE
• 11 YEARS ON – TIME TO END AMERICA’S LONGEST WAR
In a statement issued today the Irish Anti-war Movement (IAWM) noted it has called a demonstration at Dáil Eireann this evening at 5.30pm to protest against the continued wars perpetrated by the US and NATO and the current threats of war against Iran and the punishing sanctions imposed on that country.
The statement noted that the protest will focus on the latest warmongering threats of the US and Israel in relation to Iran, allegedly because of its nuclear programme.
The statement noted that any military strike on Iran will have devastating results for the entire region and will only be carried out to bolster America’s dominance of the Middle East.
The statement noted that the ongoing punishing sanctions against Iran are having catastrophic effects on ordinary people in that country and that the Irish Government should not be supporting such sanctions. The sanctions are also affecting people here in Ireland due to rising oil prices.
Lola Hynes, Secretary of the IAWM Steering Committee said:
IRISH ANTI WAR MOVEMENT (IAWM)–PRESS RELEASE 11 OCTOBER 2012
• PROTEST AT DÁIL THURSDAY 11 OCTOBER AT 5.30PM
• DON’T ATTACK IRAN – END SANCTIONS NOW
• IRELAND – STOP SUPPORTING U.S. AND NATO’S WARS ABROAD
• US MILITARY AND TORTURE FLIGHTS OUT OF SHANNON AIRPORT
• CLOSE GUANTANAMO BAY TORTURE CENTRE
• 11 YEARS ON – TIME TO END AMERICA’S LONGEST WAR
In a statement issued today the Irish Anti-war Movement (IAWM) noted it has called a demonstration at Dáil Eireann this evening at 5.30pm to protest against the continued wars perpetrated by the US and NATO and the current threats of war against Iran and the punishing sanctions imposed on that country.
The statement noted that the protest will focus on the latest warmongering threats of the US and Israel in relation to Iran, allegedly because of its nuclear programme.
The statement noted that any military strike on Iran will have devastating results for the entire region and will only be carried out to bolster America’s dominance of the Middle East.
The statement noted that the ongoing punishing sanctions against Iran are having catastrophic effects on ordinary people in that country and that the Irish Government should not be supporting such sanctions. The sanctions are also affecting people here in Ireland due to rising oil prices.
Lola Hynes, Secretary of the IAWM Steering Committee said:
“The daily threat of war and the implementation of harsh economic sanctions have crippled the Iranian economy and are causing devastating effects on ordinary Iranian people. There has been some form of sanctions imposed on the Iranian people by the West since the 1979 revolution; however since 2010 they have been greatly intensified and are unprecedented in their severity. These sanctions violate international law and the UN charter for their damage to Iran’s civilian population. The sanctions regime constitutes an illegitimate form of collective punishment toward the weakest and poorest members of society; women, children, the poor, the chronically ill and refugees. There is no justification for them and they should be stopped now. The Irish Government in particular should not be supporting such sanctions”
The statement also noted that the 11-year old war in Afghanistan, America’s longest war ever, is being unnecessarily prolonged by the US, Britain and NATO as it has been clear for some years now that this war is unwinnable. The escalation of this war by President Obama four years ago and its spreading into Pakistan through horrific drone attacks has prolonged the suffering of ordinary people there.
The statement noted that 80% of people in Britain now think the Afghan war is an unwinnable disaster according to a recent Daily Mirror poll.
Afghans are subject to air strikes, night raids and constant danger as a result of the war. In the border areas and in Pakistan, unmanned Drones are attacking every day bringing further deaths of civilians.
Jim Roche, PRO of the IAWM said:
“Militarily the west is clearly losing this war. The recent attack on Camp Bastion was carried out by a small number of Taliban yet it did more damage to US planes than at any time since the Vietnam War, destroying six Harriers completely and seriously damaging two more. In addition NATO soldiers – mainly British and American – are being killed every week. An increasing number are victims of attacks by the very Afghan police and army who are supposed to be replacing them in two years’ time. This is hardly a good sign of the esteem in which the invaders are held.”
He continued by noting:
“The exit strategies being played out include doing deals with some aspects of the Taliban while, with the help of a compliant media, blaming the Taliban for all of Afghanistan’s ills. We saw this yesterday with the strong media focus on the injuring of a 14 year old schoolgirl by the Taliban – which the IAWM condemn. Yet there is such a different media response when the US or NATO wipe out nine women and children with a Drone attack as they did some weeks ago.
Or we are hearing little in the west about the Anti-Drone March on Waziristan, Pakistan where this week 40 American anti-war activists are on a peace delegation to Pakistan to learn more about the effects of drone strikes.”
He further noted that:
“according to www.dronewatch.org the Pakistan Human Rights Commission says U.S. drone strikes were responsible for at least 957 deaths in Pakistan in 2010 (see www.dronewatch.org). This is just horrific and unacceptable.”
He concluded by noting:
“Just as this war drags towards its inevitable, bloody end, the threat of war hangs again over the Middle East with this sabre rattling and sanctions against Iran and Turkey’s parliament now endorsing cross border incursions into Syria. The IAWM condemns all these actions and says it is long past time to end these senseless wars and use the resources instead to provide investment and jobs.
It beggars belief that, eleven years on, Ireland is still contributing to these senseless wars. We call on the Irish Government to bring home the nine Irish soldiers from Afghanistan, to stop allowing Shannon Airport to be used as a military stopover for the US army and for rendition flights and to stop supporting the threats of war and imposition of sanctions against Iran.”
END
For more information:
Lola Hynes, Secretary, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 086 822 8795
Jim Roche, PRO Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 087 6472737
Daryl Southern, Coordinator, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 085 277 6505
Website – www.irishantiwar.org
@IrishAntiWarMvt <https://twitter.com/#!/IrishAntiWarMvt>
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