IAWM PRESS RELEASE 09 SEPTEMBER 2011
IAWM TO HOLD MEETINGS IN DUBLIN’S GRESHAM HOTEL, SAT. 9TH SEPTEMBER, 2-6PM, TO REFLECT ON LEGACY OF 9/11 AND ‘WAR ON TERROR’.
In a statement released today the Irish Anti War Movement announced that it is holding a public meeting and debate in Dublin’s Gresham Hotel this Saturday, 9th September, from 2-6pm to reflect on the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the subsequent ‘war on terror’.
The details of the meetings are:
2.00pm MEETING: IMPERIALISM AND ISLAMOPHOBIA
Speakers:
Prof. Terry Eagleton
Haifa Zangana, Iraqi Academic and activist
4.00pm DEBATE: “TEN YEARS OF THE ‘WAR ON TERROR’ – WAS IT JUSTIFIED?”
Speakers:
Marc Coleman, Broadcaster
Eamon Delaney, Journalist and former diplomat
Andy Storey, Afri and UCD academic
Richard Boyd Barrett, TD ULA & Chair IAWM
Chair: Ailbhe Smyth, academic and convenor People before Profit
IAWM PRESS RELEASE 09 SEPTEMBER 2011
IAWM TO HOLD MEETINGS IN DUBLIN’S GRESHAM HOTEL, SAT. 9TH SEPTEMBER, 2-6PM, TO REFLECT ON LEGACY OF 9/11 AND ‘WAR ON TERROR’.
In a statement released today the Irish Anti War Movement announced that it is holding a public meeting and debate in Dublin’s Gresham Hotel this Saturday, 9th September, from 2-6pm to reflect on the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the subsequent ‘war on terror’.
The details of the meetings are:
2.00pm MEETING: IMPERIALISM AND ISLAMOPHOBIA
Speakers:
Prof. Terry Eagleton
Haifa Zangana, Iraqi Academic and activist
4.00pm DEBATE: “TEN YEARS OF THE ‘WAR ON TERROR’ – WAS IT JUSTIFIED?”
Speakers:
Marc Coleman, Broadcaster
Eamon Delaney, Journalist and former diplomat
Andy Storey, Afri and UCD academic
Richard Boyd Barrett, TD ULA & Chair IAWM
Chair: Ailbhe Smyth, academic and convenor People before Profit
The IAWM statement noted that while we must remember the victims of the horrific terrorist attack of 9/11 we must also recognize that the response of the US government with its so called ‘war on terror’, which has killed, injured and displaced millions of people, is a deep insult to the memory of the victims of 9/11.
The statement noted that the US led ‘war on terror’ on Iraq and Afghanistan was premised on disinformation, false claims and a desire for world dominance and has involved the corporate theft of resources, the misuse of reconstruction funds, illegal rendition and torture (as in Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib), an assault on civil liberties, the gross vilification of the Islamic religion, the stoking of ethnic tension and hatred, indiscriminate bombings and shootings, the use of cluster bombs and white phosphorous, the cowardly use of Drone planes and thousands dead, injured and displaced.
Richard Boyd Barrett, Chair of the IAWM who will speak at the debate said:
"9/11 was a brutal and unforgiveable atrocity, but instead of the US responding to this terrible event by acknowledging the grave errors in its own foriegn policy that had sown the seeds for 9/11, it sought to exploit that terrible event for its own strategic advantage. The so-called ‘war on terror’ has in fact amounted to a ten year ‘reign of terror’ in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. Those nations have been utterly devastated with millions of innocent people murdered, millions more displaced and the vital infrastructures of those countries shattered. Whether under George Bush or Barack Obama, the US has continued to act as global bully boy threatening further war against Iran and Syria and most recently unleashing it bombers on Libya. Meanwhile it has continued its cynical and scandalous support for brutal dictatorships in the Middle East in places such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the Gulf States.”
He continued:
“Outrageously the US stood by earlier this year while the Saudi and Bahraini dictatorships brutally crushed a democratic revolt in Bahrain. The US continued its support for puppet dictators like Mubarak in Egypt right up to the last moment before the Egyptian people toppled him and as we speak it is busy attempting to contain and manipulate the democtraic revolutions in Egypt and across the Middle East region to secure its own selfish strategic interests. And, of course, throughout the last decade the US has continued its unstinting support for Israel while it continues relentless persecution of the Palestinian people – doing and saying nothing as Israel inflicts atrocity after atrocity, war crime after war crime on the people of Gaza. If this anniversary it to have any meaning, it must be an opportunity for people around the world to raise their voices and demand an end to war-mongering and imperial interference around the world. It is the people of Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere who have shown the way to bring democracy and justice to the Middle East, in contrast to the US’s so called ‘war on terror’ that has brought nothing but death and destruction."
Jim Roche, PRO for the IAWM added:
“As we rightly remember the victims of 9/11 at this time we must recognise that, by any analysis, the subsequent unjustified suffering inflicted on the people of Afghanistan and Iraq in particular is a deep insult to the memory of those killed on 9/11. Let us spare some thoughts also for the victims of Bush, Blair’s and now Obama and Cameron’s wars.
He concluded by noting:
“The Irish Government’s role in the US led ‘war on terror’ is very suspect especially given the recently released information regarding its attitude to the use of Shannon Airport. The Fine Gael / Labour Government should now call for these wars to end, withdraw those Irish troops serving in ISAF in Afghanistan and end the stopover facility to the US military at Shannon Airport. An ending to these senseless wars and the seeking of a just peace would be the most appropriate memorial to the victims of 9/11, albeit much belated.”
END
For further info contact:
Richard Boyd Barrett TD, Chair IAWM, Tel. 086 781 4520
Jim Roche, PRO Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 087 6472737
Michael Youlton, Co Chair IAWM, Tel. 086 815 9487
Daryl Southern, National Coordinator IAWM, Tel. 087 277 6505
John Molyneux, Steering Committee IAWM, 085 735 6424
www.irishantiwar.org
