US official’s visit sparks anti-war protest

ANTI-WAR and human rights campaigners yesterday protested over a visit by US Health Secretary Tommy Thompson to Ireland.

Mr Thompson was the guest speaker at a conference in Cork for EU health ministers. He told a press briefing that the American people and US President George W Bush were upset about recent revelations of torture in Iraq.

Mr Thompson said the nature of war gave rise to shameful actions. “You cannot control every human impulse, you cannot control every human act,” he said.