Democratic deficit

IN his attack on Finian McGrath TD, Barry Walsh (Irish Examiner letters, May 27) repeats the fallacy that is at the heart of all neo-conservative thinking.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard, he says, is superior to Fidel Castro because there are elections in Australia.

What people like Mr Walsh can’t see is that no vote in Australia could ever legitimise the death of a single Iraqi.

Those who voted for Howard didn’t care about Iraq. Their votes could never legitimise the aerial bombing of Iraqi cities or legitimise Howard’s casual support for an invasion that was always going to create anarchy.

It is like saying Israeli policy on the West Bank must be okay since it is the democratic will of the Israeli people. This line of thinking is essentially racist, implying that advanced ‘civilised’ races must make decisions for the more ‘backward’ races.

Tim O’Halloran

23 Ferndale Road

Dublin 11