Protesters would be out in force if Russians were going through Shannon

IN his letter (August 13), Emmet Dunphy calls for mass demonstrations against Russian intervention in Georgia and accuses the anti-war movement of being anti-American.

Actually, there has already been an anti-war protest outside the Russian embassy. It took place last Saturday afternoon.

As RTÉ reported on Sunday night, about 100 people held up banners and chanted ‘no war in Georgia’.

If demonstrations against the Russian military intervention have not yet attracted crowds of 100,000 people, or if they never do, it may be because there are no Russian troops transiting at Shannon airport, nor any Russian military aircraft taking advantage of ‘free’ overflights through Irish airspace to get to Georgia.

Conversely, the Irish taxpayer is currently subsidising US troop transits and military overflights by footing the bills for security and air traffic control services, to the tune of millions of euro every year.

This subsidisation of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan places a moral responsibility on us to question the pursuit of these wars — a specific responsibility that is not matched in the case of Russia’s war in Georgia.

Over the last few years, Irish peace groups have held a series of public events with American peace activists such as Kathy Kelly of the Catholic Worker Movement, Joshua Casteel of Iraq Veterans Against the War and Cindy Sheehan, whose son transited at Shannon Airport before being killed in Iraq.

If Mr Dunphy had been actively involved in the Irish peace movement, he might have seen for himself the deep affection and admiration that Irish activists have for our courageous American counterparts.

We love America, but detest its wars.

Coilín Ó hAiseadha

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