Why I’m going for a walk today

IT’S all the more indefensible that the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, allows the American military to refuel at Shannon airport when he doesn’t even have a guarantee that they will act within international law if, as now seems inevitable, they go to war against Iraq.

His latest stance is to ‘review’ policy if the US does go to war without a UN mandate, a pretty hollow promise considering how high the stakes are.

Colin Powell made it clear at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the US will act “either unilaterally or with a coalition of the willing”, thus demonstrating their complete defiance of the international legal system to which Mr Ahern and the rest of the Irish people are constitutionally bound.

For this reason I will be attending a peace walk today at noon from Bunratty Castle to Shannon airport.

Considering that 47% of the population of Iraq are children under the age of 16, another round of depleted uranium warfare against these unfortunate people and their environment is unacceptable to me, and it’s utterly shameful for Ireland to be a part of it.

Clare O'Grady Walshe,

Sallins,

Co Kildare.