The liberators are seen as unwanted occupiers
The brutal US occupation was highlighted most starkly by the mass killing of civilians at Fallujah, the massacre of a wedding party on the Syrian border, and by the publication of photographs exposing the physical and sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US forces.
The rape of women detainees has received much less attention, but that is also a feature of US military rule in that tragic country. This brutality is being visited on a society that suffered more than enough under Saddam’s iron fist.
It is clear that the self-styled ‘liberators’ (who have quietly abandoned their search for weapons of mass destruction) are seen as unwanted occupiers by the majority of Iraqi people.
Indeed, it is telling that a once marginal figure, Muqtada al-Sadr, received a 67% approval rating in a recent poll by the Bremer administration because of his antipathy to the coalition forces. Non-violent resistance to the occupation is a daily reality and opposition to the US presence continues to grow.
Despite this, the Government has taken the side of the occupation and blithely provides refuelling and flyover facilities for the US war machine.
We stand in solidarity with the innocent people of Iraq suffering in the midst of this conflict. We intend to make tangible our solidarity on Friday when George W Bush comes to Ireland.
Anti-War Ireland, a broad-based national alliance of anti-war groups, will gather in Shannon town centre at 7pm before marching to the airport.
We call on others to join us to give voice to our opposition to US war policy and the facilitation of US military at Shannon airport.
Harry Browne, Dublin.
Caoimhe Butterly, Dublin.
Dominic Carroll, Clonakilty.
Edward Horgan, Limerick.
Tim Hourigan, Limerick.
Prof John Maguire, Cork.
Maggie Ronayne, Galway.
Dr Fintan Lane, Cork.
