Shannon is still the problem

by RJP Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:31

All that the planes highlight is the folly of Irish neutrality. The planes won't leave though, so we need to clarify our blatantly non-neutral policies.

The US is worth too much money for Shannon. And with the proposed break-up of Aer Rianta it will leave every airport to fend for itself. With the yanks, Shannon is maybe the only one that Dublin won't have to prop up. Simple finances, the planes will be in shannon for as long as they want to be.

by Eoin Dubsky Thu Sep 02, 2004 09:45

O'Shea, the bit about FBO was just a funny little hook to get people to enjoy reading the article. I can sound like a broken record sometimes... :-)

Many of the military shenanigans at Shannon Airport -- foreign troops going to war, large quantities of weapons and explosives transported on "civilian" cargo planes -- have become public knowledge. The act of making them public knowledge -- drawing the public's attention to them with protests and outreach, exposing them through the High Court (discovery orders in Ed Horgan's case and mine) -- helped put some heat onto the airport and government. It also put up a mirror to the peace movement in Ireland -- we can't say we didn't know.

But SNN has "normalised" its role as a US garrison again. No trouble, it's okay. Irish soldiers and airport police guard the foreign military aircraft (carrying troops, weapons, and hostages even) inside a special pen, while the crew catch a nap in a nearby hotel for the night. Top Oil refuels the plane, and in the morning they're off again. No trouble at all. So long as the peace movement stays away and never threatens the arrangements at SNN, business can continue as usual. Zzzzzz $$$$$

...On the other hand, if we organise a campaign of nonviolent resistance to the Shannon stopovers, we might be able to put enough heat on the airport again to stop them. A Committee of 100 (hell, even 20 would do!) people prepared to do nonviolent, open and accountable actions at Shannon Airport to disrupt the foreign military traffic. If just one action which could cause some disruption happened every week on any random day, after six months we could begin to see some results again (like when World Airways & Co pulled out for a while after Mary Kelly's action and the Pitstop Ploughshares a week later). As they have "normalised" being an outpost for ruthless American imperialism, we can "normalise" being an outpost for nonviolent resistance to that empire!

by O'Shea Guevara Thu Sep 02, 2004 02:21 osheaguevara at msn dot com

While it's good to see the independent flag flying in reporting of various goings on in the above - a point of note from someone who actually works here. Your comments and conclusions drawn are unfortunately in the relam of 'wannabe' fantasy. Observations such as listed are public - the stuff you want to know you NEVER will. I'm not attempting to by a cynic or run from the core issue - but please no x-files........if you see it - 'they' DO NOT CARE.

by damien moran Sun Jul 18, 2004 03:13

God Bless Eoin. May see you in Paris soon.
Pitstop Ploughshares will receive their trial date on July 26th at Dublin's Four Courts for U.S. Navy plane decommisioning action on Feb. 3rd, 2003 - see link for details:

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=65960

The Ploughshares tradition and prophecy tanscends all boundaries:

Il sera juge entre les nations
l'arbitre de peuples nombreux.
Martelant leurs epees, ils en feront de socs,
de leurs lances ils feront des serpes.
On ne brandira plus l'epee nation contre nation,
on n'apprendra plus a se battre.

As Haiti's Aristide's re-election slogan went:
Lape nan vente - Lape nan tete!

May you have both Eoin

by paul otoole Sat Jul 17, 2004 02:03

Good luck Eoin, have a great trip and look foreward to seeing you back soon.
Slainte.

by Ciaron - Dublin Catholic Worker Fri Jul 16, 2004 19:51

The prisoners beig transfered through Shannon to Guatenmo story was broken by the Phoenix a few weeks ago. So take it up with the Phoenix

That many of these prisoners have nothing to do with armed struggle against U.S. interests is a fact acknowledged by the most mainstream media.

The Phoenix is the only place I've seen the fact that there are 600 former RUC and 400 former Northern Ireland Prisoner Officers working in Iraq as mercenaries running their own Long Kesh.

The Irish media are extremely housebroken about continued Irish complicity in the war on Iraq.

by kokomero Fri Jul 16, 2004 17:51

"Were any of the prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay transferred via Shannon airport?"

The follow-on question would of course be:

"How can you be sure?"

by Ciaron Fri Jul 16, 2004 16:57

Yeah you got in one Pooka, we love him. Ireland's loss, France's gain.

Don't let the bastards/cynics/cyber cowards get you down lil' buddy!

10,000 troops a month and it takes the Irish peace movement a Presidential visit before it gets it's arse down to Shannon for the first time this year! You're a way ahead of the curve Eoin, but in this colonised space that doesn't take a lot of pre-emption.

Nonviolent rsistance will be returning to Shanon the last weekend in September, so circle that calender!

Travel safe ED
Ciaron

by Pooka Fri Jul 16, 2004 14:54

Don't you just love people who 'drop' into the country, stir the pot, cause a little trouble and then bugger off back to France. I think we have a Walter Mitty here if Eoin thinks he was wandering around Shannon's restricted zones. Has he the nerve to pull similar stunts in France? Doubt it.

by merrovinginvanjan Fri Jul 16, 2004 12:56

and thus I suppose become my neighbour.
wow- you could do an overseas indymedia ireland tour-
go to Barcelona see the merrovinginvanjan ipsiphi- (pick up smoke)
cross the pyrennes and see the Dubksy.
carry on up the road to Amsterdam and see Jeff (sell the smoke).
What this means reader, is that we are here-
over here- there- on the mainland- daily and nightly beyond overtime working on activism and peace for you - yes YOU! the Irish boy or girl who has to tend the candle. Don't forget those candles.
:-)