Shannon Airport - Still Aiding and Abetting War

by Edward Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:01

We know that Shannon airport was used to resupply Israel with munitions including attack helicopters during previous attacks that it mounted against Lebannon and the Palestinians. There is now a likelihood that war supplies or re-supplies from the United States to Israel will be transported through Irish airspace and through Shannon airport to Israel. A Kallita Air flight has been refuelled recently at Shannon.
Shannon is still being used on a daily basis as a logistics war-hub for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with at least two plane-loads of US troops on OMNI Air planes each carrying up to 300 armed US troops. Other US military aircraft and CIA associated aircraft are still regularly refuelled at Shannon. Details can be obtained at www.shannonwatch.org.

by listener Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:16

At the SWP/people before profit, iawm 'rally'' in dublin yesterday in support of the Palestinians, there was nothin said about shannon and its role in supplying Israeli military with weapons and aircraft supplied bybthe US govt to massacre them....hmmm

by anon Fri Jan 02, 2009 15:40

D Ahern always argued it was the usual practice of 50 years to allow US troops to land, this archive shows otherwise.
US planned to use Shannon to transport troops Washington wanted to use airport without clearance
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1231/1....html

by analysis Fri Jan 02, 2009 20:50

A shipment of U.S. arms was due through Shannon in the weekend following the acquittal of the pitstop ploughshares during the Juy/August 06 bombing of Lebanon. Due to heightened state of public discord with ongoing Irish complicity in various U.S. wars this shipment was redirected to Prestiwck in Scotland where its security was serously compromised by Trident Ploughshares who were coincidently having an annual Hiroshima anniversary peace camp in the vicinity. A hippy was busted in the pilot seat from memory!

The following shipment orignally destined for a stopover in Shannon was again redirected and met met by a large number of protesters at Prestwick and was redirected a second time to RAF Middenhall in England. It would be interesting to know if these shipments went back to as business as usual through Shannon as the heightened state of public discord declined. Would be interesting to know if they are ongoing to Israel now?

SWP/IAWM have little interest in making the direct links with Irish complicity in the present raising of Gaza (they were against makig Shannon the focus at the height ofthe anti-war movement in 03...it might beg the logical questiion of direct action intervention in Ireland (or at least supporting it when it happens, they don't). They prefer to safely cheerlead for arm struggle from their comfort zone. IAWM is a shell SWP company that has been inflated this week to secure media profile and access for their local electoral ambitions. They will abandon Gaza as they have abandoned Iraq and Afghanistan as the media spotlight moves on.

by fortherecord Sat Jan 03, 2009 16:24

Department of Foreign Affairs - Statement by Mr Dermot Ahern TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland to European Parliament ? TDIP Committee http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=27211

Dermot Ahern [quote]Our economic ties are equally significant. It is well known also that the United States military personnel have for over 50 years been flown through Shannon Airport, and that this continues to-day in relation to the transport of troops to and from UN mandated operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.[/quote]
http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2003/03/19/story923...8.asp
Tonight Mr Ahern said to withdraw a facility that had applied for more than 40 years would have been seen “as a hostile act and it was not something I was prepared to do”.

by One of us Sun Jan 04, 2009 10:23

The only way to end the use of Shannon for military purposes is to make it impossible for the Irish government and their US allies to do so.

That would take all of us. All of us out there, every day.

All of us getting arrested until the gaols couldn't hold all of us. And the rest of us outside those gaols protesting and bailing each other out.

All of us doing so much, making so much noise, and disrupting so much business- as- usual that it would be impossible for the media to ignore us or blacken all of us. Because it wouldn't just be the usual suspects in Exploited t-shirts- the ones who they always take photos of. It would be all of us; business people, housewives, grannies, students, shopkeepers.

It would take about 3 weeks to a month... But only if we had all of us.

The political parties wouldn't know what to do. They'd hem and haw, but in the end call or some kind of restraint etc.

But it would work. We'd have changed Irish history. All us us would.

The only downside is that the SWP would take all the credit. Oh well... Small price to pay, really.

This is my daydream, and it's keeping me sane.

Sincerely,

One of us