Hiroshima remembered at Shannon Peace Vigil

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Monday August 10, 2009 21:26

by Edward Horgan - Shannonwatch and Irish Peace and Neutrality Alliance

US warplanes at Shannon 10 Aug 09

13 peace activists attended the monthly Shannon peace vigil on 9 Aug 09. As usual we were outnumbered by uniformed and plainclothed Gardai. Peace activists travelled from Dublin, Cork, Mullingar, Galway, Ennis and Limerick to attend. The reaction of passing motorists is increasingly encouraging and positive.
Since August 9 is the aniversary of the distruction of Hiroshima in 1945 by an Atomic bomb, a war crime committed by the US airforce, on the orders of the then US President, it was considered appropriate to commemorate this event. Within the airport about 200 armed US troops were passing through the airport on an Omni Air chartered troop-transporter.

Peace vigil at Shannon 9Aug09

On Monday 10 August 09, there were three warplanes at Shannon airport. The first was another Omni Air troop-transporter with about 200 US armed soldiers. This aircraft was being guarded by a special Garda patrol.
Also at the airport were two other US military aircraft on unknown missions but being guarded by an Irish army patrol of Cavalry Corps soldiers, and by Airport police.
One warplane was a USAF Beach C12 Huron, registration number 95-0097. It landed at about 14.43 pm. The other was a US Navy Gulfstream registration number 166376. This aircraft landed at about 04.13 on the morning of 10 August 09.
The missions of all these warplanes and the soldiers they are carrying has nothing to do with peace. They are in direct breach of Irish neutrality and the Irish Government's effective and secret military alliance with the United States makes a mockery of our Government's claim that they have secured legally binding guarantees that will protect Irish neutality.
Please come to Shannon and protest, if you dare, if you care.

OMNI Air and 200 US troops at Shannon 10Aug09