Sir, - We wish to convey our deep and heartfelt appreciation to the Government and people of Ireland for their expressions of sympathy and solidarity with Americans following the recent attacks in New York and Washington.
There has long been a strong bond between Ireland and the United States. It is in times of crisis that we realise the true value of such fellowship, and ours has been strengthened by the actions of the Irish people in the last weeks. We thank you for your willingness to walk the path ahead with us and share the healing process.
As US citizens living in Ireland, we are aware that there are few places in the world where Americans are as welcome as here. We recognise that responsibility for anti-American sentiment in the world lies largely with US foreign policy and its treatment of peoples of other nations.
As the American government contemplates a response to the attacks of September 11th, we urge it to follow the example of the late Senator Gordon Wilson and recognise that shedding more innocent blood will do nothing to ease the suffering of grief.
We advocate action that will create a legacy worthy of those lost: a response that honours their lives by transforming the actions of terrorists into the catalyst for an effort by all nations to remove terror from the world. - Yours, etc.,
Liv Lian-Gibbons, Democrats Abroad Ireland, Baldoyle Road, Dublin 13.