Madam, - We are appalled at the US bombings in Somalia. We refuse absolutely to accept that whole villages must be reduced to rubble, with uncounted casualties, in order to take out a few (alleged) al-Qaeda activists, whatever those men may be said to have done. Would the Irish Government in the 1970s have smiled kindly on Britain's Royal Air Force if it had it demolished, say, Oughterard, with the excuse that some IRA men were supposed to be living there?
In any event, we believe that the entire present exercise is nothing more than an opportunist interference in African civil strife, to assert US power in the region at a time when the White House is desperately in need of some sort of assertion. President Bush, after all, has been having a hard time convincing the public that his "war on terror" produces results.
The implication for Ireland is clear: we should do nothing to assist these acts of murderous international irresponsibility. In particular, the facilities afforded the US military at Shannon should be brought to an end. The longer they continue, the more Ireland is disgraced. Enough is enough. - Yours, etc,
JOHN ARDEN
(Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature),
MARGARETTA D'ARCY
(member of Aosdána)
St Bridget's Place Lower,
Galway.