Madam, - Today I am ashamed to be Irish. Our Government has, in its infinite wisdom, decided to allow the American military to continue using Shannon Airport. By doing so, the Government is giving implicit support to an illegal war which doesn't have UN backing against a sovereign country.
In last Wednesday's Guardian newspaper a letter-writer described Clare Short as someone who had wrestled with her conscience - and won. At least she had something to wrestle with. When our Taoiseach entered the ring, there was no opponent. Bertie got a walkover. - Yours, etc.,
ADRIAN MARLEY,
Tom Bellew Avenue,
Dundalk,
Co Louth.
Madam, - Over the past week or so we have witnessed some wonderful, impassioned oratory on the subject of the Iraq war from MPs in Westminster such as Robin Cook and others. We were reminded of what parliamentary debate should be about by members of "the mother of parliaments".
On the same crucially important issue, what did we get on this side of the Irish sea? An embarrassing display of our leaders' abilities at "reading out loud". - Yours, etc.,
MIKE KEYES,
Greenpark Avenue,
Limerick.
Madam, - I listened carefully after the evening TV news bulletin to a very sober account drawn from the UN Red Cross and other reputable sources about what is going to happen in Iraq. Among the forecasts are up to one million refugees, at least 100,000 dead, all medical and food supplies cut off, most public services wrecked.
We were told Iraq was to be invaded to liberate it from persecution. If forcing people out of their homes, destroying many of them, depriving them of normal food and services is not persecution, then what is?
Blair and Bush are blatantly and cheerfully lying when they say that they are "liberating" Iraqis, who for at least a whole generation are likely to go on suffering from their bogus "liberation". For more people will suffer in a couple of weeks because of Blair and Bush than under Saddam for months.
During research in Iraq, at the time of the change of regime, I suffered (not physically) at the hands of vicious officials, but the ordinary Iraqi was as courteous and civil as ever. The ordinary citizen now is to killed in scores by a couple of arrogant glory-seekers, operating thousands of miles from any danger, without any legal sanction. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN de COURCY IRELAND,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
Madam, - I noted with interest the comments made this week by the US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, about the "multi-pronged attack of unprecedented ferocity" promised by the Pentagon. It would be "of a force and scale beyond anything seen before", Mr Rumsfeld said.
For humanity's sake I hope Mr Rumsfeld is not aware of what this implies. These are strong words when you remember the force and scale of the American attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. - Yours, etc.,
DARA KENNEDY,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
Madam, - Listening to the morning talk shows on Irish radio, one gets the impression that the only people concerned with issues of principle are those who oppose military action. I beg to differ.
The United States was attacked on 9/11. In anyone's terms, that was an act of war; albeit a "holy war" with an undefined enemy and undefined battle lines. The US president is elected to lead his people and protect his nation. He asked for the support of the world in doing this. He went to the UN and he and his administration worked with the UN in an effort to find a diplomatic solution.
Support that was initially unanimous crumbled in the face of national self-interest from France, Germany, Russia and China. Rejection of US proposals was not fuelled by altruistic reasons and high moral standards alone.
We live in a political world and we rely on allies to support us in times of need. We gratefully accepted US support in our hour of need not too many years ago. We did not feel compelled in 1998 to question US motivation. We too were driven by self-interest. The US now asks for our support, and we suddenly become highly principled and question its motivation.
Those who campaigned against the Nice Treaty a few months ago, for reasons linked to the compromising of Irish neutrality, had their motives called into question. But the Irish people saw fit to support that treaty, one that will see this nation not just accommodating fly-over zones and refuelling stations, but participating in future European military adventures.
Wake up, Ireland. Take elections and referendums seriously. Look at the big picture and not just your bank balance. You are responsible for all of your decisions, not just the ones that make you feel good. - Yours, etc.,
GERALDINE CUSACK,
Hanover Square,
Dublin 8.
Madam, - Kevin Myers may hold an opposing view to that of Enda Kenny, but that should not give him a platform to insult Mr. Kenny's or anyone's intelligence (An Irishman's Diary, March 19th). In this instance Mr Myers's wit fell flat.
It is disappointing that such derision should receive editorial approval. - Yours, etc.,
SALLY O'BRIEN,
Clynagh,
Carraroe,
Co Galway.
Madam, - In his response to Kevin Myers's Diary of last Wednesday, Enda Kenny writes (The Irish Times, March 20th): "It is a real and future danger if Ireland attracts the enmity of nations such as North Korea by its action in relation to Shannon."
I take it he means that Ireland should hide at the back of the class while the rest try to stop the school bully. In times such as these it is leadership for the greater good that is required, not self-interest and handwashing of the world's problems. - Yours, etc.,
ALEXIS MORLEY,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
Madam, - Until I read John Arden's letter (March 20th) I thought I was the only one cringing at Bertie Ahern's enactment of a satrap delivering gifts to the "great white chief" at the shamrock ceremony in the White House.
We may indeed be but a seaweed-strewn rock on the edges of the Atlantic Ocean as far as the current US administration is concerned, but this does not grant our elected leader the right to exercise his duties with such craven deference.
It all amounted to a case of the citizens of this country being grossly patronised by George and Laura Bush and our own elected Taoiseach. - Yours, etc.,
DESMOND GRAHAM,
Collins Avenue East,
Dublin 5.