A Window of Opportunity for Ireland on Iraq

national | anti-war / imperialism | opinion/analysis

Monday April 12, 2004 23:14

by David C.

The potential for world public opinion to defeat the American occupation of Iraq has never been greater. Ireland holds a special place in the American psyche and Ireland will be front-and-center on the world's news media on Saturday, June 26th - when President George W. Bush visits Ireland. This is therefore a moment of great leverage for Irish opponents to the American war on Iraq.

The American occupation of Iraq is at a critical juncture. The new Iraqi military and the American-appointed Governing Council are in open revolt against the Americans. Coalition 'partners' are either announcing pull-outs or are confining their troops to base. And it appears that a major massacre of civilians has occurred in Fallujah in revenge for the desecration of 4 American corpses. Even the British command structure in Iraq is becoming openly hostile to the American occupation tactics. Meanwhile, within the U.S., support for the Iraq war is plummeting, and is now in the minority. Internationally, at home and within Iraq the United States has never been so isolated.

But world public opinion has not risen in protest against recent events. There have been no significant demonstrations in the U.S., in Europe or even in the Arab world. There is no talk of a UN Security Council resolution or General Assembly resolution condemning the United States for its actions in Fallujah. There has been no major activist actions, such as the human shield bus trip of last year or the attention-getting 'pink power' demonstrations throughout the world before the invasion. Although there has been strong condemnation for the Fallujah massacre in the press and from some politicians, there have been no official condemnations, no policy changes and no action. Within Ireland the U.S. military continues to allow the perpetrators of war crimes to pass through Shannon with impunity.

This is because the United States is furiously 'managing' the international reaction to the events in Fallujah. Using intimidation and bribery of governments and of media, it is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on 'public diplomacy' throughout the world. Retired US Army officer Michael Peters, now a Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, says in The Christian Science Monitor today that "we ... watch carefully the reactions of the governments and publics in allied countries". The ONLY defense against this manipulation is massive public action.

Occurring only 4 days before the 'handover' of Iraqi 'sovereignty', the media coverage around Bush's visit to Ireland has the potential to influence worldwide public discussion about the future of Iraq. It is a unique opportunity to at least alter Irish policy towards the U.S. and at most to affect U.S. foreign policy directly.

The goal for Irish activists should be to have Irish opposition to Bush be the main topic on the American Sunday-morning talk shows on June 27th. That *will* have an effect on United States foreign policy.

****THE MEN THAT KILLED 280 WOMEN AND 120 CHILDREN IN FALLUJAH LAST WEEK TRAVELED THROUGH SHANNON****

****THE IRISH PEOPLE CAN DOMINATE THE WORLD'S NEWS ON JUNE 26th 2004************************************************

****HELP END THE WAR IN IRAQ.*******************************************************************************************************

****PROTEST AGAINST GEORGE BUSH'S VISIT TO IRELAND*************************************************************************

****PUT ASIDE DIFFERENCES**********************************************************************************************************

****ORGANISE, PROTEST, DOMINATE THE MEDIA*************************************************************************************