Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

It is important to point out that this question is posed by a variety of opinions across this island and the United States and does not stem from any anti-Americanism. It is posed simply and in complement to the wishes of the clearly expressed view of the majority of citizens in the United States as recently expressed in the mid-term elections there.

Does the Tánaiste agree that the invasion of Iraq has been an unqualified disaster, has resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives and has plunged that country into civil war? Does he agree the war was launched on the erroneous pretext of the existence of weapons of mass destruction? Does he agree that the war policy of the Bush Administration has now been clearly rejected by a significant majority of US opinion? Why then does the Government continue in its facilitation of that US war effort by making Shannon Airport available to US military and CIA engaged aircraft? Will the Tánaiste end that policy now?

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