Seanad debates
Friday, 21 March 2003
Foreign Conflicts: Motion.
This has to be one of the most harrowing moments in European history, with leaders of the largest member states ranged on opposing sides of the greatest global issue of the day. Concern has, so far, focused on deteriorating relations between the EU and the US through Mr. Chirac's opposition to a new resolution. The risk of worsening Europe's own divisions and causing an immovable breach must also be uppermost in our minds. Historically, the people of Ireland are strongly linked to the US, emotionally, economically and socially. That country has been good to Ireland, supporting millions of Irish people since the Famine. Irish county organisations are respected throughout the United States. Like other Members, I had the opportunity to experience that at first hand last week. One in four people killed in the twin towers on 11 September 2001 was of Irish decent. The grief of Americans in that regard has been our grief and their anger has been our anger, but their war is not our war. Our future relations with the US do not depend on our support for its military actions. It is certainly not a matter of saying, "If you are not with us, you are against us." Rather is it a matter of close allies agreeing to differ and an opportunity for this small nation to stand up and take its place on the world stage with its neutrality and identity intact.
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