The bombing campaign against Afghanistan will drive civilians into the arms of Islamic fundamentalists and could even lead to a third world war, the Irish Anti-War Movement said today.
The newly-formed Irish Anti-War Movement was joined by representatives from the Green Party, the Socialist Party and Independent TD, Mr Seamus Healy to condemn the military offensive against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban leadership.
The Government’s offer of airspace to US forces on bombing missions was also condemned.
Green Party TD Mr John Gormley tried unsuccessfully to raise the issue in the Dáil this morning. He condemned the Government’s position, saying it had not achieved the Dáil approval required under the Constitution.
After a news conference held later in Dublin, Mr Gormley said: "It is not going to solve the problem. It is going to make the problem much worse and the whole region could become destabilised and that could possibly mean a third world war.
"We believe it is entirely counter-productive. It will act merely as a recruiting agency for Islamic fundamentalism."
Mr Joe Higgins, Socialist Party TD, described the Government's backing of the campaign as "folly and shameful". "It is clear that the bombing campaign will not solve any of the problems in the Middle East region.
"It will mean huge numbers of innocent Afghanis being killed and will further destabilise the region, pushing millions into the arms of fundamentalists," he said.
Meanwhile the soldiers' organisation, Permanent Defence Forces Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) said the public has a right to be concerned about Ireland’s defence due to "continued cutbacks" in the armed forces.
PDFORRA’s General Secretary Mr John Lucey, told RTÉ news today: "We have no real air capability. We have a very small navy of eight ships to patrol about 132,000 square miles.
"We should reconsider the policy of the past number of years of reductions, reductions, reductions."
PA