Aftermath of London bombings
Madam, - May I be permitted a few lines to respond to Murt Ó Séaghdha's comments (July 14th) on my letter of July 12th?
While he is correct that the bombings in Bali and elsewhere occurred in countries unconnected with events in the Middle east, even the most cursory examination of these attacks shows that the intended targets were the citizens of countries allied with the US: Australian citizens in the case of Bali, UK citizens and the Jewish community in the case of Istanbul, for example.
I am reluctant to make this point in such stark terms since it may be read as imputing some form of legitimacy to such attacks, which I would strongly reject.
In the second part of his letter Mr Ó Séaghdha mentions honour and pragmatism. With regard to honour, I see nothing honourable about supporting a war waged on spurious grounds, in contravention of the will of the UN and international law, which has brought untold misery and slaughter to Iraq and which has unleashed a wave of fanatical hatred which last week washed up on London.
As to pragmatism, the desire to associate this State with that illegal war may have the practical effect of putting our fellow citizens in the firing line, and may invite a repetition of Madrid or London in Dublin or Galway. Not a very pragmatic strategy. - Yours, etc,
BRIAN MAC GABHANN, Béal an Daingin, Conamara, Co na Gaillimhe.