The Taoiseach’s support for US military action around the world voiced at the White House yesterday has met with strong criticism at home.
Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mr John Gormley condemned Mr Ahern's comments saying it was "acquiescing in the most sycophantic way to American military interests".
The Labour Party described the Taoiseach’s use of the phrase ‘war on terrorism’ as "most worrying".
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Mr Gormley said: "Given that Mr Ahern said we will now participate in this war by giving our resources and airports, we demand that this matter be brought before the Dáil so that a truly democratic decision can be made."
Speaking in Washington after a meeting with President Bush, Mr Ahern pledged Ireland’s support "against this deadly common threat to the very foundations of civilised society."
With the campaign in Afghanistan ongoing and strikes against Iraq expected soon, Labour’s Foreign Affairs spokesman Mr Michael D Higgins also hit out at the Taoiseach’s remarks.
He expressed concern that the likely time for a US-led attack on Iraq would be shortly after the May 15th deadline the US has set for the Iraqis to accede to a demand to allow weapons inspectors into the country.
He said this would be after the general election when Ireland was between governments yet the precise details of what Mr Ahern and Mr Bush discussed were not known. "It isn’t clear to what he has given support and with what mandate," Mr Higgins said. "Does it apply to bombing Somalia or Yemen?" he continued.
Mr Higgins said Ireland should take the lead as members of the UN Security Council to help compose a weapons inspectorate that would be acceptable to both the US and Iraq. He said there were Irish people and Scandinavians who were competent to lead an inspectorate and that such a move would be required because the US’s current proposals are almost certainly not acceptable to Iraq.