US rhetoric on Iraq is 'rank hypocrisy' - group

The Irish Anti-War Movement today called for the United States to end its involvement in Iraq and to stop "pushing the lie that they have brought democracy to Iraq".

Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, chairperson of the Irish Anti-War Movement, said: "US rhetoric about spreading democracy to these countries [Iraq, Iran and Syria] is rank with hypocrisy when it continues to ally itself to the most horrible dictatorship in the Middle East — Saudi Arabia."

Mr Boyd Barret also criticised the Government for allowing US troops to use Shannon Airport and for not apologising to the Irish people for repeating lies about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

"There has been no apology from Bertie Ahern or Brian Cowen for repeating the false claims about those weapons of mass destruction. Even now, why do they not apologise for misleading the Irish public? Instead, the Irish government has allowed the number of US troops and weapons going through Shannon to dramatically increase," Mr Boyd Barret said.

Anti-war groups are organising a protest on March 19th to mark the second anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq and to call for an end to its involvement in the country. As part of a global protest, there will be a march in Dublin assembling at Parnell Square at 2 p.m. on that day.

Today's press conference by the Irish Anti-War Movement marked the second anniversary of the 100,000-strong protest against the war in Iraq.