In
these early days of the 21st century, the rulers of
the planet's only super-power have extraordinary powers
- the rest of us celebrate Ireland's National Holiday,
St Patrick's Day, on March 17, but USA President George
Bush insisted on moving the date forward to March
13 for the annual White House "Shamrock Summit"
- the date was changed to suit the timetable for war
against Iraq.
The
public relations presentations of this event merit
some analysis.
A
strange propaganda skirmish unfolded - Sinn Féin
spokespersons, and media outlets close to Unionist
parties (for example the Daily Telegraph) referred
to speculation that George Bush would refuse to meet
the Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams. The IRA,
it was pointed out, still "had not gone away".
Known republican activists - Niall Connolly, Martin
McAuley, and Jim Monaghan - were on trial in Bogota,
Colombia, under suspicion of aiding the anti-USA FARC
guerrillas.
But
no Bush spokesperson went on the record to confirm
any of this speculation. On the contrary, as reported
by the BBC's Mark Devenport :
"The
President's point man, Ambassador Richard Haass has
denied this, saying the report had no standing."
(BBC Website, March 7 2003)
Sinn
Féin USA spokesperson Rita O'Hare was very
blunt. Under the headline "Begorrah" the
Chicago Sun Times reported :
"It
ain't true."The story is hogwash," said
Rita O'Hare, an Adams spokesman. "I have the
invitation in my hands and Bush officials have denied
the report." (March 7 2003).
The
purpose of Sinn Féin's presence at the Bush
party was to save the "peace process" -
that is, to get back into government with the reactionary
Unionist politician David Trimble - who is a rabid
supporter of Bush's war drive -
The
Ulster Unionist Party leader told the Irish Times
that :
"Ideally,
we would like Washington to deliver a blunt, unequivocal
message to Irish republicans. If Sinn Féin
and the IRA fail this final test, then the US should
reconsider its approach to them."
"Mr
Trimble said the US was about to fight a "just
war against a fascist and a dictator in the Middle
East", a war Sinn Féin opposed."The
US is right to pursue Saddam and remove him from power,
but Sinn Féin side with the Iraqi tyrant and
against America. Why? Perhaps republicans see Saddam
as not such a bad guy. Maybe they see him as someone
who is misunderstood? Maybe they believe he didn't
murder, torture and terrorise opponents and ethnic
minorities in his own country?"
(March 11 2003)
Isn't
there something radically askew here? Why would any
party which positions itself on the left - like Sinn
Féin - be seeking to be in government with
a reactionary politician like Trimble?
This
puts the spotlight on one of the fundamental flaws
in the Irish peace process.
For
some time Sinn Féin has been trying to run
with the left wing hare and hunt with the right wing
hounds.
The
party therefore found itself in an embarrassing position
when opponents of the imminent war with Iraq called
for a boycott of the Bush shamrockery in the letter
below:
"In
view of the Bush Administration's expressed intention
to start an unjustified, illegal and inhumane war
against Iraq, we the undersigned call on the Taoiseach,
Bertie Ahern, other Irish politicians and Government
representatives, not to meet with President Bush
in the United States over the coming St. Patrick's
Day events."
Signed:
Paudge
Connolly TD
John Gormley TD
Tony Gregory TD
Joe Higgins TD
Finian McGrath TD
Patricia McKenna MEP
Catherine Almond, Solicitor
Ivana Bacik, Law School, Trinity College Dublin
Moirin Moynihan, Solicitor
Peter Mullan, Solicitor
Conor O Briain, Solicitor
Dara Robinson, Solicitor
Ailbhe Smyth, WERRC, UCD
Irish Anti-War Movement
Joe
Higgins brought this up in the Dáil The Socialist
Party deputy suggested that if Ahern insisted on going
ahead with this revolting meeting, he should present
Bush with red fuchsia rather than shamrock - bright
red to symbolise the colour of the blood that will
be shed by innocent Iraqis in the imminent imperialist
war.
Gerry
Adams arrived late for the group photo with George
Bush. When The Sinn Féin president finally
made it to the shamrock ceremony, George Bush said
"Where is Gerry Adams, I want to shake his hand".
Henry
McDonald, Irish correspondent of The Observer claimed
Irish "peaceniks" were hypocrites; why did
they not "ask the Sinn Fein leader to refuse
Bush's invitation to Washington?" (March 16).
The
answer Henry is that they did : unless you think the
phrase "Bertie Ahern and other Irish politicians"
somehow, magically, does not include Gerry Adams.
McDonald favours the Peace Process in Ireland - and
backs the Bush/Blair War Drive on Iraq - and therefore
praises the Sinn Féin leader for meeting Bush
at the White House.
The
example set by the "peaceniks" derided by
McDonald can encourage people at other levels to campaign
for a boycott of all government/embassy representatives
from the USA and British governments - cancelling
any invitations to public events, picketing and heckling
them, making life unbearable for the warmongers.
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