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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Thursday, January 30, 2003
US Military Carrying Illegal Weapons When Refueling in Ireland
Lessons for Prince Edward Island?
CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI, Canada - Residents who oppose United States
military refueling and training in Prince Edward Island are suggesting that
we should learn from what has happened in Ireland. US military planes
refueling in Ireland are carrying weapons, despite the fact that when
permission for refueling was originally granted, it was under the condition
that NO weapons be carried. The US military has been refueling at Shannon
Airport in Ireland for many years, but recently mainstream media in Ireland
have reported, and airport workers have confirmed, that the US military
certainly is carrying armaments through Shannon.
In Ireland, criminal charges were lodged against government
ministers and controlling members of the local airport authority, and there
is a high court case challenging the legality of the US use of Irish airspace.
Irish officials repeatedly assured residents that "the US is
complying with all local laws." Tim Hourigan works with Refueling Peace:
Campaign to Monitor and Stop US Military Flights in Ireland. He explains
that, "The US military here have broken a litany of laws, the Defence Act,
the Geneva Convention, the Hague Convention 1907, the Radiological
Protection Act, the Air Transport and Navigation Act, the Nuremberg
Charter, and I don't know how many environmental laws."
Tim Hourigan, who monitors US military traffic at Shannon says,
"let me tell you a true story... and you should tell it to others. A WORLD
Airways military charter jet made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport.
It was supposed to land there anyway but it radioed in an emergency. When
responding emergency crews reached the plane to deal with the fire, they
were met by men with M-16s and denied access to the plane. The military
were so secretive about the cargo that they dealt with the fire themselves
rather than let trained and well equipped fire fighters put it out. We have
no idea what was on that plane. But we KNOW by their behavior that it
wasn't humanitarian aid for Afghan children."
PEI residents are repeatedly reassured by various media
commentators, politicians, and corporate officials, that the contract would
only be for "search and rescue" or "just for training." Premier Binns tells
us it would be for "peacekeeping initiatives, search and rescue, our
relationship to peacekeeping efforts around the world, and supporting our
allies." The Guardian editorial says the deal would be for "American Coast
Guard crews training." What are we to make of the mixed messages and the
similarity to the assurances given in Ireland? We do know that many US
military aircraft pass through the airport in Gander, Nfld. on the way to
Shannon, Ireland. Isn't it only logical to wonder whether they might want
to land planes here to refuel (shorter flight path)?
Proponents of the plan admit that the C-130 Hercules would be
refueling here. The primary function of the C-130 Hercules is the
intratheater portion of airlift missions and it is known as the prime
transport for paradropping troops and equipment into hostile areas.
Furthermore, specialized variants of the C-130 are used for Refueling of
Fighter Planes, Special Operations, Reconnaissance, Drone Control,
Electronic Warfare, Missile Operations, and Gunship Missions.
James Clement of F.R.E.E.D.O.M. PEI (Folks for Real Education on
the Economically-motivated Deployment Of the Military) states, "Even if it
were just cargo planes coming to Summerside, that would mean more hangar
space in Ft. Bragg for Hellfire missiles or cluster bombs, the likes of
which now litter Afghanistan, according to Human Rights Watch."
All of these facts raise real questions about whether we can take
such assurances at face value. Can we really trust these statements from
our politicians, the US military, and people who will benefit financially
from this deal?
Standing by while the US military slaughters countless innocent
civilians and conscripts is bad enough. Offering them our trust, support,
and runways is worse. If Islanders oppose this deal, now is the time to
speak out.
-30-
Contacts:
F.R.E.E.D.O.M. PEI
(Folks for Real Education on the Economically-motivated Deployment Of
the Military)
James Clement (902) 658-2278 <juntaarbor@hotmail.com>
Aaron Koleszar (902) 659-2575 <aaronk@isn.net>
Refueling Peace: Campaign to monitor and stop US Military Flights in Ireland
Tim Hourigan at the Peace Camp outside Shannon Airport
Phone: (from Canada dial 011) + 353-61-365871
Email: <shannonpeacecamp@hotmail.com>
Related Websites:
Refueling Peace: Campaign to Monitor and Stop US Military Flights in Ireland
http://redbrick.dcu.ie/~slack/rp/
C-130 Hercules Factsheet
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/c-130.htm
UK based Campaign for Accountability of American Bases
http://cndyorks.gn.apc.org/caab/index.htm
Articles on US military charter jet emergency landing Shannon Airport,
where emergency crews were met by men with M-16s and denied access to the
plane.
http://www.clarefm.ie/news/2002/february/15.htm
http://www.clarefm.ie/news/2002/february/18.htm
http://www.clarechampion.ie/01/nov/cc20011109/sh_wp.shtml
Ireland Independent Media Center
http://www.ireland.indymedia.org/
Veterans for Peace "Call to Conscience"
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/call2conscience.htm
Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan
www.robert-fisk.com/pictures_civilian_casualities.htm
********************************************************************
Aaron Koleszar <aaronk@isn.net>
When Bush comes to shove...
If the UN does not act soon enough, the US President will lead a "coalition
of the killing" into Iraq.
ANTI-WAR WEBSITES (and related info)
http://www.bushwatch.net/
Weapons Inspectors to the USA
http://www.rootingoutevil.org/
Current Parodies of hundreds of old US War propaganda posters
http://www.micahwright.com/
How PR Sold the Last Gulf War (US Lies about baby incubators)
http://www.prwatch.org/books/tsigfy10.html/
The American "Peace" project - US militarism and imperialism 1776 to present
http://americanpeace.eccmei.net/
Anti-Military Sticker Graphics to Print and Post
http://www.infoshop.org/gkiosk_mil.html/
10 Reasons Why Canadians Should Oppose the War on Iraq
http://hfxpeace.chebucto.org/tenreasons.htm/
Refueling Peace: Campaign to monitor and stop US Military Flights in Ireland
http://redbrick.dcu.ie/~slack/rp/
UK based Campaign for Accountability of American Bases
http://cndyorks.gn.apc.org/caab/index.htm/
What the World Wants Project
http://www.worldgame.org/wwwproject/
http://www.pieman.org/anti_bushlinks.html/
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/
Independent and Alternative Media
http://www.indymedia.org/
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/
http://globalresearch.ca/
http://www.zmag.org/
http://www.rabble.ca/
"An evil exists that threatens every man, woman and child of this great
nation. We must take steps to ensure our domestic security and protect our
homeland." -- This is an extract from a piece written by Adoph Hitler about
the creation of the Gestapo in Nazi Germany.
"What luck for the rulers that men do not think." --Adolf Hitler
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is
invisible to the eye."
- The fox in "Le Petit Prince" (The Little Prince) by Antoine De Saint Exupery
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HALIFAX BAR BRINGING IN NON-SMOKE BREAK?
Patrons at a Halifax bar, where smoking is
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A West Coast arts magazine has started a campaign to get the late Stan Rogers the recognition it feels he deserves.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_rogerspetition20030204
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