Gilmore wants U.S. military out of Shannon
Issued : Saturday 1 September, 2007
Statement by Eamon Gilmore TD
Leader of the Labour Party, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade
Eamon Gilmore T.D., candidate for Leader of the Labour Party has said that he wants to see the U.S. military's use of Shannon Airport for the execution of the war in Iraq brought to an end.
Speaking to members of Labour Youth at the Leadership Election Hustings which took place today (Saturday, 1st September) in the Teachers' Club in Dublin, Deputy Gilmore asserted, "Let there be no ambiguity whatsoever about this. I want to see the US military out of Shannon and I do not want to see any Irish facility used for the conduct of the Iraq war.
"Labour has been absolutely and unequivocally opposed to the war in Iraq from the start, consistent with the principles and philosophy of the Party."
He stated, "There is something twisted about a Government policy that allows Shannon to be used to wage an immoral and illegal war while what used to be our national airline will no longer accommodate the people of the Mid-West region in taking flights to London."
He concluded, "Isn't it truly remarkable that the party of de Valera who crafted Ireland's neutrality, aided by the Green Party, are maintaining military flights to Iraq from Shannon while civilian flights to London are being driven out?"
