Boston mayor asked to influlence end US troops’ Shannon transit

Shannonwatch and Galway Alliance Against War have urged the Mayor of Boston Marty J Walsh,who arrived at Shannon this Friday morning, to use his influence to “end the unnecessary and counterproductive transit of US troops through the same civilian airport that welcomes him”.

“Friendship between the peoples of Ireland and the United States is very important to all concerned and we welcome back the son of Irish parents who were among hundreds of thousands forced to emigrate due to the very flawed economic and social policies pursued by successive Irish Governments up to the present time.” said Edward Horgan of Shannonwatch.

Shannonwatch and Galway Alliance Against War remind Mayor Walsh that this Irish/United States friendship has been seriously damaged in recent years as a result of the transit of armed US troops and CIA rendition aircraft through Shannon Airport in breach of international laws on neutrality and the UN Convention Against Torture.

“We urge Mayor Walsh, as a friend of Ireland, to use his influence to end the unnecessary and counterproductive transit of US troops through Shannon airport” said Niall Farrell of Galway Alliance Against War. “This will help restore Ireland’s important traditional role in promoting international peace, built on a solid foundation of positive neutrality”.

Dr Horgan of Shannonwatch added “Ireland has neither the human nor financial resources to be a military power, yet we can do far more towards achieving international peace than many military powers. Such powers may have the ability to make war and mayhem, as demonstrated by the present chaos in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya, but seem unwilling and incapable of creating international peace.”