Greens say public against retaliation

Public opinion has become much less supportive of possible attacks on Afghanistan, Green Party TD Mr John Gormley has said.

Public opinion has become much less supportive of possible attacks on Afghanistan, Green Party TD Mr John Gormley has said.

"That has changed markedly since the beginning. Initially, we did not get a good response when we warned against this. But the majority of people we are now meeting support us.

"It has become increasingly clear that people are extremely apprehensive about the conduct of this war. They do not wish to see civilian casualties, nor do they want to be the targets of foreign aggression. The American people did not deserve in any way to be attacked by terrorists. However, to state that the terrorist attacks had nothing to do with American foreign policy is naive," he said.

The Greens have demanded a Dβil debate next week on the Government's decision to permit US military aircraft use Irish airports, without Dβil approval.

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The party also criticised the stance of Fine Gael and Labour. Mr Gormley said: "We want to smoke them out. They have been trying to face both ways. That isn't possible.

You are either for airports being opened or you are not." Legal action could be taken to challenge the decision, he said.

The Greens have urged the US to examine its support for countries such as Saudi Arabia.

Mr Paul Gogarty, a councillor, said Saudi Arabia "would be perceived by many to be a corrupt, undemocratic regime. If there was a democratic movement there I would support it."

Mark Hennessy

Mark Hennessy

Mark Hennessy is Ireland and Britain Editor with The Irish Times