It would be an enormous tragedy for the people of Iraq if the Americans and their allies launched an attack on that country, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, told the Seanad yesterday.
Repeating his hope that the current crisis could be resolved by diplomatic means, he said that Saddam Hussein was not a good man, but those he ruled were good people. If the United States and its allies "go in" it would be an enormous tragedy for the ordinary people of that country. "And that's what we should be concerning ourselves about, to ensure their safety."
Opening a wide-ranging debate on foreign affairs, Mr Andrews pointed to recent statements by Mr George Mitchell as indicating progress in the peace process. "He pointed out that we have been able in this process to get past previous difficulties and to keep moving forward."
Strong and meaningful north-south structures must for us be a central part of any comprehensive settlement, added the Minister.
On this country's attempt to gain election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in two years' time , Mr Andrews said our previous memberships of the council had earned us the respect of a broad range of member states.
Strongly opposing any attempt to use force against Iraq, Mr Joe Costello (Lab) said he knew the damage that confusing signals could have on young minds. "It is not acceptable that on the one hand children can be told of the horror political violence has wrought on their country, while on the other hand a leading world power revels in the prospect of launching a bloody attack on the citizens of another country.
Mr Michael Lanigan (FF) said that in the wake of the Gulf War, as many as 500 children were dying daily in Iraq. A wall of silence as deadly as the radioactive dust inflicted on that country continued to condemn these people to a slow, agonising "and filthy death".
Mr Don Lydon (FF) also questioned whether double standards were being applied by the US and its allies on Iraq. He was especially amazed at the hypocrisy of the British, who as late as 1993 had been selling anthrax ingredients to Saddam Hussein.