Sir, - The U-turn made by the Taoiseach and Fianna Fail on the NATO-sponsored Partnership for Peace (PfP) is a disgrace and marks the first significant step in the campaign by all the establishment parties to abandon Irish neutrality. PfP is an essential part of NATO's military strategy and membership of it will see an end to our neutrality. It will see us supporting and bearing responsibility for military aggression carried out by NATO troops, such as the slaughter of innocent Iraqi civilians in Basra recently by US bombers.
As we attempt to remove the gun from Irish politics, our politicians are seeking to increase the role of the gun and the nuclear bomb in European politics, helping to line the pockets of unscrupulous arms dealers. I do not believe that the Irish people wish to abandon our neutrality, water down our sovereignty, join a nuclear armed superstate or send Irish troops as cannon fodder to further US and British selfish interests. If the Government thinks differently, I challenge it to call a referendum as promised by Bertie Ahern last November and allow a proper and informed debate to take place. The Irish people must be allowed to decide whether or not they want Irish soldiers killing and dying for the European arms industry as well as for selfish US and British interests.
I'm also calling on all political parties that support PfP membership (FF, FG, PDs and Labour) to state clearly whether they intend to remain silent, hoping that people will not realise what they are signing up to, as they did in the run-up to the Amsterdam Treaty Referendum. - Yours, etc.
Gerry Casey, Rosewood Court, Maugheraboy, Sligo.