Sir, - Irish CND believes the terrorist attack on the September 11th constituted a crime against humanity and we empathise with the American people's grief and anger. In this volatile climate worldwide, Ireland, as incoming chair of the UN Security Council, should make clear that the chief suspect, Osama bin Laden, should be brought before the International Criminal Court so that justice is done and seen to be done.
That the Taoiseach has handed over the use of our territorial space to the armed forces of another state without the authorisation of the Oireachtas will be viewed as a matter of concern by many people.
Before he signed away the use of our airports, what assurances did the Taoiseach require and what assurances did he receive on the nature and intended conduct of this "war" effort? Did he seek assurances that the terrorist atrocity in New York would not be reciprocated upon other equally innocent civilians elsewhere on the globe? That the highly toxic depleted uranium armaments would not be deployed?
Most of all, did he receive assurances that the US has ruled out the use of nuclear weapons in this conflict and that it is prepared to make this publicly known without further delay? Unfortunately, the history of the US regarding the threat and use of nuclear weapons cannot inspire confidence and the current US President's commitment to scrap all the main existing treaties, as well as his recently stated intention to consider "all necessary weapons of war" in this conflict, must give grounds for serious thought. - Yours, etc.,
Billy Fitzpatrick, National Chairperson, Irish CND, Dublin 6.