FEIC MONTHLY VIGIL


FEIC MONTHLY VIGIL

THE ARMS TRADE AND ITS POLITICAL SUPPORTERS:
IT'S JUST BUSINESS, FOLKS.

5.00 pm Saturday January 15 2005
Raytheon, Branch Road, Derry

Last week the Mayor of Derry hosted Dean Pittman, US Consul General at the Guildhall. Before taking up his position in Belfast, Mr Pittman was part of the US Government’s illegal occupation of Iraq. 

Dismissing objections to Mr Pittman’s visit, the Mayor assured the readers of Tuesday’s Journal that Mr Pittman was well aware of the city council’s position on ‘US foreign policy’ and that anyway, it was all just about business. A point Mr Pittman underlined when he visited Raytheon's plant in Derry, one year on from Derry City Council passing a motion condemning the arms trade. That's the sort of business the US and its supporters in the arms industry mean when they talk about business. Business like this:

1.   In the 2005 budget, the United States will spend about 1.15 billion dollars a day, or 11,000 dollars a second on defence.

2.    Spending in Iraq: Mr Bush will shortly ask Congress for another emergency budget supplemental for Iraq of around $80 billion. That will take the total spending so far on the war and fighting the insurgency to well over $200 billion.

3.       Raytheon earnings in 2003 exceeded 18 billion dollars. One Tomahawk missile costs $750,000.

So the $350 million in financial aid pledged by the US as part of the relief effort for victims in the Indian Ocean is equivalent to 9 hours of their defense spending in 2005 or 467 Raytheon Tomahawk missiles.  The truth is that the aid that falls into the hands of the orphaned children and the millions of people displaced pales in significance when compared with the monthly corporate welfare cheques issued by the Pentagon and the US State Department to companies like Raytheon who provide them with the weaponry to police their bleak world.

One year on from passing the motion against the arms trade, Derry City Council have done absolutely nothing to implement it, but find the time to welcome warmongers like Dean Pittman. We will reflect on this at our vigil on Saturday.

If you wish, please bring flowers to lay in memory of those killed by the arms trade and white ribbons to tie to the railings.  Please also bring candles for the vigil.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are on the FEIC email list. If you don’t want us bothering you or if you want someone added to the list,
please send an email to Angela (am.hegarty@ntlworld.com). Spread the word!

Start Date: 2005-01-14 19:00:00-05

End Date: 2005-01-15 06:59:59-05

Event E-mail: am.hegarty@ntlworld.com

Event URL:

Created By: Sinead Ni Bhroin