IAWM protest at Dáil Eireann, 5.30pm Thursday 9th January Protest against Donald Trump's unlawful targeted killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani along with six others and the subsequent escalation of pro-war rhetoric including threatening war crimes against Iranian cultural sites. - No to war with Iran - US troops out of the Middle East - US military out of Shannon
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IRISH ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT (IAWM) PRESS RELEASE: 09 JANUARY 2020 • IRANIAN AND AMERICAN SPEAKERS TO CONDEMN TRUMP’S RECKLESS ACTIONS AT DÁIL PROTEST The Irish Anti-War Movement will hold a protest at Dáil Éireann this evening at 5.30pm to condemn the assassination of Iranian General Qaseem Suleimani, Iraqi Commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and others by a US air strike at Baghdad airport on 03 January. Iranian, American and Irish speakers will join the protest and condemn the escalation towards another war in the region. Speakers so far include: • Dr. Roja Fazaeli, Iranian / Irish citizen and academic The IAWM regards this act as a blatant, provocative act of war by the US Government against Iran. To assassinate the second most important leader of a sovereign country is unprecedented and while it is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat strikes in the cold war between the US and Iran this reckless act seriously increases the danger of a new war in the middle east. We have already witnessed strong calls for revenge from Iran and we have seen retaliatory missile strikes by Iran against US military bases in Iraq. If such a war develops it will lead to even more violence being inflicted on ordinary citizens throughout the Middle East who have suffered terribly over the last 20 years from US sanctions, invasion and occupation. This escalation towards more war clearly puts the spotlight on the use of Shannon Airport by the US military and the IAWM would echo MEP’s Clare Daly’s analysis that the Irish Government has blood on its hands.
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The attack in Iraq which killed the Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani, is a serious escalation by Trump of a conflict which has now gone on for nearly 20 years. Since the attacks on the world trade centre the “war on terror” has been a justification for every foreign policy adventure of three US administrations. It has also been used for domestic oppression against whistle blowers such as Chelsea Manning. Trump tapped into war weariness in American society as part of his “man of the people” act. Like Obama before him he has betrayed this promise by continuing and increasing the number of drone strikes and escalating the tensions with Iran since his election. This latest attack has fueled tensions with his Iraqi allies who have been embarrassed by the strike on their soil without prior knowledge. However, this may not be unintentional as Trump can justify moving troops from Iraq to other bases in the region to better position himself to attack Iran. Moving some troops out of Iraq would allow Trump to claim to have fulfilled his election promise of 2016 while at the same time securing the Saudi alliance. The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran is in itself a contest for supremacy between two regional powers who do not have the best interest of their own people at heart, to say nothing of the interests of the people in other countries which they wish to control. Recent protests in Iran over the cost of living will now be more easily suppressed with the claim of US interference and the actuality of US sanctions which are crippling the economy of Iran. Perhaps Trump hopes to bathe in the glory of being a “War President” as a way to get more votes in the upcoming US election.
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IRISH ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT (IAWM) PRESS RELEASE: 03 JANUARY 2020 • NO TO WAR WITH IRAN! The Irish Anti-War Movement condemns the reckless targeted assassination of the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Quds force, General Qaseem Suleimani, along with six others by a US air strike at Baghdad airport last night. This is quite simply a blatant, provocative act of war by the US Government against Iran. This assassination is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat strikes in the cold war between the US and Iran but this reckless act seriously increases the danger of a new war in the middle east. It will do nothing except escalate tensions across the region and will likely lead to even more violence being inflicted on ordinary citizens who have suffered terribly over the last 20 years from US sanctions, invasion and occupation. It will also allow Iranian leaders free reign to suppress any internal struggles for social justice and democracy. The omens are not good as already the US Government has instructed all its citizens to leave Iraq immediately and in recent weeks has deployed thousands more troops to the region. Whatever about Suleimani’s role in fomenting regional violence his leading role in helping defeat ISIS makes him a national hero in Iran which is a highly militarised country with 500,000 armed troops. Iran’s leaders will not take his targeted assassination lightly. Glenda Cimino, US citizen and a member of the IAWM Steering Committee, said: Jim Roche, PRO of the IAWM noted that:
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