Article from the May 2004 edition, Socialist Voice

Oppose War Criminal Bush

The visit by George W. Bush to Ireland this June has incensed thousands of ordinary people. An opinion poll showed that up to 75% oppose his visit.

By Matthew Waine

Yet even after the slaughter in Fallujah, the reports of widespread and systematic abuse of Iraqi prisoners and the complete unravelling of the situation in Iraq, Bertie Ahern and his Fianna Fail/PD Government still seems to believe that there is nothing wrong with inviting this war criminal to Ireland.

Of course this shouldn't surprise readers of Socialist Voice. Last year this Government showed its contempt for the Irish people by going against the wishes of the vast majority who saw through the lies of Bush, Rumsfeld and Blair and allowed US warplanes refuel at Shannon Airport. They have the blood of thousands of innocent Iraqi's on their hands and the Irish people should punish them at the Local and European Elections on 11 June.

Let's be under no illusions. Bush is coming here with his eye on November's presidential election. Bush hoped that a quick victory in Iraq would divert attention away from the mess the US economy is in.

However, Bush greatly miscalculated the situation and the quagmire that is Iraq is further undermining his popularity at home. Recent polls in the US show Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry neck and neck with Bush and the publication of the horrific pictures of humiliation and torture meted out by US troops has unleashed a torrent of anger in the US.

Bush hopes that "romantic" scenes of Ireland will also help dupe the 40 million or so Irish Americans into voting for him come November, and Ahern is acting as his election agent!

Bush is also coming here to help shore up his Coalition of the Willing (or rather the Coalition of the Killing). The planned pullout of Spanish and Honduran troops, and the difficulties faced by his poodle Blair are worrying developments for Bush. The withdrawal of Spanish and Honduran troops is not likely to drastically affect the US forces militarily, but it does represent an important psychological blow.

On 25 and 26 June we have a golden opportunity to protest and send Bush home knowing that the Irish people oppose his mass murder and torture in Iraq.

Other reports of the anti-war movement are available