Human rights can claim a small victory today as the Irish government has turned down a United States request for planes carrying 600-lb so-called bunker busters to refuel at Shannon airport in Co Clare. The bombs are defined by military experts the most horrible non-nuclear weapon that exists. Apparently, the White House believes that the massacres committed by Apartheid Israel in Lebanon (which has killed over 900 civilians to date) are not deadly enough. Hence, 10 air loads of bunker busters have been approved in Congress and delivered to the Israeli Air Force. Irish officials have declared that sending bombs to Israel âis completely out of the question for usâ. US support to the Zionist war crimes in Lebanon had to take another route â via Scotland, Prestwick airport in Ayrshire (Scotland).
Already two aircrafts have landed in Prestwick with their deadly cargo. Though Blair has been forced to take notice of the outcry of the British general public and intellectuals calling for an end to military support, he displayed staggering when he stated “if what people are saying is that we should impose an arms embargo on Israel, or indeed on the US, I think that would be very curious indeed.”
Scottish activists are otherwise convinced that the UKâs support for the Occupation is outrageous, and are up in arms. 300 people have gathered in front of Prestwick airport on Sunday to protest the second plane’s arrival. Human rights lawyers are taking legal action and further protests are planned. Political parties are also taking a stand, including Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond: “It is absolutely appalling that we should allow Prestwick to become a stopover to death and destruction.”
The popular struggle against US war planes bringing destruction to the Middle East and support for the Occupation has started to reach the halls of the Irish parliament and the US seeks alternative airports to continue its crimes. In Scotland, the struggle has just begun. Against a war mongering government and the airport administration hoping for lucrative profits from the death of thousands of people, Scottish activists must gear up to close the road to destruction.