Letter: ​Nationalists silent on their connection to US empire and conquest

A letter from Brian John Spencer:
A US Air Force transport plane on the runway of Shannon Airport in Co Clare. According to the Irish Examiner, in 2021 there was 'around one military flight landing per day' at the airport. It's likely these flights have increased with the wars in Ukraine and IsraelA US Air Force transport plane on the runway of Shannon Airport in Co Clare. According to the Irish Examiner, in 2021 there was 'around one military flight landing per day' at the airport. It's likely these flights have increased with the wars in Ukraine and Israel
A US Air Force transport plane on the runway of Shannon Airport in Co Clare. According to the Irish Examiner, in 2021 there was 'around one military flight landing per day' at the airport. It's likely these flights have increased with the wars in Ukraine and Israel
By Letters
Published 26th Oct 2023, 00:01 BST

​If Irish nationalists in Dublin actually held the much vaunted sovereignty they reclaimed in 1916 and during their hallowed “tan war”, then in a heartbeat they could stand foursquare with Palestine and apply pressure on the US to enforce a ceasefire.

If Dublin truly held to the values of Pearse and Connolly they would say to DC: “No ceasefire, no use of Irish airspace and airports.”

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The Shannon airport is a lynchpin in United States military strategy, allowing their air force to refuel and then move to Eastern Europe or, in recent years, Afghanistan; and now to the new arena - Israel/Palestine.

According to the Irish Examiner, in 2021 there was “around one military flight landing per day”. With Ukraine and Israel ablaze, we can assume that these flights have increased. This fact makes the Republic of Ireland party to the foreign policy of Washington DC.

Unionists are lambasted daily for being moist eyed nostalgics longing for distant empire and conquest; unthinking lackies who bow to London.

Unionists are asked to give up on our centuries of connection with the British because of its empire.

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Yet any unionist can turn to the other aisle and (so-called anti-colonial) nationalists stand foursquare with the modern US empire. (There are 750 US military bases in 80 countries across the world.)

I must note, I support the United States and Israel emphatically. But I can’t stomach hypocrisy from Irish nationalists.

Brian John Spencer, artist, Co Down

Related topics:PalestineIsrael