war machine,” said Niall Farrell of Galway Alliance Against War. “Irish airspace and Shannon Airport became the virtual property of the U.S. troops to pass through Shannon Airport since 2002 and has even assigned a permanent staff officer to the airport. Nonetheless, said John Lannon of Shannonwatch, the Irish government has allowed almost 3 million U.S. Allowing a foreign military to use Irish soil violates Article 2 of the Hague Convention of 1907, to which Ireland is a signatory. forward operating base began in 2002-2003, and this transformation “was, and still is, deeply offensive to the majority of Irish people.”Īrticle 29 of the Irish Constitution of 1937 sets in place the framework for the country’s neutrality. military in Ireland.Īccording to a report from Shannonwatch titled “ Shannon Airport and 21st Century War ,” the use of the airport as a U.S. “It’s important that we come here every month,” he said, “because without this there is no visible opposition” to the footprint of the U.S. military use of Shannon Airport, to stop rendition flights through the airport, and to obtain accountability for both from the relevant Irish authorities and political leaders.” Edward Horgan, a veteran of the Irish military who had been on peacekeeping missions to Cyprus and Palestine, told me that this vigil is vital. Shannonwatch’s objectives are to “end U.S. military planes to fly in and out of it, with Gate 42 of the airport functioning as its “forward operating base.”Īt the age of 88, D’Arcy, who is a legendary Irish actress and documentary filmmaker, is a regular member of Shannonwatch, comprising a group of activists who have-since 2008-held monthly vigils at a roundabout near the airport. Shannon is not a regular airport, D’Arcy said, because while it is merely a civilian airport, it allows frequent U.S. military base at Stuttgart, Germany, after flying in from Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia. Navy C-40A (registration number 16-6696) left Shannon for the U.S. Navy aircraft (registration number 16-4762) had flown in from Sigonella, a U.S. “This is not a regular airport,” Margaretta D’Arcy said to me as we heard a C-130T Hercules prepare to take off from Shannon Airport in Ireland after 3 p.m.
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