February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Speaking to the Irish Echo on Monday after the New York launch of his new book, “Ending The War in Iraq,” Hayden challenged the Irish people to “play their role in preventing more bloodshed and useless killing in Iraq.
“The government of Bertie Ahern and the Green Party should not be the last in Europe to support the failed U.S. policies in Iraq,” he said. “It should not be facilitating the CIA’s dirty war. I am sure the majority of people in Ireland do not support the use of Shannon for the rendition and torture of prisoners in the same way that prisoners were tortured by the British in the North.”
The former Democratic state senator in California and prominent environmentalist said he looked forward to observing the Green Party reflect its opposition to the war in Iraq from within the coalition government in Dubin. “If they’re tell me they’re going to do that from within, I’d say, ‘well done’. But I’m not sure how they will do that.”
A leader of the anti-Vietnam War movement of the 1960s and ’70s, Tom Hayden believes the war in Iraq will end when sufficient political pressure is brought to bear on President Bush. “Unlike the causes of war, wars have beginnings and endings. After five years, we’re at a point now where we have to make a permanent, impatient commitment to end the war.”
And the author of “Irish On The Inside” said there’s no contradiction between his peace activities in Northern Ireland and his anti-war stance. “I followed the history of the British forces from Belfast to Basra as one continuous story,” he said.
Released this week, “Ending The War In Iraq” is published by Akashic Books.