[Satire] Ahern is accused of being Bush's puppet

Victor

Ahern, denies he is Bush's or anyone else's puppet, claims he is his own puppet.

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/7075366?view=Eircomnet

Ahern is accused of being Bush's puppet
From:The Irish Independent
Wednesday, 28th December, 2005

Taoiseach 'shining the shoes' of US President, says leading academic
Brian Dowling and Lorna Reid

THE Government reacted angrily last night after a leading US academic compared Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to a "shoe-shine boy" for President George Bush.

In a scathing attack on the Government's foreign policy, the influential anti-war academic Noam Chomsky accused Mr Ahern of "shining the shoes" of the US President by allowing US warplanes to use Shannon airport.

Speaking in advance of a lecture in Trinity College, Dublin next month, Professor Chomsky depicted the Government as little more than grovelling to US demands.

The 77-year-old - who is the eighth most quoted author in the world - asked whether Mr Ahern was following the will of the Irish people or following orders from Washington.

A long-time critic of US foreign policy, Professor Chomsky said the Taoiseach's actions in allowing Shannon to be used for the refuelling of US military aircraft could only be justified "if the goal of the Irish Government was to be the obedient servant of the global superpower". "This tells you that western politicians despise democracy and prefer to shine the shoes of the power," he said.

But a spokesman for the Government said the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern categorically rejected the allegations made by Professor Chomsky.

"They are satisfied that Ireland's position regarding the use of Shannon is fully compliant with domestic requirements and our international obligations.

"Arrangements for overflight and landing in Ireland of US military and civilian aircraft have been in place under successive governments for almost 50 years."

The spokesman said the Government's position had been approved by the Dail on March 20, 2003 and was wholly in accordance with US Security Council resolutions on the situation in Iraq, including that of November 8, 2005.

The broadside from Professor Chomsky came ahead of his visit to Ireland where he will deliver the Amnesty International annual lecture at Trinity College on January 18.

The controversial academic, who has been aligned to left wing politics for over 60 years, has been dubbed "the Elvis of Academia" by U2 lead singer Bono.

A spokesman for Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte reiterated the party's opposition to the decision to allow US warplanes to refuel at Shannon.

"We have consistently opposed the use of Shannon for US military flights and its use for CIA flights too," the spokesman said.

The party's foreign affairs spokesman and veteran international campaigner, Michael D Higgins, said Professor Chomsky's remarks only served to prove that the Taoiseach had "danced around the media" on the whole issue of the use of Shannon.

"The Taoiseach has accepted the simple assurances from diplomats about rendition, but the argument is, if we have friendly relations with the US then what has America got to fear from inspections of their aircraft, if they are telling the truth," Mr Higgins said.

Last week the Irish Human Rights Commission said the Government must inspect US planes landing at Shannon to ensure terror suspects were not being transported to alleged torture camps elsewhere.

lostexpectation

Victor wrote:

Ahern, denies he is Bush's or anyone else's puppet, claims he is his own puppet.

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/7075366?view=Eircomnet

Its unusual for breakingnews to have such a long meandering article?

Victor

lostexpectation wrote:

Its unusual for breakingnews to have such a long meandering article?

Its in "National".

Zombrex

I'm torn .. on the one hand I fully support Chomsky criticism of the government, and his metephor that Bertie is an American lap dog .. on the other hand this is being reported in the Indo .. I'm torn