A bird's eye view of the vineyard
 Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.? We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).?
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by The Saker >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Promoting Human Rights in IrelandHuman Rights in Ireland >>
Migrant Channel Crossings Hit 10,000 in Record Time Under Labour Despite Starmer?s ?Smash the Gangs?... Thu May 01, 2025 17:05 | Will Jones
The number of migrants?crossing the Channel so far this year?has hit 10,000 in record time under Labour, as the total runs 40% higher than last year despite Starmer's pledge to "smash the gangs".
The post Migrant Channel Crossings Hit 10,000 in Record Time Under Labour Despite Starmer’s “Smash the Gangs” Pledge appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Which Ideology is Most Receptive to Bullshit? Thu May 01, 2025 15:04 | Noah Carl
Which ideology is most receptive to bullshit? A Swedish study found that social conservatives are more receptive than social liberals but that Greens were the most receptive of all.
The post Which Ideology is Most Receptive to Bullshit? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
COVID-19 Started in America, Not China, New Chinese Government Report Claims Thu May 01, 2025 13:04 | Will Jones
COVID-19 started in America, not China, a new Chinese Government report has claimed, in the latest salvo in the five-year long propaganda war over the origins of the virus.
The post COVID-19 Started in America, Not China, New Chinese Government Report Claims appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Transgender Players Banned from Women?s Football in England Thu May 01, 2025 11:00 | Will Jones
Transgender women are to be banned from playing women?s football in England following the Supreme Court ruling that trans women are legally men, as the FA follows its Scottish counterpart in bringing in a ban.
The post Transgender Players Banned from Women’s Football in England appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Trump is Not to Blame for Carney?s Win Thu May 01, 2025 09:00 | Dr James Allan
The media are wrong to pin the blame for the Canadian Conservatives' loss on Trump, says Prof James Allan. In truth, the Tories' vote was sky high ? but the Left-wing vote coalesced around Carney.
The post Trump is Not to Blame for Carney’s Win appeared first on The Daily Sceptic. Lockdown Skeptics >>
|
Search words: raytheon
Blood on Our Hands
 national |
anti-war / imperialism |
opinion/analysis
 Sunday December 02, 2007 18:39 by Margaretta D'Arcy - Women in Media & Entertainment margaretta at iol dot ie
Our Cash Kills Kids
Government hypocrisy has allowed the National Pension Reserve Fund to invest € 500 million in companies that produce weapons of mass destruction.
PENSION FUNDS IN WEAPONS PUT MONEY BEFORE MORALS
The National Pension Reserve Fund (NPRF) has invested € 500 million in companies that produce weapons of mass destruction – notably nuclear weapons, missiles, and cluster bombs. The NRPF will finance pensions for schoolteachers, nurses, prison officers, gardaí and other public servants, after the year 2025. It will also help to fund any social welfare payments made after that date.
This despite the fact that the NRPF was a signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment in 2006.
There is no ethical legislation in Ireland to prevent this kind of investment. Norway, on the other hand, has excluded any firms involved in nuclear weapons and cluster bombs from its similar fund.
Bertie Ahern promised to campaign for a complete ban on the use of cluster bombs. In the Programme for Government, the government said it would seek an immediate freeze on their use. Yet Ireland has nearly € 70 million worth of shares in seven of the world’s main cluster-bomb producing companies.
“DOSSIER OF SHAME.”
The top 10 arms-producing firms, with the value of Irish shares.
BOEING, USA. Aircraft, missiles, etc. € 18,871,586.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN, USA. Aircraft, missiles, etc. € 2,549,571.
LOCKHEED MARTIN, USA. Aircraft, missiles, cluster bombs, etc. € 17,124,321.
BAE SYSTEMS, UK. Aircraft, nuclear warheads, etc. € 14,543,571.
raytheon, USA. Cluster bombs, missiles, etc. € 12,392,445.
GENERAL DYNAMICS, USA: Cluster bombs, etc. € 12,712,947.
FINMECCANA, Italy. Nuclear warheads, etc. € 9,680,018.
EADS, Netherlands. Aircraft, cluster bombs, nuclear warheads. € 19,488,139.
1-3 COMMUNICATIONS, USA. Cluster bombs, etc. € 692,916.
THALES, France. Cluster bombs, etc. € 6,636,170.
(Info from 'The Star,' 27 - 28 Nov 07)
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Get Questions asked in the Dáil, with a view to a Bill to implement the UN Principles of Responsible Investment at a national level and to exclude (on the Norwegian model) any firms involved in nuclear weapons, cluster bombs, etc., etc.
|
printable version
Digg this
del.icio.us
Furl
Reddit
Technorati
Facebook
Gab
Twitter
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 4 3 2 1"Bertie Ahern promised to campaign for a complete ban on the use of cluster bombs"
did he also promise to make it a 'top priority'?
We know by now what Aherne's word is worth.
"As Taoiseach, he now intends to sign Ireland up to Nato's so-called
'Partnership for Peace' without giving the Irish people their voice
through the referendum he once promised."
http://indigo.ie/~goodwill/icnd/neutrality/pfpduw.html
If anyone wants to use this image for publicity material feel free. This issue has to be put to the forefront of Irish antiwar activism, we can pressure TD's and get legislation enacted to prevent unethical investment by government bodies.
There should also be a trade union organized academic boycott of all firms and university departments connected to the arms industry . The likes of Raytheon and BAE are reliant on Dr Mengele type scientists for research and development projects .Many of these are prominent in academia and members of trade unions . Anti-war activists should be monitoring all those engaged in the war industry and gathering evidence for future war crime tribunals.
Of course if (like most people in Ireland) you work in the private sector and are "lucky" enough to be offered a private pension by your employer youll probably find that you have little choice but to invest in the pension fund selected by your employer. And very few of them have an "ethical" option.
Of course you could opt out and find your own pension scheme but then
1) You almost loose out on the bribe/"matching contribution" that feature in most employers schemes.
2) The very few (if any ???) "ethical " pension funds operating in the Irish market are poorly advertised and difficult to find. There are some good UK based ones but most (all ?) of them wont take on Irish-based clients (probably in breach of EU law RE: single market in goods/services)
We need legislation enabling employees to choose their own pension scheme and requiring employers to contribute to any approved pension scheme chosen by their employees.