US warship in Cobh visited by Labour Party Mayor: Anti-War Ireland maintains protest vigil

cork | anti-war / imperialism | news report Monday July 10, 2006 22:26 by Anti-War Ireland antiwarireland at gmail dot com

Cobh worthies visit US killing machine

Anti-War Ireland maintained a vigil at the Deepwater Quay in Cobh this afternoon where the US warship - the USS The Sullivans - remained berthed. Holding placards against the presence of the warship, several Cobh anti-war activists challenged various local worthies between 6pm and 7pm as they boarded the ship to sup with the captain and his senior officers.

The members of the local Urban District Council had been invited to an on-board reception this evening, but anti-war activists spotted just three of the town's nine councillors accepting the invitation, though others may have slipped in through the back.

Cllr Kieran McCarthy (SF) and Cllr Paddy Histon (Ind) made it clear to Anti-War Ireland that they were purposively boycotting the event; indeed, McCarthy has stood with the protestors throughout the visit. Disgracefully, however, the Labour Party mayor of Cobh, Noirin Doyle, was seen to board the ship at 6.40pm tonight, accompanied by Fine Gael Councillor Stella Meade.

In view of her party's stated opposition to the war on Iraq, Doyle's welcoming of this warship is a disgraceful act that the local Labour Party should publicly condemn. USS The Sullivans is an intrinsic part of the war machine of an imperialist power that is responsible for the deaths of countless numbers of innocent people in the Middle East and elsewhere.

The attendance of Cllr Meade is scarcely a surprise - and neither was that of another Fine Gael councillor, Paddy Whitty. Also seen boarding the ship was local worthy, John Mansworth, chairman of Cobh tourism and a prominent member of Cobh and Harbour Chamber of Commerce. Without doubt, a certain element of the local bourgeoise are falling over each in their efforts to welcome US Navy blood money into Cobh. What matter how many have died, or will be killed in the weeks and months ahead, as long as Mansworth's greasy till continues to clink. One anti-war activist who challenged Mansworth, as to who invited the ship into Cobh, received the interesting response, "The Taoiseach!" Later, as he was leaving the ship, he chortled that he had enjoyed his meal on board "immensely".

It is also understood that the US ambassador to the 26 Counties quietly visited the ship earlier today, as have a number of very senior Irish naval personnel, some of whom only left the ship around 8pm. Security around the ship has remained tight all day with Irish taxpayers' money wasted on the provision of up to 25 gardai, including a number of armed plainclothes detectives. A rigid inflatable boat, festooned with gardai, has also been used to patrol the water around the US warship.

The visit and reception of this US killing machine yet again highlights the way in which the Fianna Fail/PD government are facilitating the Bush war on Iraq, Afghanistan and, perhaps in time, Iran. Anti-War Ireland in Cobh, however, are determined to highlight and oppose these visits and intend to challenge locally the disgraceful behaviour of politicians and businessmen such as Doyle, Whitty, Meade and Mansworth. The US Navy will not be allowed to dock in Cobh without local voices being raised in protest.

It is believed that the US warship will leave Cork harbour tonight.

To contact Anti-War Ireland in Cobh, phone John Jefferies at 086 3004573.