The proposed visit by George Bush to Ireland at the invitation of Bertie Ahern and Mary Harney against the wishes of the majority of Irish people must be opposed.

· Such a visit will be interpreted as a sign of Irish support of Bush's illegal invasion of Iraq and a further loss of Irish sovereignty.

· Already Shannon Airport is, in fact, a US Airforce base used at will by the US Military for the shipment of US weaponry, ammunition and soldiers to Iraq.

· By allowing this, we the Irish people, have the blood of 25,000 innocent Iraqi women, children and men on our hands.

· Such a visit is designed by the Bush re-election team to gain the support of Irish American votes in the forthcoming American Presidential election.

Can you imagine the danger that the world will face if George Bush is re-elected as President of America for another four years.

· The Bush Administration is operating an illegal prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where Islamic prisoners are tortured and deprived of their protection under the Geneva Conventions.

· The Bush Administration has refused to ratify the Kyoto Agreement on the future of our environment which was agreed by the rest of the world as a necessity for the future of our common planet.

· After the 9/11 attack the Bush Administration pushed through the Patriot Act which has given US authorities the power to suppress all legitimate protest. This act is mainly used against US citizens of Arab descent.

· The Bush Administration has undermined the authority of both the U.N. and the International Court of Human Rights . It believes it can act unilaterally without reference  to the rest of the world.
· The invasion of Iraq was really about the consolidation of US power in the region and to safeguard cheap US oil supplies. Already fourteen heavily fortified Bases have been built in Iraq. The US means to stay in Iraq on a permanent basis which will generate further unrest in the region.

· These are but few of the reasons why you as an Irish person of honesty and integrity cannot welcome George Bush to Ireland. This campaign is not an Anti-American protest but focuses on the Bush Administration which has brought dishonour and disgrace on the good name of America.

             

Bertie Ahern and Mary Harney, our Irish Leaders, refused to acknowledge  the legitimacy of the 100,000 Irish people who came out on the streets of Ireland last February 15^th to protest against  the imminent invasion of Iraq. Instead they belittled our rightful concerns and rubbed our noses in the dirt by giving carte blanche to the American Armed Forces to use Irish Airports and Irish sovereign Airspace to further their illegal attack on the people of Iraq. By such an act the entire Irish people have been implicated in the killing of 25,000 innocent Iraqi people.

· Exercise your sovereign power on June 11^th by not voting for any candidate in the Local Government and European Elections who support the US occupation of Iraq and the use of Shannon Airport and Irish Airspace by the US military.

· Join our demonstrations on the occasion of the Bush visit:

                               
        June 26^th  10.00  Dromoland Castle , Co. Clare.

  June 26^th    16.00    Picnic for Peace,  Phoenix Park, Dublin.

      ( Near American Ambassador's residence.)