Press Release 22/02/2011
It is now clear that the election result is likely to show that Fianna Fail, a longstanding supporter of the dominant neo-liberal militarist ideology will be replaced as the major party by Fine Gael, another party equally committted to it. Therefore, despite the fact that throughout the campaign there was no debate on foreign policy whatsoever, the central drive of that ideology, Ireland's steady integration into EU/US/NATO military axis will continue. Irish soldiers will continue to serve in the Afghan War, US troops will continue to land in Shannon Airport on their way to and from the apparently unending wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, and the Irish Army will be further integrated into EU Battlegroups.
This, despite the fact that throughout the entire campaign, one of the central bastions of the EU/US/NATO axis, the Arab Dictators which they have supported for decades have been overthrown, or in the process of being overthrown in successive revolutions which will have a far more dramatic impact on Irish history than this election, especially as the EU/US/NATO will soon be seeking to become involved in more "humanitarian" wars in the region.
PANA reaffirms its believe that an it is in the best interests of the Irish people to pursue an independent Irish policy rather than be further integrated into the EU/US/NATO military axis. It is the dominant neo-liberal militarist ideology that has to be replaced. In the next few years as the massive economic, social and military crisis caused by this ideology grows, so will the opposition to it. If Fianna Fail, a party that has dominated Irish politics for generations can be virtually swept aside by a crisis that has only just started, then the corporate media and Fine Gael won't last too long either.
Roger Cole, Chair of the Peace & Neutrality Alliance
