Minister for Propaganda

I rarely ever listen to 'The Last Word', but I had the misfortune to hear anti-war (??) Senator Brendan Daly verbally attack the anti-war movement today. He explained that the Shannon protest was nothing but a propaganda campaign (??) by protesters reminiscent of Saddam's era (??). He then went on to explain that Iran is attempting to acquire a nuclear arsenal.

The Irish Peace and Neutrality Alliance spokesperson failed to counter any of his arguments, although it can be argued that the points raised are hardly worth countering. But it is the obvious absurdity of Mr. Daly's argument that is so enraging. Protesters are engaged in propaganda when they talk about torture and death, whereas government representatives who spread the word that Iran is attempting to attain a 'nuclear arsenal' are simply doing the public a service. Not to mention the fact protesters have little if any access to the most efficient propaganda machine, the mainstream media. Whereas Mr. Ahern, Mr. Daly and co. are most welcome.

Iran, in fact, is afforded an 'inalienable right' to 'develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination' under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Mr. Daly is surely the propagandist.

The fact the Irish public were neither consulted or informed about their involvement in what Kofi Annan called an illegal war that has costed potentially 300,000 Iraqi lives, according to Les Roberts of the Lancet, is the crime against democracy. The inconvenience to Shannon security guards is of no significance.

Brendan Daly is of the Saddam era, not the unpaid, unappreciated, unheard, ignored, suppressed protester.



Audio of The Last Word available here:

http://www.radioireland.ie/lastword/lastword.html

Peace Alliance:

http://www.pana.ie/