Tony Blair is a war criminal, drugs for weapons swaps

Bookseller Tony Blair belongs in court

-Seven Irish soldiers are now serving with this NATO occupation force in Afghanistan, in clear breach of Ireland's so-called military neutrality.

The proposed visit by former British prime minister Tony Blair to Ireland on September 3-4 to publicise his autobiography should be used by the Irish people to express their opposition to the wars and military occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq, which were carried out in contravention of the UN Charter and have cost the lives of an estimated one-and-a-half million people so far.

With the withdrawal of US operational troops from Iraq, that country is now on the brink of a renewed outbreak of civil war, resulting from the US-led invasion.

The prospects for democracy and peace for the people of Iraq are very remote.

In Afghanistan, Mr Blair falsely claimed that one of the reasons for British participation in the overthrow of the Afghan government in 2001 was to stop the flow of drugs to Europe, yet he must have known when he made that statement that one of the few positive achievements by the Taliban government by 2001 was the virtual elimination of drug production, as confirmed by the UN at the time.

The US and British occupation was achieved by knowingly creating an alliance with the warlords and drug barons, thereby restoring the production of drugs.

The export of drugs from Afghanistan to Europe is now at an all-time high.

Hundreds of thousands of Afghan people have been killed and seriously injured, and the abuse of women and children, especially girls, has worsened rather than improved under the Karzai government, supported by the NATO occupation forces.

Seven Irish soldiers are now serving with this NATO occupation force in Afghanistan, in clear breach of Ireland's so-called military neutrality.

Mr Blair should be at The Hague war crimes tribunal as a defendant, not selling books in Ireland.

Edward Horgan

International Secretary, Irish Peace and Neutrality Alliance,

Castletroy, Limerick

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/bookseller-tony-blair-belongs-in-court-14926301.html

Irish Independent
August 27, 2010

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