As the war passes a fortnight in length, much of the attitude in Europe has changed. The majority of Europe is still staunchly against the war, but also has rejected much of the anti-American sentiment roused by the extremists. Meanwhile, the extremists, who now are back in their previous category of fringe groups, have become desperate for the attention they held for several weeks. The protests and acts of civil disobedience have become increasingly violent, anti-American and initiated by the usual suspects of European protests: mostly students and radical left wing organizations.
For example, instead of the repetitious and woefully tired anti-Bush slogans, French protesters have taken to desecrating a British cemetery with many ignorant and despicable slogans, one demanding the British dig up their filth, “”It’s polluting our soil.”” Never mind the thousands of British soldiers that died so that these radical students could speak French instead of German — they’re mad now, dammit!
Of course, France is the Western world’s epicenter of everything opposed to American policy. This sort of action is not terribly surprising. Germany has maintained much of its dignity throughout the last months and if anyone, will emerge as the heroes of the anti-war movement over France and Belgium. However, the German fringe groups still push further into absurdity.
Several doctors have posted signs refusing the treatment of any Americans, British or nationals of any country supporting the war. There has been increasing support for complete boycotting of American imports. In their self-righteous indignation, the boycotters have forgotten that it will be Germans who will lose their jobs because it is they who run the American companies’ factories in Germany.
Ireland is no exception. Though protests have decreased significantly, the Gardai are more often seen in riot gear. Usually unarmed, these approachable law enforcement agents are now often seen carrying large rifles. Even the politicians have become desperate. Humorously misguided Labour foreign policy spokesperson Michael Higgins, who wrote that the U.S. foreign policy was “”hate-filled,”” was dragged away by Gardai when he refused to allow another senator into the Dail.
Most of these new incidents and polls are completely logical and expected. Protests have declined because the anti-war moderates and the politically unaffiliated have already voiced their opinion and saw it rejected. As with any organization vaulted to sudden limelight only to have it stripped away within weeks, fringe groups have had to resort to shock tactics and increasingly violent rhetoric to spike the interest of the masses, who have largely become contented to denounce the United States but still hope for their swift victory.
However, Ireland has shown a very interesting trend in the last few weeks. A now-infamous poll conducted by the Sunday Independent showed that, as expected, over 70 percent of the Irish public did not trust President Bush. Also, as expected, 63 percent were opposed to the war in general. However, the unexpected result was with regard to the use of Shannon airport as a refueling base for the U.S. military headed for the Middle East. The country was split nearly in half over whether Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was correct in allowing the U.S. to use the airport despite the constitutionally protected Irish neutrality.
This has been a stormy topic over the last six months. Many protesters were not even as angry so much about U.S. disregard for its U.N. opponents, but rather that their government was allowing U.S. war planes to refuel in their country, which they argue was a breach of neutrality.
Now, the country has explicitly voiced its opposition to the war and to Bush, but is largely divided on whether their neutrality was breached. In fact, there are several prominent anti-war commentators who vehemently argue for the U.S. use of Shannon airport.
The mere fact that the country is so divided means that the public must be giving the situation a lot of thought, especially considering how many are so firmly against the war. It is a large boost for Irish thought process independent of left-wing rhetoric that saturates the streets.
Ireland is quite economically dependent on U.S. business. The large majority of Ireland’s recent prosperity is due, if not to American tourism, to American investment. Taoiseach Ahern said a drastic move to eliminate the use of Shannon to U.S. military, which has been available since the first Gulf War, would not only be seen as a hostile sanction-esque move, it would also decimate the economy of the airport itself. Ireland has used many different words to oppose the U.S. military intervention, but Ireland is also clearly looking out for its best interests by continuing the trend of economic success fueled by American investment.
For once, many people are listening to logic rather than sound bites. The left-wing parties, Labour, Green and Sinn Fein, have made fiery attacks on the Taoiseach about the immorality of his actions, but are often ignored. In fact, most of the opposition to Shannon’s use is due not to the morality of the war, but fueled by the desire to repair the devastated EU common foreign policy. This is exacerbated by the intriguing fact that the rotating presidency of the EU is slated to be filled next by Ireland who will have a prime opportunity to be considered the uniting country of a divided Europe.
This evidence of public opinion spawned of intelligence rather than emotion is unexpected considering the number of Irish politicians and public speakers with less than remarkable intellectual platforms and opinions. Numerous U.S. military strategists and low-level diplomats have recently been shown that their mediocre debating skills are stellar against many Irish journalists.
Last week, Newt Gingrich dominated an Irish TV interview with an anti-war journalist as she embarrassingly read from a script with a painfully obvious plan of attack. The British editor of The Economist calmly dismantled the arguments of two visibly furious Irish anti-war professors and the frustrated mediator, who was forced to take sides with the professors because they began resorting to vague allusions to Irish domestic problems and name-calling.
Despite the sad state of many of Ireland’s commentators, the recent polls have given immense credibility to the intelligence and decision-making skills of the average Irish citizen. The rational reasons for both opposition and support actually serves to make the majority of Ireland’s political elite appear silly. It also strips naked the obvious and simple-minded rhetoric by the fringe groups. Regardless of the outcome of public opinion, which will be shown largely through the length of time that Bertie Ahern stays in office, the majority of Ireland’s citizens have successfully shown the distinction between politically respectable anti-war advocates and the anti-American scourge that everyone has been talking about but few have been able to pinpoint.
