21 March 2017
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
The Workers’ Party in Cork has condemned the presence of what it referred to as “armed machine-gunners onboard a US warship” docked at Cobh today.
Workers’ Party Cork City Councillor Ted Tynan said the presence of the destroyer is a “flagrant breach of Irish neutrality” and the “action-ready machine gun crew on the ship’s deck is an even bigger affront. Two machine-gunners with ear defenders and other equipment have been observed aiming the weapon and ready to use it.”
Cllr. Tynan pointed out that this vessel, USS Donald Cook, is the ship that fired the first Tomahawk cruise missile in Iraq during “Operation Shock & Awe” – The Cllr said – in 2003.
“Ireland is either a neutral country or not. There is no middle position. Our government still keep up the pretence of neutrality but their actions in allowing vessels such as this to dock here – with weapons at the ready – and the ongoing US military stopover at Shannon Airport gives the lie to their claims”, said Cllr. Tynan.
The Cllr also pointed out that the USS Donald Cook is capable of firing nuclear warheads and is otherwise armed with a powerful array of lethal weapons designed to kill and maim.