Article
Irish poets and writers protest war
January 18, 2006
"The world is poised on the brink of war. We hope that it is not too late to prevent this conflict and wish to add our voice to the many millions throughout the world who are calling for the momentum towards war to be halted," the letter, which was published in the Irish Times, said.
"Ostensibly the reason for this war is to check the possibility of Saddam Hussein using weapons of mass destruction,” it went on. “But is it not clear that the most immediate victims of his repressive government, his own citizens, are those who will suffer terribly in the event of war? Wars have always been cloaked with noble ideals, such as the defence of 'small nations', 'democracy' 'freedom'. But the actual motives for conflict have very often been far more sinister and predatory. In this case it suffices to draw attention to the fact that Iraq controls the world's second largest oil reserve." The authors concluded: “We oppose a US led war against Iraq."
Recently, British writers such as {id="289" title="Harold Pinter"} and {id="290" title="Andrew Motion"} have used poetry to speak out against a possible attack on Iraq. In America, another poets’ initiative, Poets against the war, has been launched by poet Sam Hamill, and last week Canadian Todd Swift published a web anthology, 100 poets against the war, in collaboration with British webzine nthposition.com.
Several of Ireland’s most famous poets and writers have teamed up for a public letter opposing war in Iraq.
The participating authors include Roddy Doyle, Tom Paulin, playwright Brian Friel and dramatist and poet Brendan Kennelly, the BBC reports. "The world is poised on the brink of war. We hope that it is not too late to prevent this conflict and wish to add our voice to the many millions throughout the world who are calling for the momentum towards war to be halted," the letter, which was published in the Irish Times, said.
"Ostensibly the reason for this war is to check the possibility of Saddam Hussein using weapons of mass destruction,” it went on. “But is it not clear that the most immediate victims of his repressive government, his own citizens, are those who will suffer terribly in the event of war? Wars have always been cloaked with noble ideals, such as the defence of 'small nations', 'democracy' 'freedom'. But the actual motives for conflict have very often been far more sinister and predatory. In this case it suffices to draw attention to the fact that Iraq controls the world's second largest oil reserve." The authors concluded: “We oppose a US led war against Iraq."
Recently, British writers such as {id="289" title="Harold Pinter"} and {id="290" title="Andrew Motion"} have used poetry to speak out against a possible attack on Iraq. In America, another poets’ initiative, Poets against the war, has been launched by poet Sam Hamill, and last week Canadian Todd Swift published a web anthology, 100 poets against the war, in collaboration with British webzine nthposition.com.
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