McCourt States it Right

THANKS for publishing “McCourt’s Controversy” in last week’s issue. As a 

native of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, a hotbed of Republicanism, I found the bookstore banning of McCourt in Hawley, Pennsylvania, not far from my birthplace, of particular interest.

Bush Lies in State, McCourt’s new book that ignited the controversy at the Hawley bookstore, hits the target dead on, i.e., the President’s disdain for newspapers, courting of the religious right, fostering the rise of Puritanism in America and use of the words “hate” and “kill” with impunity.

Nutty Letter Writer

I FIND it very strange that the Irish Voice would print such a hateful diatribe as the letter “American, British Killers” by Cork-based Robert O’Sullivan which appeared in last week’s issue.

This man is obviously a crackpot. The outrageousness of his letter, defending terrorists as freedom fighters, left my jaw dropped at its conclusion.

Those who are opposed to the war are done no favors by having the likes of this guy on their side. And his letter gives further fuel to the simmering fire between the Irish and American cousins.

I would hope that the Irish Voice would act more responsibly in the future and not print such garbage that’s meant only to incite hatred. Mr. O’Sullivan is a hateful man who obviously can’t stand Americans, despite all of the good things we’ve done for Ireland and the Irish. He deserves nothing but contempt, and not a drop of space in the Irish Voice.

Jack Carlson

Roanoke, Virginia

Do the Math, George

THE Bush administration has some neck in refusing to recognize the result of the referendum in Venezuela, which was confirmed as fully democratic by respected international observers, including former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

Surely a 58% approval for Chavez on an 80% turnout beats a 49% vote for Bush on a sub 50% turnout any day?

Dessie Ellis

Finglas, Dublin, Ireland

McGreevey Reminder

I CAN’T wait for the James McGreevey story. Please don’t forget to mention that he hosted Gerry Adams when Adams visited the United States, and also about the amount of taxpayer money that McGreevey spent on his trip to Ireland. 

If you could interview one of the representatives of the parades that you constantly describe as being inclusive as to the possibility of McGreevey serving as grand marshal, it would be just great.

Dennis Mangless

Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

Warped Point of View

THIS is a letter to Robert O’Sullivan, author of the letter “American, British Killers” in last week’s issue. 

Your commentary may reflect what you stand for and what you believe, but it is definitely above and beyond anything I have ever seen in the Irish Voice. 

For the purposes of saving time and space, I will only respond to a couple of the items you were whimpering about. To respond to all would only lend undeserving credibility to your asinine statements.

All of a sudden all the prisoners who were abused by a handful of American soldiers are “innocent civilians?” By whose standard? Your own? 

The fact of the matter is that prisoners in those sections of the prison were suspected insurgents, murderers and terrorists. I am not attempting to justify what took place because I am not a hypocrite. I just flat out refute that all of these prisoners were innocent civilians. 

You see, right there you betray the true motivation behind your words, which were scripted with undeniable and rabid hatred of coalition efforts to transform Iraq into a free and democratic society. 

You are very quick to label American and British fighter pilots and other coalition forces as “killers,” all while turning a blind eye to the atrocities committed by a religious extremist such as Muqtada al-Sadr, a wanted murderer who ordered the killing of Sayed Abdul Majid al-Khoei, who indeed was an effective, moderate voice in preaching tolerance of other faiths. 

Al-Khoei had returned to Iraq last April after 12 years of exile in Britain only to be shot and stabbed to death by al-Sadr’s men. There had been hope that al-Khoei would help forge peace in Iraq. Al-Sadr would have none of that.

You mention places that al-Sadr’s army (Mahdi) fights, such as Baghdad and Najaf. What about Qawliya? The Mahdi army completely destroyed that town and displaced almost all of its inhabitants. 

What about al-Sadr’s Islamic sharia law courts which have ordered illegal arrests and torture conducted by the Mahdi army? The fact of the matter is that al-Sadr is funded in part by the hardliner ayatollahs in Iran. He extorts money from others through intimidation. 

He is a murderer who will kill anybody who speaks out against him. Have you heard his stance on Muslim women? They should not be allowed to dance or sing. That’s for starters. 

They brought this type of fundamentalist Islam to the town of Qawliya. If al-Sadr achieves his objectives and seizes power, you can expect more of the same across the country. 

Expel the coalition, bring in the zealots. His ambition is to create a Taliban-style theocracy in Iraq. 

The news of al-Sadr’s terrorists being slaughtered by the Americans is conveyed in such a way that it “is a good thing” precisely because that is what it is. These guys fired on a taxi driving past al-Sadr’s home toward a hospital just because it had a pregnant woman about to give birth and her relatives inside. The woman, her baby and two family members were killed. 

Al-Sadr has been charged with the theft of Muslim tithes collected by Najaf mosques. He has attempted to seize power in the Shi’ite community through the use of incitement and murder. 

His agenda is to disrupt the progress that normal Iraqis are so desperate to achieve. He intends to enslave the populace, and his goals are diametrically opposed to those of the populace. Conversely, the coalition’s goals are congruous with the needs of the overwhelming majority of Iraqis.

Mr. O’Sullivan is in County Cork, Ireland on the sidelines cheering on al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army, referring to them as “freedom fighters” who are “holding the might of the cowardly Americans at bay for nearly one year, and they deserve the support of everyone who demands justice for Iraq...those young Arab men are the true spirit of freedom in Iraq.” 

Considering that al-Sadr’s mission has nothing to do with freedom and everything to do with the deprivation of liberties, I do not see how the intention of Mr. O’Sullivan’s letter had anything to do with real or sincere hope for the future of Iraq. 

It had more to do with demagoguery, lies, denigration and hatred of coalition accomplishments in Iraq. It’s as if the lives of Iraqis don’t matter. Newsflash, Bobby — the coalition is going nowhere until the job is done. 

Iraq’s freedom, democracy and sovereignty is critical to the Middle East; the end result is that country’s liberation, one that will be an enormous asset to its people and in prosecuting the war on terror. A war, I might add, in which you are clearly on the wrong side. 

I’m sure al-Sadr appreciates your support. I am also sure you will shed many tears upon his capture or death.

Maybe you can spare a thought for the 1.5 million Muslims who lost their lives as a result of Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime? The one that was eliminated by the “American, British, Killers?”

John G. Keeney

Bayside, New York