RAF Flying over Galway

Ohyeah

:mad: OK what about this then

Just after the 1916 shindig in Dublin with all our politicians almost weeping thinking about the anti-imperialist sacrafice our rebels made against the British Empire...the RAF will fly over the skies of Salthill :mad:

and not only that some of the pilots that will be flying over, have just returned from Iraq flying over the heads of the people of Basra and the local community :eek:

whatever you think about war/republicans/anti war types etc is this not just hypocritical

see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76380

Brit War Vets To "Perform" at War Show



Today’s Daily Ireland (Thursday 1st June 2006) has produced evidence that there is a direct link between the war in Iraq and the Salthill Air Show. According to the new national daily 4 pilots involved in the British RAF helicopter Merlin display team served in Iraq. At this year's Air Show the Merlin Team will be one of the "highlights".

The article written by Daily Ireland’s Dublin correspondent, David Lynch, states: “The official 'Team Merlin' website and RAF press release outlines the military biographies of the team members. The display pilot has been deployed in Iraq. The display co-pilot "has recently completed operational tours in Iraq". Another display co-pilot has "just completed his third tour in Iraq". And finally the Team Merlin display lead crewman has recently been "on Op Telic in Iraq". Operation Telic is the British military codename for its role in the US led 2003 invasion and ongoing occupation of Iraq. According to RAF information four of the five members of Team Merlin, have served in Iraq. The fifth, the display manager, spent ‘4 years on the Puma helicopter with the 230 Squadron in Northern Ireland’.”

The Galway Alliance Against War has called on both Galway City Council and Ireland West Tourism to withdraw funding to the air show. The peace group’s PRO, Niall Farrell, told us: “The organisers of this war show try to pass it off as harmless entertainment. But now we not only have the killing machines but the original pilots, not circus artistes, flying them. Galway City Council and Ireland West Tourism must distance themselves from this obscenity by withdrawing funding. These pilots have been involved in the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq; they have been involved in an unnecessary war that has taken the lives of over 200,000 people. By their very involvement in this illegal war they are British war criminals and they should be banned from our skies and our land.”

Ohyeah

more info here http://dailyireland.televisual.co.uk/home.tvt?_ticket=3JBZVWZOBHSJ53J94NNAD0UNDKLAFS6DJQRFL1PAATTKANLAFKWHTRRITAXM9NTHNLL9CHUTUXQFIQ0FLMTECY0DBHSI7USEIOPNHUSEAOW4UURGUU4GISR9ANWP4879CHVTTRRLMNNAGWSEAOW1Q&_scope=DailyIreland/Content/News&id=31014&opp=1

ChityWest

"According to the new national daily 4 pilots involved in the British RAF helicopter Merlin display team served in Iraq"

Even if your opposed to the war I just dont see the big deal with this.

There is no connection to 1916 com parade and that air show - and also imo indymedia are not the most independent media source available - they are very very heavily biased in my opinion and could manufacture an argument/issue out of thin air if requested.

mcgarnicle

Ohyeah wrote:

:mad: OK what about this then

Just after the 1916 shindig in Dublin with all our politicians almost weeping thinking about the anti-imperialist sacrafice our rebels made against the British Empire...the RAF will fly over the skies of Salthill :mad:

and not only that some of the pilots that will be flying over, have just returned from Iraq flying over the heads of the people of Basra and the local community :eek:

whatever you think about war/republicans/anti war types etc is this not just hypocritical

see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76380

Brit War Vets To "Perform" at War Show



Today’s Daily Ireland (Thursday 1st June 2006) has produced evidence that there is a direct link between the war in Iraq and the Salthill Air Show. According to the new national daily 4 pilots involved in the British RAF helicopter Merlin display team served in Iraq. At this year's Air Show the Merlin Team will be one of the "highlights".

The article written by Daily Ireland’s Dublin correspondent, David Lynch, states: “The official 'Team Merlin' website and RAF press release outlines the military biographies of the team members. The display pilot has been deployed in Iraq. The display co-pilot "has recently completed operational tours in Iraq". Another display co-pilot has "just completed his third tour in Iraq". And finally the Team Merlin display lead crewman has recently been "on Op Telic in Iraq". Operation Telic is the British military codename for its role in the US led 2003 invasion and ongoing occupation of Iraq. According to RAF information four of the five members of Team Merlin, have served in Iraq. The fifth, the display manager, spent ‘4 years on the Puma helicopter with the 230 Squadron in Northern Ireland’.”

The Galway Alliance Against War has called on both Galway City Council and Ireland West Tourism to withdraw funding to the air show. The peace group’s PRO, Niall Farrell, told us: “The organisers of this war show try to pass it off as harmless entertainment. But now we not only have the killing machines but the original pilots, not circus artistes, flying them. Galway City Council and Ireland West Tourism must distance themselves from this obscenity by withdrawing funding. These pilots have been involved in the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq; they have been involved in an unnecessary war that has taken the lives of over 200,000 people. By their very involvement in this illegal war they are British war criminals and they should be banned from our skies and our land.”

The only problem I see here is that Merlin helicopters aren't very interesting, send over some Tornados and Eurofighters. Now that I would pay to see.

LordSutch

If Daily Ireland had anything to do with the reporting of this story then obviously it will have an Anti British/ Anti RAF slant ~ Thats just what Daily Ireland does, and it makes no apologies for being openly & transparently Anti anything British!

As regards the RAF performing at the Salthill Airshow, it can only be a good thing to have some "proper" aircraft performing there, unless its just a parachute team?

last year I went to the Bray international Airshow expecting (hoping) to see some RAF/ US or Luftwaffe jet Fighters, instead all we got were some piddly little 50cc turbo-prop pretend fighter thingies + the Government Jet!

And that was all really ~ so I say "bring on the RAF" to spice things up a Lot.

Hagar

Much as I don't agree with the war in Iraq it would be hypocritical not to mention the number of times the RAF have saved Galway fishermen's lives when the Irish Air Corps or Navy couldn't.

Christ, I hated having to say that but the truth is the truth.

darkman2

TBH so what. I know how professional the Air Corps are. They are top rate but for the moment they lack the equipment really to put on a really good show. The RAF have some decent aircraft so might as well give the public something to enjoy.

And honestly who gives a sh!t whether or not the aircraft were used in the Iraq war.

mike65

Not again!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=170874&highlight=salthill+airshow

Here's hoping they drop a stray one on the right target, you can usually smell them from 10,000 feet.

Mike.

secret_squirrel

The Red Arrows are there too. Im sure some of their pilots have also been posted to Iraq etc.

Maybe you would like to rant about them too?

Or alternatively a huge amount of trade goes on between here and the uk, maybe thats hypocritical too?

stfu tbh.

TempestSabre

So its ok if they rescue you, but not if they do an airshow?

darkman2

TempestSabre wrote:

So its ok if they rescue you, but not if they do an airshow?

They dont 'do' an airshow, they are invited to take part. Its not like they waltz in and do what they like. I dont see any problems whatsoever. An airshow is an airshow. It dosnt symbolise anything.

TempestSabre

darkman2 wrote:

They dont 'do' an airshow, they are invited to take part. Its not like they waltz in and do what they like. I dont see any problems whatsoever. An airshow is an airshow. It dosnt symbolise anything.

Theres a ' in don't, and you've butchered doesn't....:D

darkman2

TempestSabre wrote:

Theres a ' in don't, and you've butchered doesn't....:D

Sorry just a force of habit:D Ive seen the error of my ways:D

Hagar

TempestSabre wrote:

Theres a ' in don't, and you've butchered doesn't....:D

There's also one in "there's".

TempestSabre

I've - the ' key broken?

TempestSabre

Hagar wrote:

There's also one in "there's".

There do be ...

Crash

TempestSabre wrote:

I've - the ' key broken?

I'm not gonna even start to nitpick with that one...