THIS TREATY IS BAD FOR MUSLIMS IN IRELAND – VOTE NO!

Having suffered an embarrassing defeat some months back, the Irish government is gearing up for Lisbon II. A recent Irish Times poll has indicated an uncomfortable swing in favour of the treaty, partly because of a misguided perception of a link between the initial rejection and the current downturn in the economy. MPACIE believes that the Lisbon Treaty is bad for Muslims in Ireland for a number of reasons, primarily because of its impact on state neutrality.

Paragraph 27 of the Lisbon Treaty states: “The Member States shall support the Union’s external and security policy actively and unreservedly in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity and shall comply with the Union’s action in this area.” Paragraph 50 further adds that Irish embassies around the world would be obliged to propagate the official EU line. “The diplomatic missions of Member States ... in third countries and international organisations shall cooperate and shall contribute to formulating and implementing the common approach.” These foreign policy provisions have far-reaching implications and possible consequences.

The UK is currently embroiled in two wars it cannot possibly win (in both Afghanistan and Iraq). Its illegal occupation and subjugation of Muslims in those countries has invited retribution to its shores. In what was widely propagated as the last will and testament of alleged 7/7 bomber, Shehzad Tanweer, he is reported to have said: "What you have witnessed now is only the beginning of a string of attacks that will continue and become stronger until you pull your forces out of Afghanistan and Iraq and until you stop your financial and military support to America and Israel." Clearly in the mind of Tanweer and others, the UK’s foreign policy invited reprisal.

Indeed on our own shores we have suffered. The occupation of Ireland by British Crown forces led to a protracted war that lasted almost 750 years and saw a vicious campaign of bombings and attacks on mainland Britain - retaliation for a misguided foreign policy.

If the Lisbon treaty is ratified, no member state can have an independent foreign policy that conflicts with the EU majority. This means that if the EU were caught up in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ireland would be obliged to support and assist that action.

Ireland’s neutrality has served it well in recent years, and despite being a close neighbour to Britain, we have not suffered atrocities such as 7/7 or the failed Glasgow bombings. That security could end if this treaty is ratified, placing both Muslim and non-Muslim in harm’s way. Former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer has candidly stated “We need to acknowledge that we are at war, not because of who we are, but because of what we do. We are confronting a jihad that is inspired by the tangible and visible impact of our policies.”

THIS TREATY IS BAD FOR MUSLIMS IN IRELAND – VOTE NO!

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MPAC
Ireland Branch