The Irish Times in a front page article expose their total lack of journalistic focus.

One of the problems with the media today is their tendency to focus on scandals as opposed to analysing the spin coming from the political establishment. Instead of offering the public a critical eye of the spin, the media likes to focus on ‘big scandals’ as that’s what ‘sells papers’. The desire to focus on a scandal often means that the substantive issue that should have been focused on gets ignored in the tabloid style moral outrage. Wednesday last, 14th January, in a front page article by Mary Minihan we were exposed to a crass example of the problem I have expressed. Read The Irish Times article here.

During the Israeli ambassador's visit to the Dáil, at an emergency meeting of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss the conflict in Gaza, Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Sinn Féin TD) attacked the ambassador and resident Zionist Alan Shatter, Fine Gael TD. It seems that Aengus, unhappy with the spin that the two were bringing into the debate compared their methods to “that of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.” Aengus was unhappy with their attempts to expose the Oireachtas committee to “propaganda, twisted logic and half truths”.

Full Quote: 'I ask Deputy Shatter, who spoke about the relationship between Sinn Féin and violent groups, to reflect on his relationship with one of the most violent states in the world. He could do much more to appeal to that country to end its violence. The arrogance of the Israeli ambassador and Deputy Shatter seems to know no bounds. The comments they have made at today’s meeting are a form of propaganda. Goebbels would have been proud of the twisted logic and half-truths to which they have exposed this committee. I do not say that lightly. They are trying to justify the unjustifiable, which is what Goebbels and his colleagues tried to do during the Holocaust. What we have heard today...' - debates.oireachtas.ie

Statement issued by the nine women
as they entered the Raytheon premises:

From the Derry Anti War Coalition:
From Nine Women Who Have Chained Themselves Inside The Raytheon Building At Springtown Today (January 12Th) At 2.30pm

We have taken this action in an effort to prevent or delay war crimes being committed by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza with the use of Raytheon weapons and to try to force a criminal investigation into the activities of the Raytheon company in Derry and elsewhere which, we believe, amount to complicity in war crimes.

Like millions of others, we have watched television pictures of innocent people being slaughtered since the Israeli assault on Gaza began on December 27th, and have wanted it to stop. But nobody with the power to make it stop seems willing to intervene to do so.

Lawyers and international human rights organisations have declared that the Israeli bombing and shelling of Gaza involves war crimes. The bombing of a UN-sponsored school on January 6th, killing at least 40 civilians, including children, has merely been the worst of these war crimes.

Raytheon is one of Israel’s main suppliers of the weapons being used in the attacks on Gaza. The company is either aware or doesn’t care that its weapons are being used to commit war crimes.

Nine Derry Women Updates:
• Police Agree to Investigate Raytheon's Role in War Crimes - Read more, plus photos
• Galway Women's Vigil for Gaza: 'We are Muslim, Jewish, Catholic and women of no religion. From the Middle East and Ireland. Mothers, housewives, students, teachers, office workers, pensioners.' - read more
• Protest as the Israeli ambassador enters Dáil Éireann - Photo series

Shannonwatch.org, a website set up in December 2008 to document US military traffic and rendition flights through Shannon Airport has become the victim of organised international attacks. The attacks which started on January 8th are being repeated, and efforts to keep the website live are currently proving difficult. The website managers are determined that they will not be silenced however, and will continue in one form or another to publish information on military and suspect CIA flights through Shannon.

Related Links:
• Check to see if the Site is online yet: ShannonWatch.org
• ShannonWatch asks Is Ireland facilitating possible genocide at Shannon?

More than two years have passed since these two cases began. On Thursday last, Conor was at a special sitting of Ennis District Court for the finale.

Related Links: Civil Rights and Civil Wrongs in Shannon |

The Remembrance season is approaching. We will be called upon yet again to show maturity, to support reconciliation, to advance peace --- by participating in ceremonies which celebrate aggression, violence and war crimes!.

Mayo "Peace" Memorial

Four years ago a participant in one of the greatest war crimes in history was honoured in Mayo by a minister of the Irish government. Sergeant Major Cornelius Coughlan (Victoria Cross) of the Gordon Highlanders was praised by Defence Minister Michael Smith for his role in putting down the so-called Indian Mutiny of 1857, which Indians call their First War of Independence. Minister Smith praised Coughlan, along with sixty other brave Irishmen, as he put it, who were awarded the Victoria Cross during the military campaign that followed the Indian Mutiny.

Related Links:Coolacrease - The Hidden Interview
Hidden History or hidden agenda