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U.S. military plane vandalized at Shannon airport

Irish protesters object to US military presence there

ANTOINETTE KELLY,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Friday, December 23, 2011, 7:58 AM

Updated Friday, December 23, 2011, 1:02 PM

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U.S. troops at Shannon airport

Photo by Google Images

An aircraft used to transport US troops has been damaged in the latest security breach at Shannon airport in Ireland.

A hole was cut in a perimeter fence which allowed vandals access to the Omni Air International DC-10 airliner, where they severed its hydraulics pipe and spray painted the words 'US troops out.'

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As the aircraft was a replacement plane it was not protected by Irish police or soldiers.

The latest attack comes eight years after a US Navy cargo jet was vandalized twice in a matter of days by Irish anti-war campaigners. At the time the incident forced the Government to provide a greater security presence at the airport.

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45 Comments

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AoifeNicSeáin | Dec 29, 2011, 04:25 PM EST

@butlerreport - even if the US government were elected by a majority of the people not all Americans could be held responsible. And for those responsible the rule "hate the sin and not the sinner" should apply. Your reasoning that killing and torturing innocent people is ok, if an elected government feels pressed by the war lobby to order that, is immoral to the utmost. And yes, you're right,"It isn't up to the Irish to decided what kind of government we have", but it's up to the Irish to resist being used as collaborators in this crime against humanity.

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LaoiseRyan | Dec 28, 2011, 09:12 AM EST

I think the fact that they spray paints the plane with the words ''US troops out'' might have been an indication that the plane had been tampered with. It wasnt as if anyone had been kept in the dark and troops were about to fly out. Your government lied to the irish and the world about rendition flights so we are allowed protest and go that extra bit further so make ourselves heard when you land in our country with detainees onboard whom you are going to hold illegally without proper representation and torture.

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beodonne | Dec 27, 2011, 02:38 PM EST

As an Irish person living in the US for 24 years I find it appalling that anyone would interfere with an aircraft. Ireland needs the US so much more than they realise, look at all the American companies that are based in Ireland giving employment. I have made a wonderful life here and would never ever say a bad word about this country or its people. My children are American and I was very happy and honored to become a US citizen....

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joycean | Dec 27, 2011, 01:49 PM EST

butlerreport, I was in a car once that exploded. I am horrified at the audacity of Irish suggesting tampering with a plane's power lines is excusable. Hundreds of people could have been killed. I also think saying that they "haven't anything against Americans" just our Government is insulting. This is a representative democracy. What that suggests is that it is something else. It isn't up to the Irish to decided what kind of government we have.

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AoifeNicSeáin | Dec 27, 2011, 01:23 PM EST

@gobdawpaddy do ye really think we should sell freedom for bogrolls? I personally prefer wiping me backside with grass much over being a slave of the federal reserve ... so nothing atall against American people, but the American system we need no more than the British (or European) system. And the war is not about people, but about enforcing a bad system all over the world.

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butlerreport | Dec 27, 2011, 12:07 PM EST

I pity anyone on a Shannon stopover. Time to bulldoze that dump back into the Shannon estuary. Please. And those who vandalized the plane should stand trial in the US for terrorist - what if the damage had not been spotted and the plane crashed. A decade in Guantanamo would be appropriate. Gob-sh*tes.

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joycean | Dec 27, 2011, 11:33 AM EST

the United States is not interested in Iraqi oil. Other countries, like China, are developing oil interest in Iraq. When the Iraqi PM was in Washington last month, he asked for US investment in Iraq, because there isn't any. North America has more oil reserves than the Middle East and is a much safer investment.

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SeamusMor | Dec 27, 2011, 10:37 AM EST

U.S. passenger jets landing at Shannon Airport are far less burdensome than having their drones buzzing over your fields. Watch out Paddy, there are no GPS coordinates on the planet beyond the sting of Hellfire missiles.

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ciaradexy | Dec 27, 2011, 07:46 AM EST

The irish arent anti-American. We are however anti-invasion of other countries for their oil.

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gobdawpaddy | Dec 27, 2011, 06:31 AM EST

Ahh Ciara me darling lass, you missed my point. I was suggesting that if the Irish are so anti-american, they should stay amongst their own backward mutants on the rock and not be seeking a better life in the United States when their own government has repeatedly let them down. They shouldn't infest the US with their drunken behavior and pigeon version of english, 'mucksavageeese'

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gobdawpaddy | Dec 26, 2011, 11:15 PM EST

Ciara, Paddy is too stupid too understand the point I attempt to make. God bless the innocence. As regards not needing the US in the future, bear in mind, in the absence of the US, Patrick might still be wiping one's ass with grass.

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ciaradexy | Dec 26, 2011, 08:17 PM EST

Dan, the war here (The Troubles) were caused by us being invaded by the British which is not the same thing as the US going into Iraq etc and bombing them for the craic. Iraq and Afghanistan never invaded the US.

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ciaradexy | Dec 26, 2011, 08:14 PM EST

gobdawpaddy-Thats the point. The people didnt want the US army on our soil. 100,000 marched against the war and there have been constant anti war marches here. The majority are against the US army being here and using our airports for rendition flights which Bush denied were taking place at all. Peterson- we managed without the US the first time I dont think we'll be needing them in the future.

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peterson | Dec 26, 2011, 01:12 PM EST

People who vandalize in this manner are really stupid. If Ireland ever needed military help, the USA would be the first to respond !!

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DanOLoingsigh | Dec 26, 2011, 04:41 AM EST

ciaradexy - I was referring to the campaigns against NI...NOT the war of independence..

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