McAleese expresses horror at US attacks
President Mary McAleese went on RTE Radio to express her shock and horror at the terrorist attacks in the US.
She described the attacks as ‘‘crimes against the very foundations of all
our humanity’’.
But she said the terrorists would be the winners if they succeeded in changing the open way of life in the US and in civilised democracies.
She said: ‘‘It is simply unbelievable to be actually witnessing such wanton
destruction of human life unfolding right in front of our very eyes.
‘‘It’s not just a crime against the American people, it’s not just a crime against the American civilisation. It’s a crime against the very foundations of all our humanity.
‘‘It’s doing what it was designed to do. It’s spreading terror and fear and panic, as it was intended to do, to stop us in our tracks and to show us just how low, how utterly unbearably, unbelievably low, human beings can sink in their hatred for one another.
‘‘And I think our response to that is and has to be to stand shoulder with our American brothers and sisters.
‘‘It’s a nation that Ireland holds very, very dear, and I think we stand shoulder to them with love and pity and with compassion, and with, at the moment, all that we can offer is our heartfelt sympathy and our prayers.’’
President McAleese said the attacks were clearly intended to change the world as we know it.
‘‘It was clearly intended to do that, it was clearly intended to strike a blow at the heart of what is one of the most open societies in the world, one of the greatest democracies of the world.
‘‘It was designed to do that, to change their way of life’’.
She said she believed US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s response when he
said it would not change the American way of life was probably ‘‘exactly the right response’’.
‘‘For as long we are in fear and panic, for as long as people wonder will it change their life, I suppose you could say the terrorists are the winners.
‘‘You are in thrall to them in a sense, and the best way of defeating them on a day like this is to be quite determined that they won’t change the open way of life, the way of civilised democracies. They will not win.’’
Asked if she would counsel caution and moderation in the US response, the President said: ‘‘Our hearts go out to him President Bush as he is called to make extraordinary judgments and to take decisions that will have far-reaching consequences, not just for his country, but for all of us around the world.’’
But she hoped that whatever decision Mr Bush made, it would be the right
one.
‘‘He has a very cold and lonely office this day’’, she added.
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