The Minister for Defence Michael Smith has said there is no such thing as complete military neutrality when it comes to threats to innocent people.
The Minister was responding to concerns by peace activists that American arms bound for the Gulf are passing through Shannon airport, contravening Irish law.
The Labour leader, Pat Rabbitte, has meanwhile claimed that the virtual silence of the government in the face of the apparent determination of the United States to go to war over Iraq, regardless of the findings of the UN Inspectors, would be a grave disappointment to the vast majority of Irish people.
Deputy Rabbitte was addressing a party meeting tonight in Cork.
