US military may use Knock airport
Knock airport could be joining Shannon as a refuelling stop for American military transport planes.
It’s reported that well-known businessman Ulick McEvaddy is to raise the possibility of making Washington an offer to the airport’s board of directors.
This would raise additional revenue for the County Mayo airport.
Local independent TD Dr Jerry Cowley said: “There’s no possible way in the wide earthly world that I think people in Mayo would tolerate Knock airport being used for military flights.”
The anti-war people are of course up in arms over this, if you’ll excuse the pun. I’m not necessarily opposed to US forces using another of our airports as a stopover for their planes. But it would depend on where exactly those troops are being sent - Afghanistan I have no problem with, but Iraq is a different story for obvious reason. There is also the issue of extraordinary rendition which has made our country complicit in the abuse of human rights by the US. Meanwhile the Irish governments just wishes the whole matter would quietly be forgotten about.