Europe is menaced by Russia. Ireland should join the continent's defence
Ireland has outlived its long-held commitment to military neutrality
Below are the opening paragraphs of a column published by Encompass. There is a link below to the full version
Europe is menaced by Vladimir Putin’s war. Germany has woken up. The European Commission is supplying weapons to Ukraine. Long-neutral Finland and Sweden have turned to Nato. Denmark has scrapped its EU defence opt-out. Emmanuel Macron’s call for a serious European military is no longer dismissed as reheated Gaullism.
All rules have exceptions. Zeitenwende has yet to reach the shores of steadfastly neutral Ireland. As Ukraine launches its summer counter-offensive, Ireland is sitting uncomfortably on the sidelines. Dublin offers Kyiv political backing and non-lethal aid. But the Republic has held fast to its historic military neutrality. There is history and principle here, but it helps too that ultra-low defence spending gives the nation an economic edge.
The emotional commitment is lodged deep in the national psyche. Neutrality became at once an expression of independence and a standing rebuke to partition of the island of Ireland when the Irish Free State broke free of 700 years of British rule in 1922 ……… ………….……………………………………………………………………………….
Read the full version at:
https://encompass-europe.com/comment/europe-is-menaced-by-putin-and-ireland-has-outlived-its-neutrality
In today's interconnected world, neutrality is a pipe dream. If a nuclear weapon were dropped on England, Ireland would be part of the fall out. If the Russians attacked Britain by gaining a foothold in Ireland, then neutrality would not matter a jot. If the Russians cut the trans-Atlantic cables off Ireland, then modern life, as we all know it would suffer. So, because of its heavy participation in the modern world of Technology, including all those data centres, Ireland should become a key part of the defence of that world. And drop its Neutrality stance. Who is to say, that is not part of Russia's strategy to bomb those strategic data centres, as they blew up that strategic dam.
Very interesting thank you