Neutraility?

[pilatus]

How real is our neutraility?

At this stage I think its fading away slowly with the fact that Ireland is linked if not already signed up to the common European defence policy and commiting a battalion for the rapid reaction force including the Rangers and also the new choppers when they arrive.

In 20 years i think our neutraility will be part of military folklore. What do you all think about our neutraility and remember the Dept of Defence estimate that money spent on making our Defence Forces NATO compatible within the next decade is 320million Euro and 170 million Euro has been spent since 1997 on the task? Does it not kind of speak for itself?

[sealion]

Thats just crusty talk!

[FiannaFail]

I for one feel that neutrality is now outdated and that we should join other defence pacts especially any EU Defence Union such as the ERRF or even NATO for that matter.  The 6 counties membership of NATO didn't seem to impact negatively on the  little statelet!
Could you imagine the Mayo economy if 10,000 US troops were based in Knock!!!
FiannaFail

[doc]

Quote (FiannaFail @ 11 June 2004,13:48)

Could you imagine the Mayo economy if 10,000 US troops were based in Knock!!!

And could you imagine the cost in human life when Al Quaeda add us to their enemy list and decide to bomb Heuston Station or any number of other high-profile targets?

I for one am against losing neutrality, I think our role within the UN is more than enough. Still though, Bertie seems to be selling us down the river in the direction of losing the neutrality cherry all the same.

[sealion]

What planet are these hippies living on?

[alpha foxtrot 07]

this topic has come up before, and as was stated in that topic ireland is not a neutral country. we a member of PFP which is a sub group of NATO.

[Imshi-Yallah]

Neutrality is refusing to fight injustice.

[pilatus]

also in liberia(i think) the rangers were involved in rescuing hostages from terrorists which alot of countries from the west are combating.is this not a breach of our neutraility if we too are combating them?

[sealion]

Pilatus....do you mind if I call you thicko for a moment?
What neutrality? We are not neutral,we never have been! The only people who think we are are the uneducated masses of the Green party. We are Non Aligned! We are not a part of any Military group such as nato Yet,because in the past we either choose not to,or they just didnt want us.

[Tony Kearns]

Sealion,
Can you not let someone discuss an important matter without using such words as hippies and thicko?
Tony K

[sealion]

True. Apologies.
My point stands though. We are not neutral. We are non aligned,militarily. We are not losing our neutrality by becoming a part of the EURRF,as we never had it in the first place.

[FiannaFail]

Looking back in history - should we have been neutral while the the free wold fought Hilter?
FiannaFail '>

[sealion]

Were we really neutral back then,or just incapable of taking part?
I mean,on D Day,weather reports were relayed to the allies from the west coast,which probably made Eisenhowers mind up whether to Go on june 6 or not.
The difference in treatment of prisoners is also notable.

[stimpy]

Quote (sealion @ 12 June 2004,19:07)

Were we really neutral back then,or just incapable of taking part? I mean,on D Day,weather reports were relayed to the allies from the west coast,which probably made Eisenhowers mind up whether to Go on june 6 or not. The difference in treatment of prisoners is also notable.

Unfortunately, I think the government at the time did not do enough to help the allied war effort. I understand that we were a fledging nation etc, but we will never know how many merchant navy sea men’s lives would have been saved if we had of let the Americans ( it need not have been the British ) use our ports on the south and west coast. It is an ostrich mentally that still exist today… personal opinion you understand.

[Silver]

I agree, we are not neutral - we are non-aligned.

During WWII, we were 'neutral' - on the side of the allies.
For example, when our Spitfires took off each morning to assess weather conditions, they deliberately broadcast their reports on an open frequency so the RAF would pick them up.

Another example, the Air Corps established a 'secret aerodrome', at Rathduff(?), for the RAf to retreat to if England was invaded by the Germans.  

We were not equipped to enter WWII and unwilling because of the British presence in Northern Ireland.

I believe it is only a matter of time before we join a military pact of some sort - be it NATO or an EU common defence pact.

I can see the day when the RAF will be doing frequent combat training missions from Baldonnel, Shannon etc.
(with our agreement ofcourse!)

My 2c worth.
Silver.