Russian Foreign Policy

But UK and US have nuclear weapons too , a US nuclear submarine is supposed to be docked in Scotland currently. It just goes to show though that all the anti US and anti shannon stopover stuff was a load of nonsense in the light of what is currently happening. Moscow seems to be really honing in on the UK though, they see the UK as being the main agent in ramping up the pressure on the Russian army by supplying Ukraine with the best weapons but more importantly bringing the US into a much more engaging role in Ukraine.
The americans were reluctant at the beginning in getting too much involved in Ukraine for fear of provoking Putin but the Buca massacre changed everything and revolted Biden. It just shows how stupid the Russian army has been, it was mostly the Chechens that carried the atrocities though and a huge mistake by Putin to introduce those bandits into Ukraine.
 
Yep, we'll be a beacon of light (literally) in the Nuclear Winter that destroys all the non-neutral countries. It's completely logical.
 
While some are gung-ho for Ireland to join NATO or an EU Army I expect that a large majority would oppose such a move. To get either option over the line the State would have to guarantee that should there be a need for conscription, conscripts would not be obliged to serve beyond the island of Ireland.

Recruitment and retention seem to be a challenge for the defence forces as is and I suspect that the prospect of being sent to fight a war on the fringes of NATO, the EU or beyond would not improve things in this regard.

Methinks we might be better to co-operate closely with the UK to develop improved air and sea defence for the British Isles as a whole.
 
Military neutrality is a long standing government policy, not a constitutional position. Being part of a EU rapid reaction force, being aligned to NATO from an equipment and training perspective (as we are anyway) and being able to defend ourselves just required some allocation of resources.
Recruitment and retention seem to be a challenge for the defence forces as is and I suspect that the prospect of being sent to fight a war on the fringes of NATO, the EU or beyond would not improve things in this regard.
Having a proper army might attract more and better people to join.
Methinks we might be better to co-operate closely with the UK to develop improved air and sea defence for the British Isles as a whole.
The "British Isles" doesn't exist. Take a look at the wording of the Good Friday Agreement.
 
Military neutrality is a long standing government policy, not a constitutional position.
Yes, indeed. Although it seems that article 29.9 of the Constitution would block joining an EU army . . "The State shall not adopt a decision taken by the European Council to establish a common defence pursuant to Article 42 of the Treaty on European Union where that common defence would include the State."
 
Neither the EU nor NATO has an army.
The nature of the defence contribution is up to individual countries.
 
Methinks we might be better to co-operate closely with the UK to develop improved air and sea defence for the British Isles as a whole.
That will also mean difficult decisions ,the British might not be willing to cooperate on our terms , they would likely want to be able to access our ports and airports and want to place radar or sophisticated kit that the Irish army don't possess .
They will obviously sense that we are getting more anxious about our defence and will use that to drive a better bargain.
Alot of sacred cows are going to have to be jettisoned shortly. This will be very difficult territory for SF.
 

I'm constantly amazed at the total disconnect of our citizenry towards our Defence Forces and the role they do. The organisation is completely voluntary and has no history of conscription. It doesn't have the infrastructure to support conscription. With the amount of ardent Shinners and internal security issues in the state, the security resources alone required to ensure the integrity of a conscript system, would be substantial. It would make more sense to just expand the professional system anyway.

A conscript force requires a professional military to maintain it AND to carry out ongoing duties. We are really too small to manage a conscript system and we lack the overt threat needed to politically sustain such a system among the population (i.e. Finland/Sweden). Particularly a population that has a head in the sand approach to Defence and Security.

We had a large reserve force system (that has since been run into the ground) that numbered over 12,000 at one stage. Again completely voluntary. We have the capacity to maintain a standing force and a large reserve force (which can attract sufficient numbers on a voluntary basis and provide meaningful/rapid expansion if required) without the need for any conscription system whatsoever. Politically, why would anybody introduce a system like that in Ireland. It's a total red herring.

The Defence Forces already have a system for mandatory overseas service. However, every single person who joins (as a professional soldier) agrees to this system. They are required to give up their rights in this regard. Members of the Defence Forces cannot question when and where they are sent. It's a political decision and that's where it should stay. That fact does not influence recruitment and retention now, nor will it in the future because the 'prospect of being sent to fight a war' is not a reality. Nor is conscription, nor is an 'invasion' as a meaningful threat upon which to contextualise the discussion on Irish Defence and Security policy.


There's a well worn diktat “there is no such thing as friendly intelligence agencies, there are only intelligence agencies of friendly powers”. Same goes in matters of national security. No alliance precludes actions against those you are in an alliance with. Fundamentally, you need your own capability and your own information in order to make any assessments. Relying on friendly forces is grand for training, ad hoc logistics etc. For 'tip of the spear' stuff you need absolute and total control.

I wonder how will SF propose to manage the withdrawal of the NATO umbrella from a lot of British and Irish citizens?
 
The Defence Forces already have a system for mandatory overseas service. However, every single person who joins (as a professional soldier) agrees to this system.
Indeed. Is such not essentially limited to UN Peacekeeping missions and some EUFOR misadventures?
That fact does not influence recruitment and retention now, nor will it in the future because the 'prospect of being sent to fight a war' is not a reality.
Were Ireland to join NATO might the 'prospect' be more real? I don't doubt that Ireland has work to do on defence and security but I don't think it is imperative that we join NATO.
 
Indeed. Is such not essentially limited to UN Peacekeeping missions and some EUFOR misadventures?

It is limited, by policy. Deployment of the DF abroad is decided on approval by the Dáil and the governments of Ireland, Russia, China, the US, France and the UK.

Were Ireland to join NATO might the 'prospect' be more real? I don't doubt that Ireland has work to do on defence and security but I don't think it is imperative that we join NATO.

Its no more real than for existing members. However, there is a lot of road between here and there.

It's confusing and stifling the debate on what's needed for Ireland. In this moment, our response is abhorrent and being perpetuated by the clinging on to an outdated policy for fear of what might happen in the future, if we join a collective defence agreement and if a democratically elected Irish government votes for something that might also be supported by other democratically elected governments, that might be seen as US imperialism, all the while watching and tacitly supporting actual Russian imperialism today.
 
Two good candidates for Sentence of the Year Award on AAM!
 
Russian people aren't stupid, I'm sure many of them are sitting at home, watching that news programme and wondering what would happen to them if they did drop a nuke on someone

meanwhile
I presume they are Nuking Donegal because their mate Mick's gaff is in Wexford.

I thought it was because they were scared of the West Cork Fishermen
 
I'd have thought it prudent to consider what-ifs re any major policy decision. Ireland has condemned the Russian invasion, has supported 5 rounds of EU sanctions, voted for UN resolutions damning Russia's actions, provided aid and accepted refugees . . methinks 'tacitly supporting Russian imperialism' might be a bit of a stretch.
 
We have failed to give a democracy which is being attacked by a dictatorship the aid it asked for and needs.
We've done the diplomatic equivalent of calling Joe Duffy.