Irish Neutrality

[pete]

Does it still exist? Is neutrality relevant post Cold War?

RTE News

The Defence Forces are currently on joint EU operated mission under UN mandate. This seems to be more peace enforcement that peace keeping. Does this breach neutrality?

[superfrank]

There's a different war now, the First World vs. Third World war.

Ireland are, unfortunately, not neutral. We're not in NATO but we let the US use Shannon. This is favourable treatment. Would we let Iran stop planes here?

I don't believe UN peace-keeping is a breach of neutrality. It's more there to help those troubled areas. NATO peace-keeping would be a different kettle of fish.

Surely, a neutral army wouldn't have an army. I mean if you're neutral you won't be fighting wars and therefor you don't need an army.

[pete]

Personally I think neutrality is pointless post Cold War. I also have no problem with peace enforcement. If the EU decided to lets say enter Burma to stop more affected by the Cyclone dying I would want Ireland to participate.

I believe UN mandated missions cannot break Neutrality rules in the Constitution. US invasion of Iraq is on shaky ground regarding UN mandate.

If say Al Queda attacked Ireland & used Shannon as an excuse would we still remain neutral?

[jebus]

We're not, we allow American army planes to land in Shannon, we've allowed 'torture jets' to land in Shannon, we're another one of America's 'special friends'. If it came down to it Al Queda have more than enough justification (in their eyes) to attack us

[Da Real Rover]

Surely, a neutral army wouldn't have an army. I mean if you're neutral you won't be fighting wars and therefor you don't need an army.

Maybe for defence?

[pete]

Maybe for defence?

With all respect to the IDF who would we be able to successfully defend ourselves from?

[jebus]

With all respect to the IDF who would we be able to successfully defend ourselves from?

Luxemburg

[thischarmingman]

With all respect to the IDF who would we be able to successfully defend ourselves from?

Ireland vs Papua New Guinea...(from 1:30)

[pete]

Luxemburg

Any aerial attack I presume?

Don't mess with these bad boys

[superfrank]

Sorry TCM. I saw Maxwell's face and I can't watch that clip.

[superfrank]

Don't mess with these bad boys

It looks like the IDF went over to Germany after WWII and picked up the left over Luftwafe and re-painted them.

[drinkfeckarse]

Luxemburg

In fairness I've seen bigger fishing boats than our our naval vessels. In fact my wife constantly takes the p!ss when she see's them leaving the harbour and asks if those are fishing rods the sailors are holding over their shoulders as they stand to attention on deck

[Wangball]

We don't have an army nor do we need an army, we have a well armed, well trained defence force that would be the envy of any similarly sized nation.

Its easy to mock the air corps & the naval service but they are perfectly adequate for their roles, coastal patrols and fisheries protection, if the government spent a fortune on strike jets & aircraft carriers there'd be uproar because if would be complete overkill

The Government has gotten itself into an odd position regarding Neutrality when we allowed US fighters and bombers to re-fuel in Shannon, but I don't think we technically violated our Neutrality, surely that would of only been the case had Saddam been refused permission to re-fuel his bombers in the airport too

[pete]

We don't have an army nor do we need an army, we have a well armed, well trained defence force that would be the envy of any similarly sized nation.

I think everyone accepts that. Would be more accurate if the navy rebranded as the coast guard. I think the future of the army is smaller better trained & equipped numbers.

I don't think violation of neutrality would in anyway compromise our UN missions. I doubt people in Chad know or care we are neutral.

[BohsPartisan]

We don't need an army because we're not independent. Just like Tatooine didn't have an army. The EU Stormtroopers will protect us!

[Block G Raptor]

We don't need an army because we're not independent. Just like Tatooine didn't have an army. The EU Stormtroopers will protect us!

Trust BP to invoke the Holy Trilogy

someone asked who we'd need to defend ourselves against? well for one the Irish Army's Presence on the Border in years gone by was a deterrent to the BA to stop them crossing the Border at will

[Dodge]

I think everyone accepts that. Would be more accurate if the navy rebranded as the coast guard. I think the future of the army is smaller better trained & equipped numbers

So you think they're not trained well enough now? Any reasons for this?

[Royal rover]

we are not neutral nation, we have allowed american fighter jets to re-fuel at shannon for many years - i would of been in favour of irish participation in WW2 as well , please don't slate me for this - but i honestly believe our country suffered economically because of this in the post-war period, since our inclusion to the EU in 72,unfortunately some will disagree with my views but ultimately we suffered because of this,

[Dodge]

we are not neutral nation, we have allowed american fighter jets to re-fuel at shannon for many years - i would of been in favour of irish participation in WW2 as well , please don't slate me for this - but i honestly believe our country suffered economically because of this in the post-war period, since our inclusion to the EU in 72,unfortunately some will disagree with my views but ultimately we suffered because of this,

You can try back up the claim if you don't want to be slted for it. also we didn't join in 1972

Oh and allowing us planes to refuel doesn't affect our nuetrality, it would only affect our nuetrality if we refused other countries leave to refuel

[bennocelt]

irish Neutrality? what you are having a laugh
What with shannon and the boys in Chad doing the work for the french army

What is the big deal, send them off and fight, sure what do we have an army for anyway
rather than they drink all the time