Russian Foreign Policy Megamix

I think some people will not be happy with it because its backing the UK more them anything else.

Some would like to say there's no proof that Russia did it and that its a setup etc. While I'm not one to completely disagree right now considering the information that is out there right now there are some facts that seriously reinforce the case that it's Russia who did it and why it's led to this...

1) Putin was recorded as saying "spys will choke on their 30 silvers" several years back. (ie. he has motive)
2) This isnt the first time because the last time it was Litvinenko who was killed with Radioactive Polonium.
3) This was with a nerve agent that has been identified as a Soviet weapon.
4) Serveral Russian's have been found dead in suspicious circumstances recently as well.

On top of that we've had over the last few years other issues of Russia basically being being a dick...

1) Cyber-attacks on various countries from Russia.
2) Running Military Aircraft past EU Air-borders with their transponders switched off.
3) The infamous Russian interference in the US elections by hacks and other BS
4) Interference in Ukraine and the shooting down of a civilian airliner with a Russian SAM.
5) Lets not forget that carryon with Georgia too that didnt exactly go over very well.

Basically what's happened this week is basically Europe and North America saying "Right thats it enough of this shyte". The lying and constant carryon is basically destroyed their believability and left them in a position of others basically saying "Unless you can prove otherwise, your the only one with the motive to do this".

Honestly I dont have an issue with Russian people but there's plenty of them in the Russian Government that are pissed over losing the Cold War and being Reduced to a regional power rather than a superpower. The problem is at this stage they're not doing themselve's any favours at all by continuing to act like this. Some say that the US is the one placing NATO etc in former Soviet countries but to be honest its probably because those countries are unnerved by Russia from history and just want protection from them.

Honestly if Russia wants to be great again they REALLY need to back up and realise that they're not going to get anywhere by being the "Russian Troll Federation" and constanly pissing everyone off and scaring the shyte out of others. They also need to stop with the pointless murders because its gotten too far out of hand.

StringerBell wrote: »

That's not really how those things work is it? Shouldn't the question be why should he be expelled and some form of evidence to show it is the correct decision?

This has been a cluster **** of a response from the countries who have rushed to judgement before an investigation has been concluded.

Also not to be too Irish/English ****e about it but are British intelligence really who we should be basing foreign policy decisions on. They of the WMDs in Iraq (we promise) fame?

The official at the Russian Embassy in Ballsbridge, south Dublin, has been ordered to leave the country within a fortnight following a decision by the Department of Foreign Affairs to withdraw his diplomatic status.

Criminal charges cannot be brought against the man because of diplomatic immunity, which protects officials attached to foreign embassies.
The details from six genuine Irish passports were used on fake documents supplied to a Russian spy ring based in the US.

The agents had worked undercover in the US for a decade before being caught in an FBI operation involving intercepted phone calls last June.

Forging our passports? That's a paddlin'.

Emme wrote: »

Ireland spent centuries fighting for freedom only to follow blindly in the footsteps of other countries when it comes to the current controversy over Russia. I think that Ireland is considering expelling a Russian Diplomat out of fear of the US and the EU and not from any problems with Russia. It's a shame.

Are we not allowed to agree with the actions of other countries? Are we banned from doing anything the UK does? How can we show our independence?

As for problems with Russia, well that chemical agent was deployed to a neighbouring country. It also shows we are not blindly following the Russian narrative here to the Russians. Showing solidarity is no bad thing (not that Russia will notice us expelling someone).

Thomas__. wrote: »

I think that Ireland has been put into a tricky situation and therefore is acting along with the other EU countries to follow up the decision of the whole Community of the EU. What sort of some ramifications out of that might be remains to be seen.

Austria, a member of the EU, were in the same position as Ireland and refused to expel Russian diplomats. The reason they gave was
"Austria is a neutral country and sees itself as a bridge builder between East and West".
As a neutral country ourselves it may have been something we would have been wise to considered ourselves for a variety of reasons with this issue. Not the least of them that the country we are backing in this is leaving the EU without much care to the economic difficulties it will cause this country while have been sending trade missions too Russia in an attempt to alleviate those economic difficulties.

StringerBell wrote: »

The biggest laugh of the lot is surely Coveney, and Ireland by extension getting the hump now that Russia have expelled an Irish official. "No justification for this"

Mother of God.

Especially after his explanation on expelling that Russian diplomat.

The selection process appears to have been the use of eeny meeny miny moe

charlie14 wrote: »

Especially after his explanation on expelling that Russian diplomat.

The selection process appears to have been the use of eeny meeny miny moe

Except it wasn't they asked the Guards.

Why spread waffles ? What does it get you ?

blanch152 wrote: »

Where does Ireland's foreign policy interests lie in all of this?

Should we ally ourselves with a rogue country Russia?

Should we show solidarity with the UK, showing them the benefits of working closely with their EU colleagues?

Should we show our EU colleagues that we intend to remain at the heart of the EU project?

Only one answer, and thankfully we made the right decision.

At present we have trade missions in Russia attempting to plug the hole that is going to be left in our economy due to Britain leaving the EU.

We can show solidarity to Britain until the cows come home, but when it comes to them leaving the EU, it will not make a blind bit of difference.
They are determined and could care less how it effects Ireland.

The only action the EU as a collective took over the Skripal incident was to recall their Russian ambassador.
Any country, EU members included, that expelled Russian diplomats did so unilaterally.
Ireland doing so had nothing to do with it being collective EU policy.
Our only obligation to EU policy was endorsing what actually was EU policy.The re-calling of the ambassador to Russia.
Imho as a supposedly neutral state that is what we should have done rather than expelling a diplomat.

listermint wrote: »

Except it wasn't they asked the Guards.

Why spread waffles ? What does it get you ?

If you want to hear real waffle listen to Coveney`s explaination.

They asked the army as well and between the three of them fro Coveney`s explaination of who was selected it was basically a case of eeny meeny miny moe as to who went.

charlie14 wrote: »

At present we have trade missions in Russia attempting to plug the hole that is going to be left in our economy due to Britain leaving the EU.

We can show solidarity to Britain until the cows come home, but when it comes to them leaving the EU, it will not make a blind bit of difference.
They are determined and could care less how it effects Ireland.

The only action the EU as a collective took over the Skripal incident was to recall their Russian ambassador.
Any country, EU members included, that expelled Russian diplomats did so unilaterally.
Ireland doing so had nothing to do with it being collective EU policy.
Our only obligation to EU policy was endorsing what actually was EU policy.The re-calling of the ambassador to Russia.
Imho as a supposedly neutral state that is what we should have done rather than expelling a diplomat.

If you think trade with Russia is more important than attempting to persuade the UK to reverse Brexit or working with the EU to get the best Brexit for Ireland, then you are simply nuts.

The only sane option for Ireland was to expel a Russian diplomat.

blanch152 wrote: »

If you think trade with Russia is more important than attempting to persuade the UK to reverse Brexit or working with the EU to get the best Brexit for Ireland, then you are simply nuts.

The only sane option for Ireland was to expel a Russian diplomat.

If you think the UK is simply going to just reverse Brexit then you are sadly mistaken I`m afraid.
The best possible outcome for Ireland on Brexit was fudged in December by Ireland allowing the negotiations to move to Phase 2 when we actually had the publicly stated backing of the EU that talks would not progress until we were fully satisfied on the border issue.
The friction-less border idea has been dismissed by the EU even prior to December as "magic thinking" and this backstop idea of no border either North/South or East/West is a nonsense considering the EU rules and regulations governing the Single Market and Customs Union

The EU do not, nor can they, legally rule on sovereignty.
If the UK insists on their sovereignty over the 6 counties then there is no options but a border.
In fact Tony Conneely RTE`s Europe editor of news and current affairs has highlighted that from the outset on the border issue, EU negotiators have looked at the GFA as the only area where they have any involvement in the border issue.

After the December fudge, the can of the border has been being kicked down the road towards a final draft agreement, where if all other issues are settled between Britain and the EU other than the border, then Ireland has two options.
Accept an external EU border and all it entails, or veto the final draft which would result in a hard Brexit which our EU partners would not be pleased with I imagine.

Nitrogan wrote: »

I'm not exactly sure what that has to do with Russia other than the autonomy of small countries like Ireland to choose to act as part of a collective with real impact on an aggressive threat like modern Putinist Russia.

If that's what was meant.

It was meant as whatever action we, or the rest of the EU member states, take in solidarity towards Britain as regards Russia, it will not make a blind bit of difference to Britain in regards to Brexit which the poster seems to believe it will.
You have only to look at Britain`s Foreign Secretary and his White Cliffs of Dover comments barely a day after he acknowledged the solidarity they had shown.

Matt Barrett wrote: »

Have you heard of the UN?

I just wonder what the point of the Russian expulsion was. We still have Russian financial bodies with connections to Putin operating within Ireland. Surely we'd show more moral fiber by expelling all Israeli diplomats; they forged Irish passports and are currently murdering Palestinians?

Well we certainly need to end those Russian financial bodies in Ireland. If/When the UK goes ahead with Brexit, Ireland will be of even more interest to the Russians and their dirty money. No good will come of having further financial interactions with them.