If being an unaligned country with a large army is no deterrent to Putin's ambitions is it time for ROI to join Nato?
I thought you said Ireland was politically neutral a while back. Ireland was bombed even when it was politically neutral. If the Germans had taken the UK. Why would they not look to Ireland for free stuff having no credible defence. Sure they would be like ah we have enough land already.
We are not 'politically neutral'. Jeez, read threads more carefully?
It is a completely bizarre position to hold, all driven by a hatred of the British people.
Sergei Lavrov is British? Who knew.
oh we'll carry on with a military thats woefully unprepared to move baggage around Dublin airport let alone do anything useful, nothing new there but we will will also become the glaring achilles heel for Europe that Russia will **** with via air and sea.
While SF and the rest of the Irish left continue to make excuses for Vlad, then stick their heads in the sand when the inevitable happens
Kind of interesting that people who like to pretend to be Irish Republicans are quite happy to have us rely on the goodwill of the British to maintain our national security.
Our national security is not under threat. And Britain is protecting itself, nothing to do with 'goodwill'.
I see a huge amount of good will they never send us a bill for air interceptions and alike.
How do you know there is no payment? The agreement with the Dept Of Defence to allow this happen is secret.
Have a read of this, it is very clear this is done to protect Britain primarily. Maybe they should be paying us? 😁
The UK, on occasion, scrambles jets to intercept unresponsive aircraft in Irish-controlled airspace but make no mistake, the UK is not protecting Irish airspace.
“The principal reason is that, from a Russian perspective, Ireland is a significant piece on the geopolitical chessboard. Situated between two of Russia’s principal adversaries, the United States and the UK, Ireland lacks the air defence capabilities to deter or defend against such provocative sorties into its airspace.
The Russian air force knows that it can approach or even enter Irish airspace with far less immediate and serious consequences than if it did the same to other north Atlantic countries such as Iceland where there is a Nato air policing mission – or Norway, which has a well-resourced air force capable of quickly intercepting suspected incursions.”
We are the weak link.
The Russians are doing it to wind up the British, not us. Geopolitical gameplaying we want no part of.
They have been doing it for years and the arrangement works for us and Britain.
Have this government or previous invested in primary radar to prevent an accident with civilian aircraft while these two powers play games? Nope,
But lets join NATO to get the protection we already have. 🙄
I would wager if you were a British or American tax payer you would look on that as freeloading.
Again, how do you know it is freeloading?
Answer: You have no idea and as the article says the British are protecting themselves by doing this.
I think it is appaling that we have not protected civilians with primary radar. Government failure to properly fund our defences should be called out.
That is wholly different to joining NATO though.
SF are all for freeloading off the Brits, it's paying the mortgages for a lot of 'em. Of course it never occurs to them that it could end right sharp.
it's not just to annoy the British though is it. It's pointing out to the USA also that they are to far away and would have to station subs or Aircraft carrier outside Ireland. onus is on you to supply information we are paying. I have never seen any stating we do.
Yes it is just to annoy the British. Like sailing an aircraft carrier into waters near whoever you are playing geopolitical games with. They both are at it all over the world all the time.
What is the point of trying to play air games with a country with no airforce capable of playing? They are not a bit interested in us.
And please, lets not go back to the Bruce Willisian fantasy of Russia invading us just for the craic.
So now you're equating Britain with Russia.
It is a game - a dangerous game Russia's been playing for a long time.
Sure the British monitor Irish airspace for their own benefit. They need to.
Because Ireland can't.
They did the same as Russia...concocted WMD's to invade another country.
Let's not forget here. It's a long running game.
first gulf war.
Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Kuwait, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
and?
Not just the Brits.
39 countries accepted the WMD claims.
Jeez louise again.
The 1st Gulf War was about the invasion of Kuwait
UN Resolution 687, passed on April 3rd, 1991 at the end of the First Gulf War, demanded Iraq destroy all its WMD and dismantle all ‘research, development, support or manufacturing facilities’
They apparently had them already or why the Resolution.
Apparently they didn't. Research my friend.
So Britain is the same as Russia?
It is a long running game - Russia's game. Always has been.
You think that Britain and Russia are equal threats here?
Remember the Iraq Inquiry?
Or the Russian inquiry after Afghanistan? -neither do I.
As it seems they were destroyed due to that Resolution. Who would have thunk.
I don't think joining NATO would benefit us. We should be able to defend ourselves to the point that it isn't worth anyone's while to invade.
They have both done the same things. They aren't the same and Russia is by far the worse. Do you think Britain would draw breath if it's interests were threatened?
Look at their behaviour over the Chagos Islands...UN finds against them, they refuse to recognise the court.
It's not Russia's game, it is a geopolitical game and it is despicable IMO
So they fabricated their existence to go in with the US.
