Sir, – In Thursday’s report regarding the Taoiseach’s claim about joining Nato, he pointed out that “we are not politically neutral” (”Ireland would not need referendum to join Nato, says Taoiseach, News, June 9th).
Correct. Shannon has been a de facto US military base for decades, so he’s not wrong as far as our ingratiating subservience to the White House goes.
As for his suggestion that joining Nato is a “policy decision” for the Government not requiring a referendum?
Micheál Martin might want to put a reality check on his puffed up sense of EU(ness). To put it bluntly – joining Nato would mean Ireland supports the use of nuclear weapons on other countries.
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This fact alone should give us all a seriously big mushroom cloud pause for thought.
Joining the Nato military alliance is a moral decision.
– Yours, etc,
STEVIE McGLINCHEY,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – Shane Brady has highlighted issues of Irish neutrality (Letters, June 11th) and soft power I’d not considered and thank him for it. These include the issue of trust afforded to professional humanitarians from Ireland by countries such as Pakistan, Iran and Libya.
However, I feel Ireland benefits from our close relationship with Europe, the US and Britain who are in Nato. It is hard to imagine that any of them would stand by while we were being invaded by Russia.
This debate must begin, the world has changed since the invasion of Ukraine and Ireland has to change too. Being neutral may not be a luxury we can afford.
I think beefing up our armed forces would have widespread support which should start immediately. Initially for solely defensive purposes, but if our neutrality was to end, either by referendum or Government decision, then it would be a shorter step to have armed forces ready for other contingencies.
– Yours, etc,
DENNIS HAWKE,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
