Sir, - Alan Dukes states (November 10th) that the new force being formed by the EU will consist of a pool of up to 250,000 tops (itself selected from an available pool of several million) for which the 670,000-member Rapid Reaction Force will be drawn. Does his not constitute a force of army size by any definition? It is certainly larger than most of the world's armies and will be far superior to all in terms of equipment. Is he suggesting that troops not on active service do not count, for by such reasoning the world's armies are not more than 20 per cent of official figures?
Considering that the RRF will be dependent on, at the very minimum, NATO is inseparable from the RRF. Of course NATO actions in 1999 are relevant. It operated on the demand of only four of its members, essentially outside its own remit, let alone a UN mandate. This is the same organisation that ignores one of its member's long-term practices of cultural-cleansing and ethnic murder that has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of millions.
Note the guarantee that our troops will operate only on UN mandate missions. Given past political performances, I expect this to go the way of the PfP issue. May one take it from the closing statement that if given the opportunity FG will with confidence offer the public a referendum in which to voice their support on security issues? - Yours, etc.,
P.S. O'Callaghan, Kenley Drive, Model Farm Road, Cork.