Sir, - I have argued against NATO's "Partnership for Peace" in my essay, "Defending Peace", which is available from AfrI (014968595), Vote First (021275881) and on the website http:// migration.ucc.ie/ defendpeace.htm. After fairly long consideration of the issues involved, I expected great disappointment but few surprises.
The speech by the Taoiseach to the Dail on October 14th has, however, surprised and deeply shocked me. Not only did he repeat the self-defeating argument that he is not legally obliged to keep his promise - which is presumably why he made it in the first place. He went on to say that the fact that the Defence Forces are keen to join PfP carried particular weight with him.
It is a huge disservice to democracy and to the Defence Forces themselves to make their reported views the basis of a major departure on which the electorate have been denied even a consultative vote. One of the stated objectives of PfP is "ensuring democratic control of defence forces". The Taoiseach's argument, and his refusal of argument, sit very ill with this notion. - Yours, etc., John Maguire,
Red Abbey Street, Cork.