Michael D Higgins calling out the drift to Nato

[Zipporah's Flint]

roc aways struck me as being privileged with an arrogance and disdain of those less fortunate that smacked of never having had to trouble himself to earn it. This detestation of the little people expressed itself in applauding their subjugation by a bullying state . No matter what the cause, he just loved to see the working class get a good kicking, but wasn't big enough to do it himself.

Yet I believe that he has actually a genuinely envious respect for Mowl who on one level he sees as natural instinctive manly "Man" who unlike himself is not tangled up with disciplines and thinking things over five or eight times be rather just "Bes".

 

[jpc]

I love the bit in the RTE reporting that Michael D has pissed off the grandees of FFG by his audacity to ask what the hell they think they are doing trying to slip this through.
RTE haven't been jumping out to ask hard questions until MDH took it on himself to make it something to seriously debate.
But you wouldn't want the electorate having any input then.
That Richmond is some obnoxious gobdaw!

 

[jpc]

Miggledy is a preening, posturing champagne socialist, nasally midget gimp.

Not today though!
He doing something no-one else wants to discuss.
Especially the media and rest of the political pond.

 

[tldr]

TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has announced that government plans to bring forward legislation to get rid of the triple lock for Irish military involvement in operations abroad.

...

Martin said:

"I have therefore instructed officials in the Department of Defence to prepare legislative proposals without delay that would govern the future overseas deployments of our Defence Forces."

He added that this could allow Ireland to dispatch Defence Forces personnel to multilateral missions overseas where these are organised by a regional organisation such as the European Union or African Union, or where the host country is requesting such support from the international community.

...

He said this was the first time he had gotten the chance to address the House “in detail on the outcome of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy since it took place in June this year.”

...

Fianna Fáil justice spokesperson Jim O’Callaghan said that Consultative Forum was “not a devious and covert mechanism to try to jettison Ireland’s military neutrality”.

“I think we need to be mature enough to recognise that simply because we’re discussing an issue it doesn’t mean that we are giving into that issue, or that we’re supporting the issue.

“We have to be mature enough and brave enough and grown up enough to recognise there are many complicated issues in international foreign policy and security policy that we need to discuss. By discussing them we are not assenting to them,” he said.

https://www.thejournal.ie/triple-lock-changes-micheal-martin-6229725-Nov2023/


To rule without the consent of the governed.

The Fed in America is signalling that the hawkish position on rates will continue despite expectations:

Powell says Fed is ‘not confident’ it has done enough to bring inflation down - CNBC

There's a manpower shortfall in the US armed services and a recession may be just the ticket to refill the ranks (that is if everyone doesn't become a fentanyl addict or a trannie as a result).

Not an ideal time for Ireland to wander off the path of neutrality.

There's money going into the Defence Forces - 4,000 more troops planned, helicopters, amoured vehicles, a transport plane and a new patrol ship. No objection - especially if it raises working conditions and remuneration for the services. Helicopters and armoured vehicles would be useful if there is civil unrest but that's a silly thing to say.

Looks like Sinn Féin will be getting in the next time. It isn't the country we knew.

 

[jpc]

As the saying goes.
Politicians are like nappies.
Change them regularly.
Because they both get full of shit and stink.

 

[tldr]

Coming from a neutral country, that has good and friendly relations throughout the world, has always been a tremendous advantage to us as individuals. Our foreign policy of the pursuit of a just, rules based international order is facilitated by it. It is also an advantage for the EU that they have a neutral country in the Union.

I've a feeling we're gearing up for a European Army rather than NATO membership. Going into NATO would be tantamount to sending an tUactharán to kneel in submission before the Haughty Crown. I don't rule that out - especially from the wannabes in the wings, but if this is what they're up to, the boys in Leinster House might as well put on British uniforms now and get it over and done with it. We'll need target practice before we're shipped off to wherever - of course I'm saying this facetiously but such a vector would be a grievous insult to the nation and a gross betrayal of the public trust.

I'm a bit dismayed that we're heading in this direction, especially since we seem to be doing so with the temperament of a LA interior designer and the mentality of a castle lackey. Allowing for rescue missions is all well and good, but sending Irish troops without the blue helmet to "peacekeeping operations" is out of bounds.

 

[Tiger]

Coming from a neutral country, that has good and friendly relations throughout the world, has always been a tremendous advantage to us as individuals. Our foreign policy of the pursuit of a just, rules based international order is facilitated by it. It is also an advantage for the EU that they have a neutral country in the Union.

I've a feeling we're gearing up for a European Army rather than NATO membership. Going into NATO would be tantamount to sending an tUactharán to kneel in submission before the Haughty Crown. I don't rule that out - especially from the wannabes in the wings, but if this is what they're up to, the boys in Leinster House might as well put on British uniforms now and get it over and done with it. We'll need target practice before we're shipped off to wherever - of course I'm saying this facetiously but such a vector would be a grievous insult to the nation and a gross betrayal of the public trust.

I'm a bit dismayed that we're heading in this direction, especially since we seem to be doing so with the temperament of a LA interior designer and the mentality of a castle lackey. Allowing for rescue missions is all well and good, but sending Irish troops without the blue helmet to "peacekeeping operations" is out of bounds.

All this was predicted with precise accuracy during the Lisbon debate’s. People couldn’t see past their next pay cheque. They didn’t care about the future.

 

[tldr]

Eyes on the ball please.


'During Leaders’ Questions, Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty challenged the government to hold a referendum on changing the triple lock.

Doherty quoted back comments to Tánaiste and Defence Minister Micheál Martin that he said in the Dáil in 2013.

“The current policy works and it has complete popular legitimacy. There is no reason whatsoever to change it. Such a change will impress no one in Europe and it will contribute nothing to international peace.

“Instead of sniping at our neutrality. The government should acknowledge what we have achieved because of it and set out a policy to strengthen rather than to undermine it. Policy.”

“Those are your words,” Doherty told Martin.

...

Doherty went on to highlight that the Martin and the government has no mandate to dismantle the triple lock mechanism, pointing to the Programme for Government, which was signed up to by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party when taking power, that the triple lock would remain.

The programme states: “The government will ensure that all overseas operations will be conducted in line with our position of military neutrality and will be subject to a triple lock of UN, Government and Dáil Éireann approval.”

...

Under the constitution, Ireland cannot, without a constitutional referendum, participate in any EU common defence pact, Martin said.

...

Speaking to programme later, Independent TD and former Defence Forces Army Ranger Cathal Berry, said: “I wouldn’t regard the triple lock as being a component of our neutrality at all. It depends on your perspective.”

Berry said the Oireachtas understands that the proposed legislation will look to extending a key to the “third lock” to more organisations such as the United Nations, European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the African Union.

Berry added that there is the “possibility” that the legislation could go to a referendum, given the heightened public support for neutrality, but said the Oireachtas should be “prepared to use the parliament” – given it’s is made up of a representative democracy.'

https://www.thejournal.ie/triple-lock-criticism-6230293-Nov2023/


Other countries are having soldiers killed - why shouldn't we?

 

[Mad as Fish]

What's the draw of NATO anyway? It has been badly shown up as being ill equipped, out of touch and in no way fit for purpose, whatever its purpose actually is nowadays. But the opportunity to jump aboard a sinking ship is something that Irish politicians can never fail to take.

 

[tldr]

Watching the international news lately, does anyone want to change our position on neutrality?

They're talking up an intervention in Iran now - bombing their nuclear facilities or something of the like. There is no tangible news on resolving the war in Ukraine and talk about Taiwan has gone quiet (there's a general election there mid January). That's the Near East, Europe and East Asia. Regarding Africa, developed models of governance have collapsed in The Sahel, Sudan is in a mess and there's been massacres of Christians in Nigeria recently. North America has gone sinister and South America is in malaise. It's not great out there.

If the government does manage to drag us into a military treaty with all this on the horizon then we've gone fierce stupid.

 

[clarke-connolly]

Our Politicians do as their Foreign Masters, Dictate.

The 26 Counties is now a Vassal State for Foreign Masters.

 

[jpc]

Miggldy again speaking the truth to power.

President Higgins criticises Israel for blaming UN agencies for 'slow trickle' of aid into Gaza

Higgins said that the statement issued by Israeli forces was “deeply concerning”.

www.thejournal.ie

 

[tldr]

Found this on a reunification article in TheJournal.ie

(Aside: I would vote for reunification but believe that the North should be left to own devices to come to a consensus on it - it has to become functional without outside interference tipping the scales. The British should decouple from our island, a situation where they retain levers here is insupportable. The EU can act as the practical guarantor. Certainly the UK would have a seat on an oversight board. This is the traditional policy since the foundation of the state. Democracy is not an empty word - the Unionist community are our equals.)

I'd missed the developments on entanglements and I suppose they add context to the recent proposals to changes in neutrality.


'Sinn Féin has dropped its pledges to withdraw from the EU common defence arrangement known as Pesco and from Nato’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) project, the party has confirmed.

In response to questions from The Irish Times, the party’s foreign affairs spokesman Matt Carthy confirmed that a government led by Sinn Féin would not immediately withdraw from Pesco and the Partnership for Peace, as the party has previously promised on numerous occasions.

“While we will not withdraw Irish defence forces from pre-committed operations and exercises, we will approach future proposals in the context of the principles underpinned by Irish neutrality and the opportunities that neutrality provides both Ireland and the EU to play a positive and constructive role in building peace and ending conflicts,” he said in a statement.

“Ireland’s future participation in Pesco and Partnership for Peace must also be assessed based on those principles and should never undermine our capacity to continue playing an important role in UN Peace Keeping missions,” said Mr Carthy, who recently became Sinn Féin foreign affairs spokesman.

...

Pesco, or Permanent Structured Co-Operation, enables military co-operation between EU member states. The Government decided last year to expand State participation in the programme Partnership for Peace which is a Nato arrangement enabling co-operation between countries in a wide variety of military and non-military areas. The Republic has been a member since 1999.'

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics...thdraw-from-eu-and-nato-defence-arrangements/

Russia is a member of the PfP.

 

[tldr]

'Admiral Rob Bauer, chairman of Nato’s Military Committee, told reporters following a meeting of Nato defence chiefs in Brussels that governments need to start putting preparations in place, and that civilians will need to be mobilised on a large scale.'

Senior NATO Official Says There Will Be A Hot War With Russia - ZeroHedge

Ukraine war latest: NATO preparing for war with Russia - as Germany warns Putin may launch attack - Sky News

NATO warns of all-out war with Russia in the next 20 years: ‘It’s not a given that we are in peace - NY Post

 

[SeekTheFairLand]

'Admiral Rob Bauer, chairman of Nato’s Military Committee, told reporters following a meeting of Nato defence chiefs in Brussels that governments need to start putting preparations in place, and that civilians will need to be mobilised on a large scale.'

Senior NATO Official Says There Will Be A Hot War With Russia - ZeroHedge

Ukraine war latest: NATO preparing for war with Russia - as Germany warns Putin may launch attack - Sky News

NATO warns of all-out war with Russia in the next 20 years: ‘It’s not a given that we are in peace - NY Post

a perfect time for Disease X to kill everybody.

The Elites need to get their preferred depopulation method sorted.

 

[tldr]

a perfect time for Disease X to kill everybody.

The Elites need to get their preferred depopulation method sorted.

We need to make sure they don't auction off our neutrality. The decomposition of peace has accelerated. Here's something from a Russian commentator that's closely connected with the Kremlin. Newsweek tries to rubbish him on production values but it's significant that he's communicating this to his large Russian audience.

'The Vladimir Putin ally and anchor of the Russia 1 channel has frequently described on his nightly programs how Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was a confrontation with the West, pushed Kremlin rhetoric and issued nuclear threats against Kyiv's allies.

Once again, Solovyov returned to this theme, warning that Russia was being "confronted with a formidable enemy—we are dealing with the collective West, so to speak, which means more than 50 countries."

...

"Some of them are not Western, the West is no longer a geographical term," Solovyov said in the clip posted by journalist and Russia watcher Julia Davis on Monday. "Either way, they will get the economy going and move it onto a war footing."

He said this meant that Russia had only a year and a half to two years to bring its economy "up to a level when it will be able to stand up to these countries with their economic potential."

"We are moving towards World War III. In my opinion, it's already underway. By the way Trump thinks so too," the Russian presenter added, as he tried to cut to a soundbite of the former president condemning U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.'

Putin Ally Claims World War III 'Already Underway' - Newsweek

Remember this? Stay tuned after it for an important point.

​

 

[Myles O'Reilly]

Ah FFS Tony. You're taking the Mick tonight.

 

[tldr]

'The United States is planning to station nuclear weapons in the UK for the first time in 15 years as the threat from Russia increases, Pentagon documents seen by The Telegraph reveal.

Procurement contracts for a new facility at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk confirm that the US intends to place nuclear warheads three times the strength of the Hiroshima bomb at the air base.

The US removed nuclear missiles from the UK in 2008, judging that the Cold War threat from Moscow had diminished.

The disclosure comes in the wake of warnings that Nato countries need to ready their citizens for war with Russia.'

US to station nuclear weapons in UK to counter threat from Russia - The Telegraph (via Yahoo)

 

[Coal Gas and peat]

The UK like warmonger poodles they are will agree with letting the American fill a silo of hot warheads in Suffolk

 

[tldr]

The UK like warmonger poodles they are will agree with letting the American fill a silo of hot warheads in Suffolk

Neutrality is important, isn't it?