Despite its public utterances of support for the United States and the National Day of Mourning, the Republic would seem to be unprepared for any significant role in any coming Global conflict.
The only element of the State that seems to have been pre-occupied with the threat of Islamic extremism is the Army's Intelligence. It has a small section devoted to monitoring developments among Arab terrorist groups and observing their activities here.
Responsibility for the same function in the Garda belongs to a small section in the Special Branch known as the "Red Squad" as its previous function was to monitor left-wing groups.
With the collapse of Soviet communism, the section was reduced and only a handful of officers have any significant insight into the activities of Islamic extremists.
After the attacks in the US, this section was strengthened and a number of officers with experience in this area returned to duty.
In the past few days it has begun investigating the activities of the small number of people known to be connected to Osama bin Laden's Al Qa-ida organisation. Gardai have been receiving calls from members of the public who have suspicions about the activities of some Muslims here.
The Republic is regarded as having a liberal attitude to the activities of groups which are known to work in a support or representative capacity for terrorist organisations.
It has been known for years that bin Laden's group has figures working here who are involved in supplying false passports and documents and laundering money. The Republic is not alone in this. All European countries have similar liberal attitudes to these groups who have been careful not to come into conflict with their host nations.
This situation could now change dramatically if the US chooses to go to war against Islamic nations. If it does, the United States will seek the support of its allies. The Republic has firmly stated its position of one of supporting the Americans.
The only likely role the Republic will have will be one of allowing US war plans to land here and possibly to set up support bases. This happened previously during the Gulf War when the Republic agreed to overflights and landings by US aircraft.
If there is war between the West and nations of Islam, no one on the Islamic side will differentiate between the Republic and other bigger nations supporting the United States.
The Republic has also aligned itself clearly with NATO even though it has, so far, eschewed membership. Irish troops serve under NATO command in former Yugoslavia (with Sfor) and in Kosovo with (Kfor). In Kosovo the Irish Transport Unit is under the command of a British army-led division. One officer who served in this region said the Irish troops are not seen as any different from other NATO-member soldiers.
Despite the Nice referendum vote, the Republic is already moving towards full membership of the putative European Rapid Reaction Force. The Defence Forces already has a large section devoted to preparing a light-armed infantry battalion of about 800 troops for the force.
Senior officers have been in its headquarters in Brussels for more than a year. As it happens there is a senior Irish officer in the reaction force's intelligence section devoted to observing developments in the Arab world.
Coincidentally, Irish troops serving with the purely UN mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) will finally withdraw at the end of this month. UNIFIL is winding up its mission since the completion of its UN Security Council mandate seeking Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon.
At home, the picture suggests the Defence Forces will have difficulties mobilising. The Army has a current strength of about 8,000.
One officer who resigned a year ago said at the weekend that there was no structure for inducting experienced former soldiers back into a defence structure. There is no first line reserve for soldiers to return to. It is understood a committee of military and civil servants has been sitting for the past two to three years considering what to do about a reserve but it has not reported yet.
Military sources felt it could quickly become important to the Army to need back the services of skilled technical officers in areas like ordnance, bomb disposal, communications and intelligence.
The Government has also pursued a policy of reducing the Defence Forces over the past decade. It is now at one of its lowest strength since the second World War. The Government's White Paper on Defence, published two years ago, introduced further cuts. It did so assuming a reduction in internal conflict in Northern Ireland and the absence of any foreign threat.
The role of the Defence Forces is still defined as defending the State from foreign and internal aggression. We have a negligible military air force with no function attack aircraft or helicopters.
The Minister for Defence, Mr Smith has instituted a re-equipment programme which includes the purchase of troop-carrying helicopters. The committee set up to chose an aircraft is ready to state its preference. It is likely we will buy five of these aircraft which will each be able to carry about 20 soldiers.
The Naval Service has only a fishery protection function.
The Army is involved in the largest re-equipment and building programme in its history. Orders have been placed for 60 armoured personnel carriers which will be able to protect troops from landmine and small arms fire. There will also be a similar number of armoured light support vehicles identical to the US army's "Humvee" vehicles.
The idea is that Irish troops will be equipped along the same lines as NATO troops. The term used is "inter-operability".
Irish troops will be members of US-aligned forces and will have the same equipment and be dressed in uniforms which resemble those of NATO troops. Although this State may still claim to be militarily neutral, the other side in a global conflict will not perceive it this way.