Sir, – Your editorial “The Irish Times view on the Ukraine counteroffensive: slow progress raises questions” (August 22nd) observes that the Irish Army is “providing training in basic lethal military skills such as rifle use and tactics which the Government argues are required for Ukraine to defend itself, thus not breaching Ireland’s military neutrality”.
How is this not a breach of Irish neutrality?
It seems to me that the present Government has decided that neutrality will mean what it wants it to mean. War is peace, and so on. – Yours, etc,
FINTAN LANE,
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Lucan,
Co Dublin.
A chara, – Your editorial on Ukraine’s counter-offensive makes two points of the utmost importance, though without elucidation. You write: “To a small extent the offensive has been assisted by Irish Army training of demining teams, vital to clearing the way for mass attacks across heavily-mined ground.” The obvious conclusion – that this is an egregious breach of Irish neutrality– is not stated.
Similarly, though your editorial comments on the Government’s controversial plan to provide training “in basic lethal military skills such as rifle use and tactics”, this is effectively excused by repetition of the Government’s own justification – that this training is “required for Ukraine to defend itself, thus not breaching Ireland’s military neutrality”. This is a non sequitur.
One can only conclude that the Government is the chef and we are the frog slowly being brought to the boil by incremental increases in temperature: first, flak jackets to Ukraine, then demining training for frontline sappers, and now weapons training. Lethal aid to an army at war from a country insisting it is neutral against all the evidence to the contrary, and still the frog remains passive. – Is mise,
DOMINIC CARROLL,
Ardfield,
Co Cork.
Sir, – I would like to ask Irish neutrality enthusiasts the following questions.
A few months ago when a few Russian ships off our west coast were examining the undersea cables that link Europe and Ireland to the US, did the Government violate its neutrality policy by asking the British navy to look into the matter?
Were a Russian warship to anchor near Skelligs or park off the Aran Islands, should the Government again ask the British to help, or approach Nato or the US navy to send a cruiser to the scene, or leave the matter to our own row-boat Naval Service? – Yours, etc,
DERMOT CARTHY,
Dublin 3.