Sir, - For anyone who has ever served in the Defence Forces, knowing how poor we are, the current appeasement policy is very worrying. The fact is we are being threatened by an enemy within our gates. If appeasement fails, are we psychologically prepared and geared up for the necessary action to save our people? We have a small Army, a small Garda force and a small Prison Service as our thin green lines of defence.
It can, of course, be argued that it is not all that bad that our political representatives on these islands have decided to pay the Danegeld. For instance, if a large robber with a weapon confronts a small shopkeeper with a biro, appeasement seems a sensible option. The IRA has many large robbers with weapons ready to bomb the most newsworthy targets, such as shopping streets full of women and children. We are entitled to be afraid, especially as our democracy ties our military and legal hands and makes us a nation of small shopkeepers with biros. The large robbers say: "Our guns are silent." "You are too kind," reply we small shopkeepers.
However, just in case this attempt fails, we must occasionally peep out from our appeasement closet at the real world where we may have to call a spade a spade. We must drop the "Sinn Fein/IRA" soother and admit that we are dealing with the IRA, which has been breaking our despised laws for 30 years. We must be aware also that, like the Mafia, not only do they have dark glasses but "democratic" representatives, accountants, PROs and legal advisers.
Are we wise to try to save public money on defence by clinging to the hope that appeasement will work, even as we discover that the IRA has been learning from the drug barons of FARC how to control 40 per cent of the territory by being the police and the political authorities?
How many of our grandchildren will die young - or live maimed or terrified as a result of our cowardice? It has all happened before - amnesty followed by glorification by "green" historians of our, God help us, so-called "physical force" tradition, inspiring a new generation to emulate their gaisce, despising reality, happy with fantasy, however murderous.
A R≤isin, nβ biodh br≤n ort... - Yours, etc.,
P. D. Goggin, Glenageary Woods, Co Dublin.