Madam, - Certain media people, in both print and broadcasting, now seem to regard our traditional neutrality as an article of faith and to offer criticism, no matter how constructive or rational, is deemed to be near treasonable.
If a conflict resulted in a nuclear exchange, it would respect neither frontier nor neutrality.
Even if we were spared direct attack, we would still be exposed to slow death by radiation sickness and the lethal pollution of our air, water, land, crops and dairy produce.
However, there is an ominous question mark over NATO, and that is its determination to saturate Europe with nuclear missiles.
Fortunately, there is a growing awareness within the EU of the fallacy of this strategy. Surely our security should rest on a strengthened and revitalised conventional defence rather than a lunatic dependence on nuclear weaponry?
Would our membership of NATO reinforce the validity of this view and policy? At least it is a theme which offers scope for rational public debate. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL J. STOKES, P.C., Willington Green, Templeogue, Dublin 6W.