no country can be neutral, it can be peaceful though

national | anti-war / imperialism | opinion/analysis

Tuesday September 23, 2003 14:39

by paul cummins

motion to be put to IAWM meeting for sat

"The IAWM should call for a referendum to the Irish constitution to enshrine neutrality, and to ensure that the government of the Republic of
Ireland cannot a) send troops on international service, except those that are peacekeeping and have an explicit UN mandate; b) let our facilities, or our airspace be used, by foreign forces on missions that do not have a UN peacekeeping mandate; c) ensure engagement in any peacekeeping operation, or consent to let our air space/facilities be used for same has to have the prior consent of the Irish parliament, the voting procedure to require 75% in favour."

i agree with a bc as a good important steps to be achieved but putting forward whole notion of ireland being neutral is a misguided waste of time.

rather then being neutral we should actively seek out peace, the planeslrefueling at shannon is bertie nand cos ide of neutralitly which obviously shows enshrining that is not enough.

we should instill policies that actively hinder warmakers actions... in not sure how though
not trade arms, not alow it citizens to messed around in their countries etc

save preference

Comments (8 of 8)

Sounds a bit fuzzy

by Eoin G - SWP

Tue Sep 23, 2003 21:00

The neutrality thing sounds a more solid way of blocking attempted warmongering than this other thing.

my attempt in saying this is to clarify ...

by pc

Wed Sep 24, 2003 10:10

the otehr way as neutrality alows this to go unoticed if we're mot neutral we have to take each cse as it comes which keeps the issues alive rather then people including some very dodgey thins under teh banner of neutrality

Ireland should not be neutral...

by The Insider

Wed Sep 24, 2003 13:35

...instead it should be agressively opposed to a militarised world. Shut down the Arms trade and the military industrial complex.

De Valera used the pretext of neutrality to refuse to take in refugees fleeing from the Holocaust. Fuck that for neutrality. It's one thing to not get involved in something like WWII, but that was totally different. Let's not go to war, but let's not do a Pontius Pilate either!

shutting down the MI complex is really pie in the sky.

by experienced

Wed Sep 24, 2003 14:02

Let them have their toys. They are copies anyway and rather stop them using them against our people.

...

by Gaillimhed

Wed Sep 24, 2003 14:06

and what about sending Irish 'Peace keepers' into Iraq, presumably under the UN flag but following US army Orders.
I am sure, regardless of what public opinion dictates, Ahern will waste no time being the first to offer up troops if Bush gets a UN resolution. After all, Ireland is to be EU president in 2004, and thats prime position for suckling up to the underbelly of the beast. Irish politics works on a cash for favours principle, so get ready for Political levering of EU opinion towards US interests, using Irelands presidency as the wedge, and prepare for irish and european interests to be prostituted for American favours by Ahern Harney et al.

....

Wed Sep 24, 2003 14:09

sorry i forgot to add Irish 'neutrality' to that list, sold in Faustian manner to the highest bidder. (the only bidder as matter of fact).

UN deeply flawed

by Jim Monaghan

Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:13

The UN is a talk shop of the ruling regimes in the world. The Americans can bully or bribe most of them especially now that the former USSR has disappeared.
The opposition of France and Germany is useful but hardly sincere.(A definition of irony is the nonesense of Chirac as a champion of peace) Frances record is as bad as the Americans. Germany now recovered form WW1 and WW2 wants in on the act, as does our own little army.
PANA have a similar referendum strategy.
There is merit in a referendum that excludes intervention abroad in any circumstances without a referendum with 75% support.
Best be cynical foreign adventures have always been dressed up as religious (Crusades), humanitarian etc.
There is a need for a central project such as a referendum which could mobilise the antiwar majority ( Yes, I think on this we have a majority, but are at a loss on where to go)
Let this be a debate on what the amendment to the constitution should be and how to mobilise to win it.
OH we would need a sufficient number of TDs or Councils to get one, so pledges from canidates would be a must.

The United Nations has it's flaws.

by iosaf

Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:29

no-one but no-one can deny
better the divil you know
than the divil you don't
when you sup with the divil
use a long spoon
some say some say
that divil is dead.

The Neutral States of the Europe
have all with the notable exception of Ireland
played their part in opposing war.

Finland was subject to inteference in it's government.
Sweden saw it's UN inspector humiliated, slandered and libelled.
Austria saw it's iniative's ignored and it's offers of help disregarded.
Switzerland saw it's iniative ignored and it's offers of help disregarded.
Lichtenstein saw it's will forgotten.
Andorra saw it's will forgotten.
The Holy See was ignored.
Ireland saw what it saw.

We seek to neither appease nor offend.
We are All Victims. We Are All Victims.

We do not forget.

Together they could buy the USA.
But it was never just a question of money.
It is a question of Hope, Love, Sincerity, Brains, Will and Resolution.

Number of comments per page

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

The Saker

Public Inquiry

Lockdown Skeptics

no country can be neutral, it can be peaceful though

Comments (8 of 8)