Ireland's defensive frailty exposed by Russian exercise

Everyone knows about the feckin GDP issue, that's why we use MGNI and it still makes us one of the richest countries in the World. That MGNI figure is also a very severe measure that undervalues certain activities and so we are being beyond cautious is using it.

We're about as far from broke as its far to get. We have debt to MGNI of 105% at end 2021, which if you used the equivalent measure on all EU members would put us about mid-table, *BUT* our economy is in a far more fundamentally strong position than almost any in the EU.

You'll often hear talk, especially in the Trump years, complaining about NATO members not meeting a 2% GDP defence spending target.

So for the record Ireland's current defence spending is 0.17% of GDP or 0.36% of MGNI.

We can do much better without it taking the shoes off of the kiddies feet or taking the social houses or the hospital treatment out from under people.

Can we not finish that children’s hospital first before we take on those bad Russians?

Not by us though ,by the Time an attack was detected and another EU State reacted the damage would be done ,

The fact we have significant amount of undersea cables and no way of protecting them is a red flag

I wonder if people in the rest of Europe are aware of how limped-dick Ireland actually is in terms of its own defence.

There definitely are tribes in the amazon who could defend their patch of ground better than we can ours.

If there is ever a nuclear war none of this defense spending talk matters any more cause life as we know it is over.

And Ireland being in NATO will be what keeps Putin's hand off the button ?

If someone actually actually launches their arsenal or all sides do I think it's time we just call it quits as a species.

Our defence forces do actually do things internally. They serve a vital role as part of the emergency services, and fill niches that other services don't. To a certain extent the fulfill a role as swiss-army knife (no pun intended), providing backup capacity for other emergency services. Our pandemic response - especially vaccinations - would have been a complete shambles without military support.

Just because they're not out scaring off foreign invaders, doesn't mean they don't provide value.

Well, you've got two options. You can pay €500 a year for 3rd party fire and theft. Or you can pay €3,500 a year for the same insurance except it covers other people driving your car so they don't have to buy their own.