Is it time to join Nato

UN peacekeeping not EU. I don't think some grasp the resentment from other EU states in relation to Ireland on this matter. The only people that believe Ireland is Neutral is Ireland. Ireland cannot defend its self thus not Neutral.

In fairness, most Irish people, and a fair whack of our body politic misunderstand what Ireland's neutrality entails. A broad swathe of the left for instance think neutrality means complete piousness and no US transports landing at Shannon for instance (but suffer from a brain fade when its pointed out that the Russian navy have docked in Cork in the past).

Ireland's neutraility is full of contradictions. It was born out of us staying clear of the Second World War out of sheer expediency as our young state was politically fragile and economically feeble.

It has always lacked coherency and for most of the 20th century had a woolly legislative basis (still has tbh).

As our interests, the interests of the EU, and the economic and political security of the continent become one and the same, our "neutrality" starts to look like freeloading more and more.

Why should smaller peer EU countries like Denmark, Finland, Swden, Czechia etc have to carry the security load in Europe as we look on with our thumb up our a*se with mealy mouthed platitutes about our peacekeeping (which they do also btw)? As we've had a crash course in since February, their security is our security, and our security is their's.

We want an open, economically & politically liberal Europe with integrated markets and multilateral institutions we have a say in, but ultimately are very shy about contributing towards the defence of any of it. It's starting to look less and less credible.

Should an EU member country get invaded or its security seriously compromised, that in turn is our security compromised.

We're not Hobbits in the Shire living in splendid isolation picking spuds any more. We have pretentions of being a fully signed up member at the heart of the European movement - but one where states in closer proximity to the danger carry the burden and backstop our economic, energy and political security.

If any of the members on the Eastern periphery get invaded, that most certainly is "our war". And I'd love to know how you could turn around to a Polish neighbour, look him/her in they eye and say: "sorry, Mariusz/Aga, you're on your own, talk to the Americans." If we want to be purists, we should probably pull a Switzerland and leave the EU altogether.

We are freeloaders unfortunately. Freeloaders that can't even keep our own driveway clean as is evidenced by the UK being our security guarantors in our airspace and territorial waters. We're not even footing the bill for our own "neutrality" and sanctimony.

We absolutely are freeloaders.

I gave you a hypothesis there. There isn't an Irish person in the country that wouldn't have a Polish freind or aquaintance at this stage - they are deeply integrated into our national fabric and into the EU that we share, which is a fundamental pillar of our national prosperity. Would you seriously tell them "this isn't our war" if they were invaded or attacked by a belligerant Kremlin regime? Would you seriously be able to look them in the eye and say that?

I think you know the answer, you'd be looking at your shoelaces.

All true on a technical level, but I'm making the arguement from a moral and and credibility point of view.

People who are die-hard supporters of Irish neutrality in every circumstance and scenario never tire of telling us how it's morally bulletproof to the point of sanctimony.

If (and I'll just pick Poland as an example) Poland were to be invaded or attacked and its sovereignity put under jeopordy, it is not moral or ethical in the least that the Irish State looks the other way as a political partner state gets torn apart when other EU peer countries put their shoulder to the wheel to defend it.

We want all the goodies that come with the European political project; the freedom of movement, the right to make a life wherever we please in the EU, a seat at the top table, the structural funding. But if worst comes to worst, we'll be putting in a sick-note when it comes time to defend it.

Make the case that you're making by all means, but it's strictly nativist in tone and reality when it comes down to it. And Ireland's prosperity and orientation in Europe does not rest on nativism, with the glowing exception of our "defence" arrangements (which can be accurately compared to stealing wifi from the neighbours as they pay through the nose for it).

EDIT: And I never made the case for spending billions on an F35 programme for instance. NATO members like Iceland or Luxembourg get along just fine with their modest defence spending. And nobody is compelling them to spend a certain percentage of GDP on anything.

And I'll make a further point. Hybrid warfare of the type that creeps occupying the Kremlin complex specialize in does not respect our neutrality. Someone made the point earlier about our undersea cables. Russia would f*ck with those in a heartbeat if they thought they'd get away with it.

But it's not exactly the boys below in Haulbowline that are keeping the Russian navy on its toes is it?

It helps to remember who's picking up the tab and who is really taking responsibility for our defence across all threat domains when speaking about this stuff.