A Force For Good? Reflections On Irish Neutrality (22mins)

[@dympnaoconnell6426]

Can we force a Referendum so the Irish people can have their say on this vitally important question?

[@yagsipcc287]

They dont want it because the Vast majority dont want anything to do with NATO why would we? All it would be is a net negative for us, We have no issues with the rest of the world, we are seen very in a good light by most of the world, when we do send AID to conflict areas it has always been in the form of food and medical AID to any who needed it. If we were in NATO we would be required to go to war, we will be seen as a part of the world most aggresive power structure that has only ever started wars and conflicts on poorer regions of the world, Look at the US alone since the 1950s they have funded terror groups, coups and tried to force "elections" in around 80 countires that we know of.

[@eisirt55]

If we're neutral, let us have an military fit to defend our neutrality . We need massively increased spending on our Air Corps and Naval Services in particular.

[@mv6160]

Defend from what?

[@taintabird23]

@@mv6160 Military attack by air, land and sea, and cyber attack. 'Defend from whom?' Anyone, but the main threat is from Russia, and possibly China.

[@Ethan-xf4or]

@@mv6160Exactly!

[@_alienblood]

​@@mv6160russian bears and cable cutters

[@jaws848]

​@@_alienbloodecactly

[@encahill]

I agrred with RBB until he cited the Rising .. anti war neutral stance would have ensured Ireland remained within the UK indefinitely if Pearse and Connolly had been pacufists. Sometimes armed struggle and resistance is necessary and justified. He's essentially saying my grandfather wasted his time in 1921 by fighting with the IRA. Blaming Ukraine for being invaded by its more powerful neighbour is the ultimare hypocracy. That's the same as saying Palestine and Yeman deserve it because they provoke.

[@mv6160]

Russia’s invasion ?? Why nobody talks about what happened in Ukraine since 2014?

[@deadpanbarry5442]

Ssshhhh!!.. 🤫 they don't want to know the truth. Media told them who the bad guy is and they don't want you thinking for yourself.

[@_alienblood]

The UN investigated the civil war it was russia predominantly carrying out war crimes yous are suckers to russian proganda

[@irishfamilymanbear3137]

It's much easier for people to virtue signal, and repeat what they're told than to think or look for themselves. People don't want to know the truth I'd if means admitting they could have been wrong/dupped

[@TheNightShunter]

Judging by most of the other comments on here, this seems to be a major NPC hangout. People completely aligned with government/media narratives and interests. Mindless zombies.

[@denismakarov7509]

russian troops attacked Ukraine and occupied Crimea, then russian troops and the russian officer Girkin attacked occupied part of Donbas

[@jimmccormack7507]

Soldiers do not want to kill anyone. Peace for the world.

[@user-ze8yy8jg1f]

One thing these people don’t mention Our neutrality was created as a strategy to get unity We told nato we would join if we united with the north hoping that would push nato to back Irish unity. Our stance against communism during the Cold War was clear

[@shooster5884]

No Irish government should have the right to vote away our neutrality. It should be enshrined in our constitution. If a day comes we are forced to fight for our country for any reason we will do so as an independent people making that choice for ourselves.. Neutrality dors not prevent us improving our naval capabilities to patrol and protect our waters and any essential infrastructure under our seas..

[@callee3712]

To be neutral you need to be able to defend your own borders. Are you willing to spend upgrading your military guess not. I remember the greens begrudging Irish peace keepers armour vehicles to protect them from landmines.

[@elizabethcullen1160]

Brilliant Afri - well done! I hope that RTE shows your video

[@MacAirgialla]

I see a trajedy unfolding. A World, a Logos, a Word. Replaced with others words. Empty words. Use empty words and you are empty, for you are what you Say. A little human BE, emptying with the empty words you Say.

[@hansstofberg43]

I am baffled that some Irish people do not mind if all of Ireland was British, Russian or Chinees. They will bend over for any invaders . Not me and lot of others we will fight . And Ireland has hardly any military power . 😢

[@Irelandforever609]

As a Irish man I say no to NATO no to the EU no to the UN no to WEF and no to nwo And a complete reform of the system and government Leo and co need to go

[@jaws848]

Simp

[@user-ze8yy8jg1f]

Majority of Ireland support the eu

[@sidewindersid4180]

​@@user-ze8yy8jg1ffor now. Times change.

[@Irelandforever609]

Someone deleted my comment it must of been Ture then Ireland out of the eu and UN

[@martindennehy3030]

Very negative aren't you ?

[@FA-vs1wq]

But we where never neutral. Irish have taken part in nato led missions in the past

[@lindadoherty9176]

Thank you

[@fiacmar]

This entire video displays a simplistic child-like view on the world and on neutrality. The following are true and ignored by the authors of the video: We sadly exist in an era of increased multipolarity, ideological conflict, and hybrid warfare. We are ideologically aligned with other countries, called democracies. Democracy has enemies, and is not a natural state, for any state. On third of Europes data storage is in Ireland. (Re hybrid war). Vital communication cables run through our waters. We are, therefore a target. Russia enters our airspace, territorial waters and has attacked our health services (during a pandemic) with impunity. Enemies of democracy have been seen to undermine elections in other nations and states, causing havoc and mayhem, and can do so here. Remember our own history, we did not unite against the invader in the past, and lost our country for many generations. If we do not unite with other free democracies, we may lose it also. We lost so much of our culture, history, language by being divided. We must not lose democracy by being divided from those who also must not lose it. NATO is overly focussed on US leadership. Europe must properly unite, and defend itself.

[@TheNightShunter]

We don’t live in a democracy. The government is powering ahead with their masters agendas dispute the vast majority being against it. Next up they want us fighting in wars that have nothing to do with us. We are only a target if we make ourselves one.

[@martindennehy3030]

Why can't we just be a team player and play our part in the defence of Europe??? If Europe was full of countries like Ireland Switzerland France and Hungary, the Russians would have taken over the whole of Europe long ago, we would all be forced to speak Russian, our educated would all be murdered and our cultures and identity would have been wiped out. Hats off to the great Ukrainians, Polish and British who at least have the guts to stand up to a 21st century Hitler and his huge army of terrorists. All it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to sit back and do nothing.

[@_alienblood]

Well said russia are the new facists of europe

[@stephenwea]

Well said mate fair play 👍🏻👍🏻

[@ALFarrell-kv6ok]

I totally agree.

[@heroperseus007]

If you feel so strongly then why not go and join the Ukrainian International brigade. I am sure they would appreciate the efforts you make for them. If you are physically unable to go then send a beloved family member in your stead to fight on your behalf. Just so you don't feel like you are sponging off your EU allies.

[@irishfamilymanbear3137]

The Ukrainian conflict started in 2013-2014 when USA aided in overthrowing the democraticly elected goyin Ukraine, and then allowed/ covered up the fact that the new Ukrainian government bombed ethnicly russian people in Eastern Ukraine for years! As much as the western media says it, it doesn't mean Putin was the aggressor in this conflict. Please try think for yourself instead of spouting the same nonsense you hear.

[@johndevitt2164]

I am sorry, I had to switch off. If you want to study the model of neutrality then look at Switzerland since 1287. You could also look at Finland. I can't go along with the idea of some sort of utopic paperwork will keep us safe. We also need to address where exactly where we live. The word democracy is mentioned in this video. We vote for Santa Clause every few years and think we have a say. Again, if you want to look at some last resemblance of a democracy then look at the direct democratic model in Ireland. We are only cattle on this land thinking we control the farm. We can't change a thing.

[@Glennefox]

You lost me when I had to listen to boyd Barrett TD. That man stands for the other side in everything right or wrong it doesn’t matter!

[@hansstofberg43]

A speaker said weapons are produced in Ireland for the Ukranian war ? And that this is good for the Irish industrie? What weapons are this exactly ? And how many are being produced here ? Because Google can not find anything about that exept a few parts .

[@ronanspain2534]

Since the founding of the Free State we have never, been neutral. During the 2nd world war, Ireland while declaring itself militarily neutral Ireland took a decidedly pro-allied stance on all matter when it came to the war and morally was right to do so. Examples of this are from the very small and seemingly unimportant such as passing on weather forecasts and weather readings from the Atlantic to London that provided the final green light for D-day, to the much more overt, turning a blind eye to the British and American airmen who fled interment here to go to Belfast and rejoin the fight. I sadly think many of you actually need to read the relevant articles in the constitution with dictionary in hand and truly understand them. So the 3 principles of Article 29 that you like to cling to are that 1. Ireland devoted to the ideal of peace and friendly co-operation 2. The peaceful settlement of international disputes by international arbitration or judicial determination and 3. Ireland accepts and recognised principles of international law as its rule of conduct. So in the current situation a country has been subject to a war of aggression and you morally bankrupt stance is that they should give in allow their population to be taken over by a dictator, their population to be subjugated and deported from their lands to far flung places of the new Russist empire and we should not help them. More than that we should strip ourselves of any ability to defend our territory and freedom should an aggressor even turn their eye here. And then plead with the international community to enforce international law on our behalf? How many Ukrainians or Polish or Estonians would come to our aid if we leave Ukraine to it's fate?

[@fionuala7]

Prolonged war leaves Ukraine to its fate, devoid of its youth. Left by the West to to fight to last Ukrainian.

[@ronanspain2534]

​@@fionuala7 So the obvious logical solution that leads to the least amount of deaths would be overwhelming military support and fighting with Ukraine to remove Russian forces from all it's territory. So Ukrainian an independent and democratic people are overwhelming still in favor of fight on tilling victory, latest opinion polls put this ~70-85% support continuing to fight. They are going to fight for their freedom, they had a revolution to break out from under Russia yolk. Even if Russia defeats the Ukrainian Army do you really think that would be the end of it. Or would they likely start an insurgency how many Ukrainians would die then as it will be years or decades of civilians fighting a states forces? How many more Ukrainians will be disappeared in Putin's Russia for him to try to gain control, how many more of their children will be kidnapped and sent to the far flung corners of the Russist Empire?

[@Lala-kc2fw]

Belfast in nato and Dublin in the parthship. We are not neutral.

[@clubbythe]

Belfast is not in the Republic tho?

[@Lala-kc2fw]

@@clubbythe still Nato on the island of Ireland. And the Republic is in the parthship. We sent soldiers to Afghanistan, Syria and Kosovo, our neutrality is a lie.

[@clubbythe]

@@Lala-kc2fw South and North Korea also happen to be on the same peninsula. I don't understand your analogies. We are neutral militarily because we are essentially helpless. But yes politically we have always picked sides. This was the case in WW2 with the Brits, currently with the war in Ukraine and Shannon airport. Our 'soldiers' that were sent were peacekeepers. In no way would ireland ever want to be involved in a war because frankly we wouldn't be able to defend ourselves. And I'm fairly certain our government wants to keep our status of neutrality.

[@Lala-kc2fw]

@@clubbythe idk why your talking about Nk and SK. Totally different things. They may have been peacekeeping. But, all NATO lead... Not the UN only in Syria, africa and Asia. Afghanistan and Kosovo nato lead. We are currently helping Ukrainians with training. Netherlands and Belgium were neutral in both WWs but, another country needed to get by, could be the same for us. The fact that a sovereign nation Cooperates with another sovereign nation or organisation with Military force(Peacefuly or not) to get an operation done, in, another sovereign nation. Is not neutrality. Even if the UN says so. The UN let the USA and UK invade Iraq and move into Afghanistan. We neutral on paper.

[@clubbythe]

@@Lala-kc2fw it was supposed to be ironic... Your definition of neutrality is just childlike fantasy. If you happen to find any country that fits the bill please let me know.

[@sidewindersid4180]

Get your tin hat and rifle young man and head for Europe. Do it for king and Country. God bless you. Just don't go and expect much when you come back home in a heap.

[@warbler1984]

That's a lovely strawman you have there! Meanwhile the only reason Ukraine wasn't conquered is because Britain and Poland and US stepped up and gave them the means to defend themselves

[@sidewindersid4180]

@@warbler1984 nato shouldn't be encroaching on russian borders.

[@jimmccormack7507]

Exactly. But wepon dealing is rich people business and they put money first. They will loose. People are not stupid.

[@warbler1984]

That's a lovely strawman you have there! Meanwhile the only reason Ukraine wasn't conquered is because Britain and Poland and US stepped up and gave them the means to defend themselves. They gave them anti air craft and ant tank munitions

[@tommtom8662]

You are all getting a New World Order Military Police Service, not necessarily Irish as far as I know, presently being trained by the Army, as far as I know. There will be NO Irish Police Service but an E U Military Police Service, to impose lock downs and such like to the best of my knowledge but I stand corrected.

[@mv6160]

Let me ask you this, when this army is up an running, how will you police your own relatives , family etc…?

[@jimmccormack7507]

Exactly. How to stop war's.

[@warbler1984]

How to stop wars...? Well its nit through sitting them out. Ya think if the Brits said they wouldn't flight that it'd have stopped the Nazis?

[@shooster5884]

But if they had the power... How would they suggest that Ukrainians should have reacted to a Russian takeover of their county and murder or disappearance of their elected government? And then a destruction of all their heritage buildings, their books on culture burned, their language banned and imprisonment or worse for saying that they are Ukrainian? How do they think Irish people would react if faced today with such a situation? With an enemy like Putin? I ask this question seriously - and as someone who wished that war was banned in the whole world and all weapons destroyed and any disputes settled without them.. I genuinely ask the question 'What should the Ukrainians have done if not pick up weapons?' I believe Ireland should remain neutral, for many reasons, but that does not prevent us from helping any way we can besides military a people having war waged on them. There are plenty of other things to protect soldiers or civilians that are not weapons we can supply as a neutral country.

[@daithi9100]

If you support Ukraine you support Nazis ffs ,it's a proxy war,with worse beneath it backed by a corrupt west.

[@mv6160]

Keep watchig TV, looks like you’ve no idea what’s actually happening in Ukraine.

[@shooster5884]

@@mv6160 Do pray explain 'what's actually happening in Ukraine'.. btw - I don't have a tv!

[@yagsipcc287]

Clearly you havent a clue. The conflict started in 2014 with the US and UK backed coup that took out Ukraines elected government and put in place the extremeists such as the Bandara loving nutters amoung others, after the coup several Eastern regions didnt want anything to do with it so in return they cut off their water and started to bomb and shell them for the last 9 and a half years (all of this was in media non stop from articles, video clips and mini docs much you can still find) the President who got put into place who was hand picked by the US (as shown by audioclips of Nuland who is now currently in the Biden admin) that president famously said "our kids will go to school to learn while their kids will hide in their basements as the shells drop" you can find this clip still on KZbin. Also no Russia isnt and hasnt banned any books or language banned it was Ukraine who done this years ago and this was outlined in the Misk and Misk 2 agreements that they would stop this, stop the shelling and bombing of the Eastern regions and allow them to be part of Ukraine and semi indepent as well as many other issues, these agreements where done up by Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany (I think the US as well but not 100% on this) This year Angela Merkel said in two Germany newspapers said that these agreements where all done in order to give Ukraine more time and training by NATO forces, this was repeated by several other former governement heads, none of these countries would enforce agreements they wrote up and agreed to, the last several months of 2021 Russia leadership requested that they would enforce the agreements and they all refused, this is why after 9 years of blowing up civilians and Russia trying to stop it with non force they went in to get them to agree to it and they did! then NATO people like Johnson came in and said we will give you more weapons and money to fight as long as you dont go through with your agreements you just signed they done that and now they have lost countless young men, tons of land and Western countries are losing ammo, tanks, general equipment and having major economic issues from it. Nevermind NATO breaking its agreements from the 90s about expansion. None of this is new, its been talked about for years and was reported on by all MSM for years. I live in Ireland and have been watching the conflcit since 2014.

[@denismakarov7509]

Fully support you If Ukraine would stop defending itself - there will be no Ukraine If russia stop attacking- there will be no war

[@MacAirgialla]

A contract, even in it contemporary corrupted form is an agreement bound in law. Not God/Word. Human law contrived by the evil scribes we re fer to, lawYUrs and those what Solicit. The second referendum was justified on matters people BEleafed to be core to the individual and indivisible BEs. I am BE, BEcause I am Present. When the 'state', a non BE broke with the matters core to the BEs, neutrality, life from alpha to delta, birth, they broke that agreement. The agreement is UNBOUND, from the laws created by a 'state' or 'states', masks behind which humans knowingly or unknowingly serve by REpresenting. Ireland is now released from Bondage. It was unbound the moment a rePRESENTATION BREACHED THE AGREEMENT, WHICH INCLUDED, the decision not to KILL nor complicit in KILL. EU are not OUR masters, NOW. WE ARE THE TRINITY, little BEs and ONE big BE. I love the big BE. Free at last. I am a BE, because I am in the Present. NOT rePRESENT. should I/BE dragged to a 'court of a state', I WILL insist my accuser be present also. This is impossible, BEcause a NON Be cannot be Present/BE. This Lord needs its flies, its orcs, its flying evils, to speak for IT. LISBON TREATY IS NULL AND IRONICALLY VOID. a little fly, a little orc breached it with the decision to KILL, a FUNDAMENTAL BREACH BE cause. We are the nation, we are the trinity, all the BEs, And, THOU SHALL NOT KILL. true today as it was those thousands of years and those peoples lost in their own BONDAGE. WE ARE FREE, BEcause FREE IS CHOICE AND CHOICE IS FREE.

[@b.n.1441]

Dante once said that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a period of moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. John F. Kennedy

[@ALFarrell-kv6ok]

No NATO country has been attacked in several decades. Peace through alliances and strength! It would be obscene for ireland to sit at home watching on TV our fellow Europeans, neighbours, and trading partners being attacked next by Russia. It is obscene that wealthy Ireland sponges off of Britain and NATO for our defence.

[@heroperseus007]

If you feel so strongly why don't you go and fight in the Ukrainian international brigade. Or if you can't then send a beloved family member capable of doing your fighting in your stead so you don't feel like you are sponging off your EU allies.

[@guardsmen2945]

​@@heroperseus007tbf, Ukraine is only taking experience/trained former soldiers from other nations as taking on an inexperienced and fresh face civilian to train and put on the front lines would be more costly in both short and long term for them. Even some experienced soldiers had trouble getting in at the start too.

[@TheNightShunter]

NATO were attempting to put military bases in Ukraine, Russia’s border. It is the equivalent of Russia putting bases in Canada or Mexico. America would simply not allow it the same as Russia couldn’t allow it. NATO are the bad guys here. Putin is not trying to take over Europe as you people are suggesting. He is defending his borders. No matter what is happening over there, it is none of our business.

[@WEF_idiocracy_project]

German critical infrastructure has been attacked by other Nato members when Nordstream was bombed.

[@ALFarrell-kv6ok]

@@WEF_idiocracy_project Total nonsense.

[@jimmccormack7507]

Teach the children.

[@ALFarrell-kv6ok]

Isolationism and neutrality do not work. When the free world takes two steps backwards, the dictatorships take four steps forwards. Isolationism means stepping back from allies, trading partners and fellow EU members who then turn their backs on you when you are eventually in trouble anyway. Isolationism is like a tightrope walker throwing away his safety net. Isolationism means freeloading on neighbours for defence. That's why Russia is pushing isolationism and division in the West. Peace, freedom, and strength through unity and allies!

[@jimmccormack7507]

All the guns and bombs. Do they really want to save the ozone layers. Animals are more clever.

[@jimmccormack7507]

I claim ownership of the world.

[@crighi6631]

Here are some hard to swallow pills: • the financial aid to Ukraine had nothing to do with NATO but with EU. One is a military organization the other an economical one. If you don't know the difference maybe your opinion doesn't have much weight; • to say that the financial aid prolongs the war and you want peace is to say that you only accept a peace where Ukraine rolls over and dies; when common sense dictates that peace should be achieved with the russians going back to their homes; At the same time to say you condemn the invasion is hypocritical since you can't condemn the invasion and wish for the victory of the assailant at the same time. This is why people automatically think you are pro-russian, because you are; • EU gave Ukraine 35 billion euros. A lot, right? EU has a population of 446.7 million. This costed you €78.35. Still enough for a night out I say! But it was given through out a period of 1.5 years ...so the war has costed you €0.15 every day...deducted from taxable income; •Being in NATO has nothing to do with losing neutrality. In fact, neutrality is a requirement to join. The border with North Ireland situation would not allow Ireland to join anyway unless it officially renounces any claim to that land; • NATO is a strictly defensive treaty. Whoever joined NATO they did it for their own safety; • Ireland has the weakest military in EU and absolutely no defense strategy. It also holds Europe's cyber hubs; • Remember the russian warships in Irish waters in '22 (on two occasions months apart)? They probably just got lost, nothing to worry about; How about the cyber ransomware attack that targeted hospitals and was traced down to russia?; • All countries want to be neutral, but before you claim neutrality you must make sure you can afford it. Historically the only countries that managed to hold onto neutrality through wars are the ones who had an extremely strong military. In WW2 Romania claimed neutrality and was automatically invaded by the russians then had to join the Axis and be on the wrong side of history but that's just one small example out of the many. Shame when history doesn't teach anything;

[@mickmacgonigle5021]

No to NATO no to the anglosphere

[@damienflinter4585]

That sign on the Aviva should have read €go$ystem, not Ecosystem. Mars, by the way, for fellow pedants, is the deity not just of war, but a£$o of the eponymoU$ market currently uber a££€$.

[@steelydanlover]

It's a choice, have a strong defence force to defend our neutrality and our democracy or join a military alliance to defend our democracy. You can't have neither...

[@TheNightShunter]

Why can’t you have neither? We have had neither for over 100 years and we were just fine.

[@WEF_idiocracy_project]

Nato hasn't been a defensive alliance since early 1990's.

[@steelydanlover]

@@TheNightShunter really? Technology and weapons have developed to a point that we are in range of Russian military aircraft, Russia are mapping our UWCs and we don't have the hardware to defend yourself so we need to be in a military alliance to defend us, or need to have a defence force capable to defend the country without being in a military alliance, you can't have nether.

[@steelydanlover]

@@WEF_idiocracy_project countries in NATO have the choice to opt in or out of operations.

[@WEF_idiocracy_project]

@@steelydanlover Then it's best to stay out of it, rather than have our troops used for the colonial projects of other countries.

[@seanivan5421]

“Documentary” 😂

[@warbler1984]

Yeah propaganda maybe

[@neilodonohoe3841]

What a load of waffle from people who do not live in the real world.

[@darrenanthonykk]

an bunreacht 1937 63 article clo gaelach version article 63 states if any conflict between the irish and english txt the irish txt shall prevail? do you think there is conflict between the irish and enlish txt and if so why are ye not backing the people of eire in securing a judicail review?