Sir, – In the context of The Irish Times headline "Russia accused of burying thousands of civilians in mass grave" (News, April 22nd), our stance on neutrality is tantamount to an astounding mixture of gross hypocrisy and callous indifference. I am ashamed. – Yours, etc,
NEVILLE SCARGILL,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.
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Sir, – Edward Horgan claims that the continued existence of Nato and its expansion are a major cause of Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine ("Neutrality and public opinion", Letters, April 22nd).
Yet correctly fearing future Russian revanchism, the newly minted democracies of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia all freely joined Nato once they were free of Soviet communist rule. They were only too aware of the concept of “peace through strength” first expressed by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. In the 1920s the American actor and social commentator Will Rogers observed that “to those who think strength provokes conflict . . . well I’ve never seen anyone insult (boxer) Jack Dempsey.”
It must be galling for eastern Europeans to hear from Ireland on how best they should defend themselves. They weren’t lucky enough to have been born in a state whose skies are protected for free by Britain’s RAF. – Yours, etc,
KARL MARTIN,
Bayside,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – While public opinion remains steadfastly in favour of Irish neutrality, we have not even begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities of a positive neutrality policy in relation to peace in the world. Nato is in the business of military confrontation, whereas Ireland could, and should, be doing so much more for peace internationally.
Government policy for decades has been to whittle away at neutrality in the hope that it could finally be ditched. What is needed is rapid progress in the opposite direction. A citizens’ assembly on the issue might be the opportunity to explore all these possibilities but it can be expected that, given current public opinion, even at a time of such belligerence in Europe, the Government will now shy away from that option because it knows it would not get the result it wants. – Yours, etc,
ROB FAIRMICHAEL,
Belfast.