Sir, – I have to disagree with Edward Horgan (April 22nd). His comment regarding the failure of the EU to promote peace in Europe are unfair.
The Treaty of Rome was the first undertaking of peace between previously warring nations, later to become what is now the EU and this has given us over 70 years of such peace. It is not a miracle panacea and should not be blamed if it fails to deliver in countries outside its jurisdiction. To also blame this fact on the adherence of 21 of its members to Nato is flying in the face of reality as Nato is the best deterrent against war.
The need for Europe not just to keep but to actually increase its military strength is an absolute necessity to secure its survival.
I also believe it is difficult to imagine that, with the best will in the world, peaceful cooperation with Russia can be achieved when its regimes, past and current, conflict so much with our own democracies and which has been repeatedly proven guilty of interference in Western affairs.
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On the subject of neutrality, to be blunt, we should remember before joining the EU, Ireland was Europe’s poor cousin and EU’s generous subventions were an important factor to help its economic growth, and only recently, when faced with the dismal prospect of Brexit, the EU strongly defended Ireland’s interests.
I totally disagree that Ireland’s neutrality is anything to be proud of, when the country is relying on Europe to maintain peace on its land and protecting its air space. The history of the second World War should teach us neutrality is only a word. I also fail to see what success this neutrality actually achieved in real terms, as Mr Horgan claims, when in Northern Ireland alone, Ireland has failed in its efforts to truly reconcile the two main opposing factions. Words are meaningless platitudes when faced with warmongers. Russia’s barbarity toward Ukraine is an attestation to this and I am afraid Ireland’s influence in promoting peace in other parts of the world will stay where it currently is, in the realm of make-believe. This is reality, as unpalatable as it may be. – Yours, etc,
ELISABETH
WOGAN,
Virginia,
Co Cavan.
Sir, – I struggle to even imagine what Edward Horgan expects from the European Union when he says that it has “largely failed to promote peace within Europe, and especially within the wider world”.
No EU member has ever attacked another, nor is there any indication whatever that this might happen. None has ever instigated any new colonial takeover since the inception of the union.
However, the EU has been instrumental in achieving peace in Northern Ireland, and especially in maintaining it in light of Brexit. That is as far as EU authority goes. It has no function or responsibility for what happens in any other part of the world.
The idea of “peaceful cooperation” with Putin’s Russia, on anything other than that despot’s terms, is nothing short of a joke, but a dangerous one: there are many other Putins out there waiting for their opportunity to dominate, and we need to be able to play our part in dealing with them in the only language they understand, which is military deterrence. – Yours, etc,
SEAMUS McKENNA,
Dublin 14.