The central pillar of Ireland's international foreign policy for nearly 60 years has been to uphold the authority and legitimacy of the United Nations. Eamon de Valera spelled out the implications in 1946 when the relevant legislation moved through the Dail. Commitment to the United Nations Charter would override Ireland's military and political neutrality in the interests of achieving a stable international order, he argued, to little or no disagreement by other parties then or since.
It was a lesson he learned the hard way from his experience of the collapse of the League of Nations and during the second World War when Irish neutrality policy was formulated in the midst of conflict.
De Valera's arguments have been recalled in successive world controversies since then. They bear fresh scrutiny during the current crisis over Iraq. Ireland must decide between the relative importance of neutrality and economic, political and international security priorities. The Government faces an unwonted - and unwanted - choice fresh from its two-year period on the Security Council, in which the main thrust of its policy was to uphold and develop the UN's role.
It faces a profound dilemma over how to react to United States and British policy on Iraq. Both states say they are prepared to take military action without another Security Council resolution authorising the use of force. In that case, would Ireland extend facilities to US planes through Shannon or refuse them? What would be the best way to uphold the inevitably reduced political and legal stature of the UN in these circumstances - to maintain the goodwill of two such crucial partners in Ireland's economic and political life or to uphold the principles and legitimacy of long-standing national and international doctrines of security policy?
In the Dail yesterday, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Minster for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, both refused to be drawn on such hypothetical questions. It was a sensible approach. In a spirited and passionate defence of their policy, Mr Cowen reminded deputies that no responsible Government which has to defend national interests should answer them. To do so would mean that the lazy logic of inevitability would be accepted, ironically, by the proponents and opponents of war.
The political logic of de Valera's policy still makes good sense for Ireland on military neutrality and UN legitimacy. Ireland should not co-operate militarily with a unilateral US-led war against Iraq without manifest Security Council approval. Friendly nations must recognise reciprocal interests and the values which frame their relationships. The Government must make it clear to Britain and the United States that it will not support an attack on Iraq which does not have the express approval of the Security Council.