Critique of IrelandConsultative Forum on International Security

Back in April, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin, announced the government’s intention to convene the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy during four days in June. He said in the Dáil, “My aim in convening this Forum is to build a deeper public and political understanding of the international security environment facing the State, and the policy options available to us. This needs to be a national conversation; one which is inclusive and – as the name of the Forum implies – consultative.” Ostensibly it was to start a public discussion on Ireland’s foreign and security policy but the Forum instead was stacked with speakers chosen only by the Minister for Defence to build public support for Ireland’s increasing involvement with NATO. It was not a fair or unbiased forum, as the government claimed, to “build public understanding and generate discussions on our foreign, security, and defence policies.”

Irish Member of Parliament Richard Boyd Barrett  (People Before Profit) accused the government of wanting to enter into military alliances headed by the US, something he said would be “a disaster” for Irish troops across the globe. He stated, “If we become associated with US, UK or European foreign policy, it will seriously threaten the safety of our troops around the world. I honestly believe that. It will undermine a precious reputation we have built up as a country opposed to colonialism, discrimination and oppression by big powers in particular. We will become associated with war crimes of the sort the United States committed in Iraq and that Israel commits against Palestinians. That would be a disaster for this country’s security and it would be, and is, a trashing of Irish neutrality.”  – the editors

 

 

Detailed critique of Consultative Forum on International Security

A detailed independent analysis of the June ‘Consultative Forum on International Security’ has been issued by Swords to Ploughshares Ireland (StoP), an all-island peace network.  Running to over fifty pages, the report analyses and critiques each day of the Forum, in Cork, Galway, and the two days in Dublin.  It comes out with several pages of conclusions and recommendations in addition  to the Forum day reports and a preamble.

It concludes, among other things that:

• The Forum was biased in intent, design and implementation and therefore valid conclusions cannot be drawn from it.
• Discussion of the ‘triple lock’ on deployment of Irish troops overseas was wholly inadequate and does not in any way justify change in this area.
• It was not an open ‘Forum’ as in the dictionary definition and common understanding since the speakers were only those chosen by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and his Department.
• The format of the Forum was inadequate to deal with the issues properly.
• Various topics were systemically avoided including the use of Shannon Airport by the military of the USA.
• The Department of Foreign Affairs proclaims its commitment to disarmament but it promotes Irish involvement in the arms trade. It lauds its contribution to nuclear disarmament but is now openly involved with NATO, a nuclear armed alliance committed to first use of nuclear weapons.
• The overall impact of the involvement of academics in so partial a procedure does not reflect the highest values of the university world.
• Irrespective of what is in the final, official report from Dame Louise Richardson, it was a mistake to give the writing of the report to any one single individual.
• Our critical analysis establishes the clear and urgent need for a further exploration, based on a ‘level-playing field’, of how Irish neutrality could be reclaimed and extended to fulfil the commitment in Article 29 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, namely to work for “ the pacific settlement of international disputes”.
• Public policy should promote peace education in schools and the extension of Irish involvement in mediation internationally.
• Our critical report concludes that “Irish neutrality is precious to Irish people and is an opportunity and challenge to be positively engaged with the world and not an obstacle to be overcome as recent Irish governments have, unimaginatively, tended to see it.”

The accounts of each day of the Forum are written by four different authors (John Maguire, Niamh Ní Bhriain, Carol Fox, and Eamon Rafter) and these give stage by stage analysis of what was said and unsaid, and critiques of the same.  These show the inherent bias in the whole enterprise. A Preamble gives a clear overview of the situation regarding neutrality.

The full report is available at https://www.swordstoploughshares-ireland.com/report and other websites.

Spokespeople about the report, contact: 

Eamon Rafter, phone 087 2984005, and Niamh Ní Bhriain, phone 0031 68 3161768