Clare Daly after breathalyser: I had a hot whiskey for cold

[J OGorman]

We do allow navy warcraft on our seas, whats the difference?

em, there aint 1000s of Irish people within striking distance of the boats?

[Mayo4Sam]

Well there are, anything of them that anchour at an Irish port are within range of any number of people

[brokencrossbar1]

They are idiots, and this is totally a self-serving publicity stunt for the 2 of them but they does raise the issue of rendition flights into the public limelight at a time when the whole question of the US and it's role as the world's 'policeman' is being called into question.  The whole notion of irish neutrality is false and Christy wasn't too far wrong!!!

[brokencrossbar1]

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2014/07/23/wallace-and-dalys-parents-forbid-them-from-seeing-each-other-again/

THE parents of Mick Wallace and Claire Daly have today banned the pair from seeing each other ever again, following their arrest at Shannon Airport yesterday afternoon.
The TD's, who claim they were inspecting US military aircraft as part of a protest against Shannon Airport being used as a Military Hub, were released without charge a short time later, and were picked up at Shannon Garda Station by their highly apologetic Mams and Dads.
"I just don't know what I'm going to with him" said Michaela Wallace, in an emotional press conference with her friends during a coffee morning in Wexford earlier.
"It's that Daly girl, leading him astray. And that Ming lad, the cannabis fella. My boy used to have such a god job at the buildings, then he fell in with that lot. Next thing, I'm getting calls from him, 'Mam will you come pick me up at the Garda Station... well I tell you, I was MORTIFIED!!".
"I told him Mick, I said Mick, can you not just do your job in the Dail without this carry on? Try and be like the other TDs and just don't get involved... but of course, he knows everything so he does".
Mrs. Wallace went on to state that her son had been grounded for the rest of the year, and is forbidden from contacting Claire Daly until the Dail is back in session. A similar ban has also been put on Ms. Daly, by her irate father.
"That lad with the fuckin' head on him, coming round here corrupting our Claire" said Cillian Daly, who isn't angry at his daughter, just disappointed. "She has it all in her head now about protests and Military planes and inspecting them for weapons on the runway of an airport... This Wallace f**ker thinks he's Hans Blix and he's roped my wee girl in with him".
"She's up there in her room now sulking that I won't let her see him anymore. Shouting on about how she hates me, and how I just don't understand her and how they're just making a stand against the US military is using Shannon Airport as a military base. It's hard to listen to, but I just don't want her to throw away her whole future over some fuckin' hippy".

[muppet]

They are idiots, and this is totally a self-serving publicity stunt for the 2 of them but they does raise the issue of rendition flights into the public limelight at a time when the whole question of the US and it's role as the world's 'policeman' is being called into question.  The whole notion of irish neutrality is false and Christy wasn't too far wrong!!!

It is important to note that Irish neutrality was never about neutrality. It was about being 'neutral' against Britain and being able to avoid helping them whenever it suited us.

[Hardy]

They are idiots, and this is totally a self-serving publicity stunt for the 2 of them but they does raise the issue of rendition flights into the public limelight at a time when the whole question of the US and it's role as the world's 'policeman' is being called into question.  The whole notion of irish neutrality is false and Christy wasn't too far wrong!!!

It is important to note that Irish neutrality was never about neutrality. It was about being 'neutral' against Britain and being able to avoid helping them whenever it suited us.

In other words, national policies on neutrality, like strategic alliances and postures of belligerence, are decided on the basis of national interest. People seem to think neutrality as a policy is some kind of expression of either a pious pacifism or cowardice. Very few people seem to know that, in addition to the countries that stayed neutral throughout WWII, the USA, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark and others were neutral until attacked.

[muppet]

They are idiots, and this is totally a self-serving publicity stunt for the 2 of them but they does raise the issue of rendition flights into the public limelight at a time when the whole question of the US and it's role as the world's 'policeman' is being called into question.  The whole notion of irish neutrality is false and Christy wasn't too far wrong!!!

It is important to note that Irish neutrality was never about neutrality. It was about being 'neutral' against Britain and being able to avoid helping them whenever it suited us.

In other words, national policies on neutrality, like strategic alliances and postures of belligerence, are decided on the basis of national interest. People seem to think neutrality as a policy is some kind of expression of either a pious pacifism or cowardice. Very few people seem to know that, in addition to the countries that stayed neutral throughout WWII, the USA, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark and others were neutral until attacked.

Agreed. To a point.

If we say Ireland is neutral, and we do, what does that mean? You say it isn't an ideological position, which is fair enough, but then what is it? USA stayed eyed neutral in both World Wars until they had to enter, but they don't set themselves up as being 'neutral'. The same applies to The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway and Denmark who are members of NATO. We are different, whatever that means.

To my mind our neutrality was to appease (the understandable) anti-British sentiments 80/90 years ago (Black & Tans anyone?), but it has since become an odd quirk of our independence.

[Hardy]

We're not the only ones who have been neutral by long-term policy - see Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, etc. I don't believe anybody thinks Switzerland's neutrality, for instance, is any kind of ideological, never mind moral stance. And all of these nations maintain a strongly armed neutrality. They just don't join military alliances as a matter of policy because it works for them. For now, anyway.

While a misty-eyed view that our neutrality is rooted in a moral objection to military action may prevail among the romantically inclined, I suggest the dept. of Foreign Affairs simply calculates that it's the best position for our national interest. We haven't much to offer any potential ally, other than the use of our territory, airports and ports, so they're not exactly lining up to sign us up. On the other hand, a neutral stance may occasionally offer opportunities that would not be available to countries with certain alliances.

[macdanger2]

It also saves us spending cash we don't have on weapons we generally don't want to use.

I understood that our neutrality comes from Dev wanting to differentiate the Irish Free State from the UK.

Taken from wiki:

While most neutral states do not allow any foreign military within their territory, Ireland has a long history of allowing military aircraft of various nations to refuel at Shannon Airport. Under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952,[4] the Minister for Foreign Affairs, exceptionally, could grant permission to foreign military aircraft to overfly or land in the State. Confirmation was required that the aircraft in question be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and that the flights in question would not form part of military exercises or operations.
After the September 11 attacks, these conditions were "waived in respect of aircraft operating in pursuit of the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1368".
     

[muppet]

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2014/07/23/wallace-and-dalys-parents-forbid-them-from-seeing-each-other-again/