Irish NATO role not explained

MINISTER for Defence Willie O’Dea has stated he has received assurances concerning the safety of seven members of the Irish Defence Forces serving with the NATO force in Afghanistan.

This statement seems designed to protect Minister O’Dea in the event of one of these soldiers being seriously injured, due to the increasing violence in Kabul. Asking Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Dermot Earley to provide these assurances puts him in an almost impossible situation.

Amazingly, the Department of Defence is quoted as stating that Irish soldiers “had been supplied with vehicles fitted with electronic devices that would help repel roadside bombs”.

Given that roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan have destroyed main battle tanks, this statement is incredible. If it were true, then revealing the existence of such an amazing device is a serious breach of security. I sincerely hope none of these soldiers will be injured.

However, the further statement by Mr O’Dea that these soldiers are playing “a small but significant role in the operations, particularly in the area of technical expertise concerning improvised explosive devices” arguably increases the risks to these soldiers.

These explosive devices are the most effective weapons being used by the Afghan fighters in their efforts to expel foreign troops, including Irish soldiers, and now Mr O’Dea is telling them that Irish troops are helping to defeat them. Someone should put a zip on O’Dea’s moustache.

We are also told that “because the number of troops on the mission is so small, Dáil approval is not needed to sanction their deployment”. So what about Ireland’s so-called “traditional policy of military neutrality” about to be protected by miraculous EU/Lisbon Treaty guarantees? Where are the so-called “triple locks” on deployment of Irish troops overseas?

Dr Edward Horgan (Comdt retired)

Newtown

Castletroy

Co Limerick