Colin Sheridan: I know the language of threat and its power in shaping defence policy

There is a distinction between investing in effective, mission-consistent capabilities, and being swept up in a continent-wide militarisation drive that looks increasingly more political than defensive

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy inspecting the Irish Defence Forces. Imagine a defence force where investment in language training, cultural literacy, and soft-skills development was as central as investment in hardware, writes Colin Sheridan. File Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

On a recent viewing of Dr Strangelove — Stanley Kubrick’s bitter satire about the absurdity of Cold War brinkmanship — one line stood out: “War is too important to be left to politicians.”

The people most invested in militarisation always argue it’s too serious for democratic debate, which is exactly why it must be debated. In Brussels, Berlin, Paris, and Dublin, a contrived fear fills the air.