Objective observers will recognise that the current Ukrainian crisis stems fundamentally from the US-sponsored and EU-backed coup against the legitimate government of that country in 2014. This sought to shift a state that is divided between Ukrainian-speakers and Russian-speakers away from Russia’s sphere of influence towards Nato, the EU and the so-called “West”.
The concept of spheres of influence is not “imperialist” or old-fashioned. It is based on the facts of geography and history and is relevant to every country’s security.
The Monroe doctrine warns non-American states to keep out militarily from America’s sphere of influence in South and Central America. Washington objected to Russian missiles being placed next door to it in Cuba in 1962, whereas Vladimir Putin is supposed to find Nato-supplied weapons acceptable in Ukraine today and to be indifferent to what alliances a sovereign Ukraine may enter into.
It is an absurd proposition, yet those seeking to launch a new Cold War with Russia are asking us to believe it and to base our policy upon it.
By failing to dissolve Nato following the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, by failing to honour the assurances given to Gorbachev in 1991 that Nato would not expand into Eastern Europe after the dissolution of the USSR, this course of Western folly has thrown Russia into the arms of China.
It keeps the Western military-industrial complex happy that arms orders will keep rolling in. It prevents a Russian-German coming together that would encourage peace and prosperity throughout the Eurasian landmass based on trade and friendly exchanges, using the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to the full. That would encourage the USA to withdraw from Europe after 75 years, wind up its 600 or so foreign bases and concentrate instead on dealing with the manifold problems of the American continent, leaving the problems of Europe and Asia to the Europeans and Asiatics. This is the last thing the Cold War hawks in Washington want, as is shown by their refusal to meet Russia’s valid concerns in this crisis.
As for “neutral” Ireland, the 2009 Lisbon Treaty which gave the EU a federal-style constitution and made us all real citizens of that entity, with the normal rights and obligations of citizenship, requires Ireland to abide by common EU foreign policy positions and abandon any real independence in foreign policy. This essentially means that we will go along with what France and Germany agree on, and on the Ukrainian crisis they currently look like doing whatever Washington wants.
So the Irish Government is not going to do or say anything that advances real peace in Europe, but looks like joining in the popular hysteria now being whipped up over Ukraine rather than advocating the necessary realistic diplomatic solutions.
Anthony Coughlan
Drumcondra
Dublin
We need Merkel back on board
The news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was frightening. That soon moved to petrifaction on the realisation that the calibre of leadership in the West is banal. The grey suits appeared one after the other spouting insults and little else.
It is abundantly clear that unless we move quickly to fill this leadership void, things can only get decidedly worse. We need someone who knows that resolving disagreement is best done with ideas and words and has the necessary skills to put that into practice. Someone devoid of ego and focused only on serving.
There is such a titan out there with these skills in abundance and who has also demonstrated the ability to manage Mr Putin.
Step forward Angela Merkel, our need is great, your time has come.
Jim O’Sullivan
Rathedmond
Sligo
‘Neutered’ leaders show no bottle
No wonder the Ukrainian people are perplexed by the insipid actions of the “free world”. Even the tyrant Putin has mocked our attempt at sanctions.
All Russian ambassadors should have been shipped back to Moscow with a clear message of outrage. Cutting Russia off from international bank clearing houses (Swift) would cripple its finances and bring them to heel. This obviously would have impacted European/US trading houses, but surely we have the wherewithal to circumvent this.
Fair play to the Irish fishermen who told Russia where to go, as they set sail to interfere with their attempted ‘manoeuvres’ recently. They showed more ‘bottle’ in doing was needed, than all our neutered leaders.
Seán Kelly
Tramore
Co Waterford
GAA proves there’s strength in unity
Congratulations to the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) on a visionary motion at GAA Congress to “prioritise integration with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and Camogie Association (CA) in order to jointly ensure equal investment, recognition and opportunity for all genders to play all sports in the Gaelic games family”. The GAA, LGFA and CA can best serve Gaelic games in a full and equal unification of the three bodies.
During my term as chairman of my local club, Austin Stacks, unification of the three bodies was one of my key policy platforms.
Austin Stacks has a large and successful Ladies Gaelic Football Club. We work as a single unit as far as possible but the fact remains that the two clubs are affiliated to different associations. It’s necessary to have two executive committees, two chairpersons, pay two registration fees. It’s difficult to streamline our activities, fixtures and finances because of the current system. As a unitary club, we will function far more efficiently, effectively and inclusively.
This year, commentators will highlight historical division in our country. It’s also a year when the GAA, LGFA and CA can unite as one. All of us — ladies, gents, girls and boys — are part of the same family with the common aim of promoting Gaelic games and Irish culture.
There is strength in unity. We all belong in one association which will grow stronger under a single administration, the best facilities and a common bond between all members.
Billy Ryle
Tralee
Co Kerry
Greens foolhardy on LNG projects
Listening to recent statements from Eamon Ryan and Nessa Hourigan on the proposed LNG projects for Shannon and Cork, one has to question how naive and how far from reality are members of the Green Party?
It may be stating the obvious but most people, apart from some sceptics, agree that we should move from fossil fuels as quickly as possible, but therein lies the rub. Some hard facts might help put our serious energy dilemma in perspective:
1. The reality is that today renewables only supply about 40%, at best, of our national electricity needs because of the vagaries of wind and solar. We are therefore already ‘locked into’ natural gas which will be required as the backup fuel for decades to come, as we move inexorably but slowly to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.
2. This fact complies with current government energy policy as espoused in the formal policy statement — Petroleum Exploration and Production Activities as part of Ireland’s Transition to a Low Carbon Economy — issued as recently as December 2019. The policy pragmatically recognises the reality that Ireland will need a continuous supply of natural gas as the chosen transition fuel for our future energy security, to supplement intermittent renewals, probably up to 2040.
3. Government policy is supported by the recent EU taxonomy proposal to classify natural gas and nuclear as ‘green’ for future investment purposes in an admission, however late, that these fuels are vital to secure Europe’s, and Ireland’s energy security.
4. Are the members of the Green Party aware that, in recognition that our energy security is on a knife edge, and of the importance of natural gas to our economy, the Commissioner for Regulation of Utilities has called for nine new gas-powered stations to be built to fill the void?
5. Are they aware that the bulk of our gas is now imported as our only remaining native supply, Corrib Gas is on the wane and will expire in the near future? We have no idea how much of that imported gas is fracked.
6. Green Party policy to stop issuing oil and gas licenses was premature, and in the current precarious circumstances developing in Ukraine, hugely irresponsible. It is highly probable that Putin will respond to sanctions by curtailing gas supplies to the EU, which will ultimately decimate our fragile economy here.
It is irresponsible and foolhardy of the Greens to compound our security problems by objecting to the proposed LNG storage facilities at Shannon and elsewhere.
John Leahy
Wilton Rd
Cork
Older people pay price for debt
Older people should not be asked to shoulder the burden of rising national debt. We have lived through several economic depressions and have suffered enough. Don’t ask us to pay €5 per hour for home help or €50 for a visit to the doctor for an eye test to renew our driving licence.
Can anyone explain how carbon taxes are progressive? It is preposterous to suggest that increasing the cost of energy in a “fuel crises” and handing money back to “homeowners” to further upgrade their homes is anything but progressive, in light of the number of people renting and the number of homeless people. That is a case of robbing the poor to help the rich, which is the definition of a regressive tax. Shame on them for that.
Tony Grant
Buncrana
Co Donegal
