Letters to the Editor: Truth is once again the casualty of another war

As the war drags on and the world watches, Putin now finds himself having to issue nuclear threats to the West.

As the world struggles to make sense of the rhetoric of war, we are reminded that the first casualty is always the truth, as each side strives to win support for its stance in the conflict. The Ukraine/Russia “special operations” later to become war is a perfect example of where claims and counterclaims play such an important part in moulding global opinion.

Vladimir Putin has lost this one.

He thought he would have an easy ride into Kyiv and secure an early victory. Believing in his own misinformed propaganda, he grossly underestimated the resilience of the Ukrainians. Fighting for your homeland versus the narcissism of a despot is no contest in terms of who will win. With the loss in the “global opinion war” has come the condemnation of the Russian state as the aggressor and approval of support for the victim Ukraine. Resulting global sanctions on Russia and mounting losses in the field have reduced the Kremlin to measures including media blackout in order to defend its position at home. Over time the truth always gets out.

As the war drags on and the world watches, Putin now finds himself having to issue nuclear threats to the West in order to cover up his huge failures to the Russian people whom he has dragged into this mess. This surely is a long way from the expectations he held in those early weeks, when truckloads of special military uniforms were discovered in the convoy.

Nine countries with nuclear capacity are India, China, France, Israel, Pakistan, Russia, UK, US, and North Korea. Does Putin really think if he activated a nuclear attack on any of the above, there would be no consequence?

David P Barrett

Cobh

Co Cork

Young must march against nuclear war

Where have all young people gone?

When I was a young man, ‘Where Have All the Flowers gone’ was a song which was relevant to the Second World War which preceded it and the Cuban Missile Crisis when, following Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons first raised their ugly heads. I had just started work and suddenly began wondering “is that it; is my life and my world going to be destroyed before it has properly begun”? 

Sixty years ago, October 1962, most young people took the Cuban Missile Crisis very seriously and although only a very limited radio news service and days-old newspapers were available to inform, every opportunity was taken to discuss latest developments and the ramifications of Russian missiles in Cuba coupled with the likelihood of a climb-down and lifting of the war threat which hovered once more after only 17 years of peace. Young people paraded and carried banners and demonstrated in every way possible their serious objection to destroying what would then only have been a small part of the glorious world they were just beginning to experience.

In the crisis of 2022 which is immeasurably more serious than 1962, where are all young people gone? Where is Greta Thunberg and the millions of young people who so forcefully demonstrate to save the world from those who would pollute and cause global warming which will visit disaster on many millions? 

The crisis they champion, worthwhile and urgent though it might be, is far less critical and immediate than the crisis of embracing nuclear war and utter destruction of life on every front. If the campaign to save us from climate change fails, it will be most unfortunate and millions may die of flooding and famine and failure to protect mother earth. But the human race will survive and hopefully in time learn from its folly and failure.

If the campaign and it appears very puny indeed, to reject nuclear war fails, it is unlikely the human race and all forms of life will survive. There will be no second chance to learn from folly and failure.

 The young people will not grow old as my generation has and this wonderful planet will probably forever, as a toxic rock, circumvent the sun. We need young people to come out and inform themselves on the full story of what their elders have been seduced and cajoled into believing, supporting and assisting. We need them to change the thinking and snatch power back from power crazy moguls driven by avarice, blood-lust and ego. The future should be theirs; they should save it while they can.

Padraic Neary

Tubbercurry

Co Sligo

Welcome reform of our licensing laws

As a long-time publican and enthusiastic punter I welcome the balanced approach taken by Minister McEntee on reforming our licensing laws.

It acknowledges that there is only limited demand for 6am closing but no longer denies our young people the freedom to dance which is taken for granted almost everywhere else.

As a consequence I look forward to an explosion of creativity in music and the arts long denied us, and in this sense, finally allow us to take our place amongst European nations.

Accusations from some quarters that this is regressive and is in contradiction of the government’s stated policy of reducing alcohol consumption by 20% are unfounded as will ultimately be proven. Habits have been changing and evolving over the years: drink driving legislation, more health consciousness, and other factors have contributed to moderating behaviour. With so many pubs closing down and clubs reduced from 500 to 80 in a decade, an hour extra here and there and an economically viable club or two in cities can hardly be called regressive.

As always the sector is an easy target for the neo puritans and the generally unsociable, all the while ignoring the real issue regarding drinking in pubs and clubs: that we have law but no order because of continued underfunding of An Garda Síochána and runaway leniency in our courts. That is the difference between the much vaunted night-time economies of our European neighbours and will continue to cost us visitors if not addressed.

Of course we must acknowledge that there is no closing time in many homes across the nation so a couple of clubs here or there is hardly once again regressive.

In the words of the American poet Jim Morrison: “The music is your special friend/ Dance on fire as it intends.”

Benny McCabe

Sin É

Coburg St

Cork

Ambassador needs a little diplomacy

The comments of the Ukrainian Ambassador in relation to the unavailability of accommodation for a small number of Ukrainian refugees recently arrived in Ireland were unfair, unreasonable and I would say “offensive”.

Ireland and its people have gone to extreme lengths to support, facilitate, and prioritise Ukrainian refugees even at the expense of Irish citizens.

I hope the ambassador having reflected on the matter will apologise to the Irish Government and people in the interests of continuing good relations.

Michael A Moriarty

Rochestown

Cork

Transparency on civil servants’ pay

I am writing with regard to the article, ‘ Daniel McConnell: Civil servants now prefer to operate with no oversight’ (Irish Examiner, October 22).

We need a Citizens Assembly to look at pay/ conditions of senior civil/public servants — among the highest paid in the OECD.

It is only prudent that we, the taxpayer, examine how our little Island is run. We’d have to wonder given the waiting lists to see a consultant; thousands in homelessness; education inequality; and families dependent on food banks and St Vincent De Paul to make ends meet and we’re paying these guys Rolls Royce salaries to deliver the public service. What for?

Liam Hayes

Fethard

Co Tipperary

Get State to focus on common good

It is way past time for us to redress the centralisation of power. We can give ourselves the means to directly exercise our power as set out in the 1937 Constitution, Article 6.1: All powers of government, legislative, executive and judicial, derive, under God, from the people, whose right it is to designate the rulers of the State and, in final appeal, to decide all questions of national policy, according to the requirements of the common good.

Faced with threats to democracies, we can enhance our way of governing ourselves by adding citizens’ initiative/direct democracy to complement our representative form of government.

As we face major challenges (eg. housing, health services, war, migration, climate change) such a reset will help build trust that government is focused on our common good.

Donal O’Brolchain

Drumcondra

Dublin

States of freedom

Numerous memes and jokey videos have done the rounds since Xi Jinping’s “re-election” as Chinese leader.

Writing from a low- to middle-income country where the individual still has some modicum of freedom, I find Irish mocking of China somewhat amusing.

Most residents of Ireland have effectively surrendered their independence to the state, the nanny state.

In return for not being bothered to tackle their own problems, many simply ask the state for help. Thus commences the toxic relationship.

Brendan Corrigan

Bogota

Colombia