Robert Gilbey
@RobGilbey
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Hyperscale Datacentre Engineer | Ex 🇬🇧 Army Regular & Ex 🇮🇪 Army Reservist | Irish Defence Advocate | Big Tech, Nat Sec, & Geopolitics | Views are my own.
Joined June 2011
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Pinned Tweet
#IrishDefenceThoughts
I was recently invited onto
@TheDarkStatePod
where we discussed:
• The current state of
@dfreserve
•
#IrregularReserve
concept
• Drones
• Irish societal responsibility for defence.
You can listen here:
Feedback is welcome
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Time for another thread.
A live fire Russian naval exercise has been scheduled inside the Irish EEZ, at a time when tensions on Russian military build ups relative to Ukraine are high.
What do we know and what can we speculate on?
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"As Sweden and Finland have chosen to dispense with their neutrality policies in favour of NATO membership, Ireland too must face up to reality of European security as it is, not as we wish it to be. Despite fierce opposition, the Tánaiste will address the Dáil later this week."
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Regrettably, my time in the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) has to come to a premature end.
I've had to request my discharge, & I'm waiting to be processed out.
I am eternally grateful to all those I've served with. I've learned and experienced so much from my service with the RDF.
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"It wasn’t that long ago that our neighbour was oppressing us. Now it’s our protector, because we took our eye off the ball and effectively surrendered our neutrality by penny-pinching on our own defence."
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The Norwegians are saying it.
The Swedes are saying it.
The Dutch are saying it.
The Brits are saying it.
The Baltics have always said it.
The time for Ireland to focus on security and resiliency is now.
@IRLDeptDefence
needs to start talking about more than the weather.
The Norwegian Chief of Defence:
"We are running out of time"
"There's a window now that might last one, two, maybe three years"
"We don't know what will happen with Russia in three years time"
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There's a lot of bad news coming out of Lebanon recently.
Take a moment to think about our Irish Defence Forces troops serving on a thin blue line that I'm sure is feeling thinner by the day.
Good luck to all - Irish & partners - on the UNIFIL mission.
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Irish Neutrality is showing 🇮🇪 up to be the mé féiners of Europe
🇫🇮 FINLAND is neutral - sending lethal aid
🇸🇪 SWEDEN is neutral - sending lethal aid
🇩🇪🇳🇱🇫🇷🇺🇸🇬🇧🇨🇦🇧🇪🇵🇹🇬🇷🇷🇴🇪🇸🇨🇿🇵🇱🇱🇻🇱🇹🇸🇰🇸🇮 - are all sending lethal aid.
The world is watching, and we are being found wanting.
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If Garry Kasparov is calling our president "disgusting", that should give us here in Ireland pause for reflection.
Is this how we wish to be seen by the rest of the world?
Disgusting from the Irish president. The daily atrocities & repression of the Islamic Republic of Iran against its own people are as well-documented as its war & terror against its neighbors and the entire civilized world.
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THREAD
"Who would invade Ireland?"
This is often asked in online Irish defence debates.
It's a flippant question, that usually provokes circular arguments that only serve to entrench already polarised opinions.
Rather than ask "who?", I think we should ask "how?".
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I stumbled across this 1984 interview with KGB defector Yuri Bezmenov.
He offers an interesting insight into the Russian approach to "Ideological Subversion," aka Active Measures.
I would thoroughly recommend watching the full interview here:
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Enshrining neutrality into the Irish Constitution is arguably the single most dangerous policy in the history of the state that Sinn Fein is proposing.
I would go as far as to say it would be a strategic mistake with existential consequences.
Let me explain....
Thread 🧵
“Neutrality is the cornerstone of Irish Foreign Policy, it allows Ireland to play an important role in the world. We should resist attempts by those who seek to recast neutrality as a weakness”.
SF submission to Consultative Forum on Security here:
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Ukraine 🇺🇦 needs the one thing that Ireland 🇮🇪 is withholding.
Weapons.
We have Javelins, SRAAWs, and Carl Gustav 84MM AT weapons sitting idle.
If we send our weapons, we can expense the replacement through the European Peace Facility.
Retweet if you agree.
#StandWithUkraine
Morale suffers as Kyiv’s losses grow
With up to 100 fighters dying every day,🇺🇦 urgently needs weapons from the West to counter Putin’s artillery onslaught
Weekend long read 📖
Article by General Sir Richard Barrons
Previous commander of JFC 2013-16
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We elect gobshites out of protest, who represent us behaving like a gobshite, and we wonder why people outside of Ireland think we're collectively gobshites.
RBB doesn't do balance or reason. He's an ideologue with a rush of blood to the head.
My recommendation is that so long as this despicable antisemitic hate speech is allowed to go unchallenged week after week in Dublin - and is even protected by police - no Jewish person of integrity should voluntarily step foot in Ireland.
Hate speech and extremism are
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We don't know what is going to happen.
We don't know what the Russians are doing.
We can't see what's happening in Irish skies.
We can't see what's happening under the surface of the water.
We have no way of preventing something bad happening.
What's your plan
@simoncoveney
?
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What's interesting is that this exercise box is 170 nautical miles off the south coast of Ireland.
Incidentally, so was a suspicious Russian trawler suspected of deploying submersibles back in July 2021 170nm away.
Could that previous event have been sub-surface reconnaissance?
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Seems odd that with war declared, the leader of party proclaiming to be champions of Irish neutrality is overtly taking a side in the conflict.
If/when in Govt, SF will need to be more tactful.
Particularly as our biggest economic and trade partners are siding the other way.
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I think 🇮🇪 is going to eventually regret not being in NATO
The days of multilateral soft power politics aren't over, but the times of hard power politics are upon us
Virtue signalling from a position of weakness will only serve to write cheques our national security can't cash.
NATO means not being alone.
NATO means protecting each other.
NATO means living in freedom.
NATO means peace
#NATOSummit
|
#WeAreNATO
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An island nation with a very limited navy
A tech hub that struggles with cyber defence
No jets
No primary radar
No national intelligence agency
Civilian bureaucratic coercive control over the military
Incoherent policies on neutrality
No viable Reserve
No defence industry
EU assistance key to helping secure Irish defence
. Retired Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Mark Mellet said, " it is simply impossible", for an individual state to provide for its own defence unilaterally.
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Russia is thinking long and hard about how to destabilise Ireland to negatively impact Europe and the US.
Ireland isn't acting at all to prevent itself from being manipulated, subverted, or sabotaged.
We must do more to bolster Irish defence and security.
🇮🇪 is monitoring the influence of 🇷🇺 diplomats in compatriot groups, which are sending aid to separatists in the Donbass region. The Kremlin has also forged alliances with dissident republicans and leftist groups on both sides of the border
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Now, disclaimer, I am in no way a naval or ASW authority and will bow to the experience of others.
First question.
Why that location?
Let's explore the terrain. The Porcupine Seabright.
A deep, enclosed area, with only a western access point. Ideal for protecting a submarine?
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"A Russian submarine which positioned itself directly outside the entrance to Cork Harbour was "chased off" by a British helicopter and warship because our depleted navy doesn’t have the equipment to detect potential underwater threats."
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Ireland's unwillingness to explore nuclear power options will leave it behind in the global data centre market. The Nordics with access to nuclear, hydro-power and other energy sources will be happy to eat our lunch for us.
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So there was:
- No 2nd helicopter for top cover.
- No CASA surveillance suite available
- No new CASA 295 available
- No Emergency Air Ambulance capability available during the op
- No naval ship helicopter landing platform available
It is better to be lucky than skilful.
€157m cocaine interception off Cork coast was threatened by shortages including lack of helicopters. Excellent piece by
@ConorGallaghe_r
Detailing the slim line between success and failure due to a shortage of equipment and issues. Why ?
@MichealMartinTD
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History will judge Ireland 🇮🇪 poorly for not giving what little lethal aid we could to counter the weight of Russian atrocities.
Neutrality enables the oppressor.
@MichealMartinTD
, more is expected of you.
🇮🇪’s Giraffe/RBS 70 Air Defence System could have intercepted that incoming cruise missile.
🇷🇺 missile attacks will cease once their interception is assured.
🇮🇪 should provide an air defence umbrella around one 🇺🇦 city.
It’s a humanitarian role, not a military one.
@dfatirl
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Also worth noting there's a fair few subsea cables in that area too.
So perhaps there is a risk to data communications?
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'“I know it sounds devastating, especially to people of the younger generation, but we have to mentally get used to the arrival of a new era,” he said. “The pre-war era. I don’t exaggerate. This is becoming more and more apparent every day."'
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Others may recall that the Russians flew their ASW TU-142 Bears over that location in March 2020 too.
Perhaps that was a sub surface signal mapping exercise? Testing 🇮🇪 reactions, or lack there of?
There's a lot to suggest battlespace preparation here.
@steffanwatkins
The map is very much a crude overlay. I accept that.
The cable routes may be logical, but they are indicative.
This map is more representative of the actual routes and still demonstrates a proximity between the TU-142 and the routes.
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A 10 min conversation with most of these protestors usually unveils either ignorance or naivety.
I'm sure some are well-meaning, but they are likely being misled by organised propagandists with malign intent.
That's the reason why they're outside shouting, not inside listening.
Protest outside the security policy forum at the gate of Dublin Castle this morning
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I can almost guarantee you that this is happening in Ireland.
Ireland, however, has chosen to lack the intelligence means to identify this type of activity.
Belgian and Czech intelligence services have exposed a Russian operation geared at swaying public opinion in favor of the Kremlin — including by paying sitting members of the European Parliament.
Brussels Playbook has more 👇
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“I do not believe that Putin’s ambitions will stop at Ukraine. This is our war too and it’s not just happening on Ukraine’s territory.”
Big talk for a little defence budget.
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The Taoiseach is wrong
Neutrality is at risk
Not because of the Triple Lock policy, but because of Ireland's incapacity to meet the obligations of neutrality through force of arms
Neutrality as a concept is redundant in the contemporary climate anyway.
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"Abandoning Triple Lock would ‘damage our standing’ internationally."
It would in its hole.
SPOILER: No one really cares about our triple lock
The only people who do are usually hellbent on seeing that Ireland is incapable of making sovereign decisions
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I completed my annual fitness test today for
@dfreserve
Yesterday, we did part 1 and 2:
- BMI assessment
- Best effort 3.2km run
- 1 min best effort press ups
- 1 min best effort sit ups
Today, we did part 3:
- Best effort 10km 14kg loaded march
#ReserveLife
#BeMore
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"Over the past six months, Russian-backed forces have signaled that they are prepared to attack Western industrial and transport infrastructure—and also, in some cases, Western citizens."
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"Ireland goes to bed at night, leaving the windows and doors open"
-
@BerryCathal
This is a rational and reasoned discussion on the state of Irish Defence. It's worth a listen.
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Ireland 🇮🇪 strongly identifies as European, but increasingly European countries are starting to hint that Ireland needs to start pulling its own weight on security cooperation.
We need to start paying attention & reading between the lines of what our partners are saying about us
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"Ireland is never going to be able to supply Ukraine with huge, war winning amounts of war materiel. But in a conflict like this, every little matters."
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There have been calls for the 🇮🇪 Govt to supply lethal aid to 🇺🇦
The Irish Govt has done nothing to help in this regard.
One wonders if an Irish supplied air defence system could have been the difference between a children's hospital being hit by Russian war criminals today.
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It certainly helps if that western access point has an armed naval blocking force protecting it.
The red box is where the Russians will be firing into.
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Why does the media constantly refer to
@paulmurphy_TD
to advocate for neutrality to counter moderate points made on Irish security policy?
It's akin to having a debate on mixed sex education and including the Taliban for balance.
We need expertise, not extremism.
Ireland is not breaching its policy of military neutrality by offering assistance to Ukrainians, which can lead to weapons training, according to Senator Lisa Chambers.
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This is generally an unspoken opinion among Irish security experts.
The problem is that 🇮🇪 Ireland has enjoyed an unhealthy "Feck around" streak.
It is overdue to 'Find out'.
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Irish pro-neutrality advocates would do well to watch what is happening and what happens to Moldova.
Moldova is constitutionally neutral.
It is also part of Russia's plan.
Small, independent, neutral countries are up for grabs.
#FundtheDF
#LOA3
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I'll say it again.
Ireland is to datacentre construction and operations what Taiwan is to semiconductors.
If we don't invest wholly in this infrastructure, then FDI will dry up, and the talent that exists here will migrate abroad.
I'm already seeing this trend across EMEA.
There is now a “major risk” Ireland will lose out on billions of euros in foreign investment and thousands of new jobs as long as a block on data centres remains in place, Amazon’s Ireland boss has warned
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Having lived & worked in Ireland since 2006, met my wife, built our home, started our family, changed career from Telecoms to Big Tech, as well as serving with the Reserve Defence Forces since 2008, I am delighted to announce that today I discovered...
I am now an Irish Citizen.
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There are subversive elements inside Ireland
This is your reminder that Ireland has no national intelligence agency & has the lowest funded defence within Europe
Ireland is a globally strategic tech and pharma hub, as well as a vital transatlantic node
Neutrality means nothing
Russian fascist cavalcade in Dublin today. Russian military vehicles, empire and fascist signs galore. If you think Ireland is too far and Russia doesn't have boots on the ground, think twice.
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Assuming the max range of the Kalibr-M is 4500km, and can travel at a speed of Mach 2.5 (3087kmh), then the images below give an indication of what is in range of that capability and how long it would take to get to capital target from the Exercise Area inside Ireland's EEZ
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Higgins' comments are about as welcome as Russia was in Ukraine.
It is an abuse of office and demonstrative of Higgins' incapacity to deal with the world as it is, not as he wishes it to be.
His blunder will be diplomatically damaging, and serves only to embolden belligerence.
I suspect the majority of citizens will welcome this intervention from Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins
In the face of repeated unwanted manoeuvres from the political establishment - on partition, housing, and now Irish Neutrality - Michael D has refused to be silenced
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On Irish Neutrality
We need to ask ourselves a serious question.
When the chips are down, is this who we want to be?
Retweet if you think it is time we had an informed national debate about Irish neutrality.
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We are standing idly by, with the collective economic and military might of the West, watching an autocracy kill a democracy.
We bare witness to Ukraine's struggle, as it cries out for our help, fighting for the principles we convince ourselves that we uphold.
What a tragedy.
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Anti-submarine capability ❌
Sub-surface maritime surveillance ❌
Radar and air defence systems ❌
Fighter jets and air policing ❌
National security strategy ❌
The smug feeling of being more moral than you with our neutrality ✅
via
@IrishTimes
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"Russia’s intelligence services regularly use Dublin and Belfast as logistical hubs for sending agents into Britain, France and sometimes the Netherlands. Security officials believe this traffic will now increase."
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“The effort being dedicated to tracking whatever was out there shows how seriously they (🇫🇷🇳🇴🇬🇧) take what’s happening. It also shows how 🇮🇪 is not able to defend itself. The Irish would be involved in this operation if they had anything to contribute.”
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The Irish people have spoken.
Wallace and Daly are not representative of our views.
European Election: Mick Wallace loses out as Kathleen Funchion (SF), Michael McNamara (Ind) and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (FF) win final seats in Ireland South
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Irish Defence is in terminal decline.
NATO knows it
The EU knows it
Russia knows it
China knows it
While there is no risk of invasion or occupation, Ireland offers a soft underbelly to European & US interests.
The real threats are subversion, sabotage, espionage & cyber.
Addition: For the "We can pressure them to increase spending once they're in the alliance!" crowd, I have a rebuttal:
Germany. NATO has allowed Germany to make promises on this subject for decades while their armed forces actively deteriorated. To say nothing of the rest of
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"Now, Russia’s foreign intelligence network appears to be back with a vengeance. And it is becoming more inventive, increasingly relying on foreign nationals"
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"Both Irish and EU officials say that after the solidarity shown to Ireland by EU countries during the Brexit negotiations, outright refusal to join new EU defence arrangements would leave Ireland hugely isolated at an EU level."
(via
@IrishTimes
)
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Catherine is one of those characters that would talk Ireland out of its right to defend itself against the imperial ambitions of others.
Meaningless words from someone who must accept the world as it is, not as she wishes it to be.
Ditch the Triple Lock.
It's a silly policy.
'Our voice should be used for peace...we should retain our neutrality and the triple lock...'
Catherine speaking on the motions on the Defence Forces.
Catherine ag labhairt ar na tairiscintí ar Óglaigh na hÉireann.
Full speech / óráid iomlán:
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Seeing Clare Daly canvassers out in the Pavilions in Swords today made me wonder how many of these people pay actual attention to what Clare does to subvert Western society in favour of authoritarianism?
She is a corrupt puppet whose lining is stained from blood soaked hands.
The “Irish” tankie. Looks at Ukraine. Sees its large, nuclear-armed eastern neighbor that has violent, imperialist, brutal history of conquest & cultural oppression against it & decides “No parallels here, those are the good guys in this".
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For someone who doesn't mind wading into the fray of foreign policy when it suits his agenda, the President is notably weak with this statement.
Call Russia out for what they are:
War Criminals
Higgins is the wrong President for the times we're now in, new leadership required.
Statement by President Higgins on Russian attack on Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kiev
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@Andy_Scollick
makes an interesting point here.
If the Kalibr-M is in play, that changes the strategic and tactical dynamic for EU and Nato countries.
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CALLING ALL STATIONS:
Commission of the Defence Forces is due to report soon
The implementation of its ambitions will only be as successful as it is funded
We need to build a groundswell of support
I'm asking all
#IrishMilTwitter
& allies to use & RT this hashtag:
#FundtheDF
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'“It looks like they hate immigrants. Well I am an immigrant, and I did what I could to try and save that little girl,” he said.'
Brazilian Deliveroo driver who stopped the knife attacker in Dublin today.
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My biggest concern is that these stories are just noise now.
Something routinely ignored, until something bad happens.
Why does Ireland have to be so irresponsible?
Naval Service down to two ships due to manpower crisis. Government defence and security policy is one of abject failure. A two ship Naval Service, possibly one before much longer, and the possible withdrawal of the Fire Service at the Curragh Camp.
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This is why we can't have nice things.
In terms of being misled, I'd like to know who briefs Catherine Connolly TD on matters foreign policy, geopolitics, defence and security, because stating "Ireland doesn't need an Army" in today's climate is simply disconnected from reality.
✌️
That's telling you Tánaiste
@MichealMartinTD
- "it is utterly misleading to say changes to the Triple-lock are necessary"
@catherinegalway
Ireland will never be able to have an army, we don't need an army we're an independent, neutral, sovereign country.
#D
áil
#Neutrality
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War in Europe
War in the Middle East
Tensions in the Far East
US on the brink of isolationism
Motherloads of drugs in Irish waters
@rtenews
has no Defence Correspondent
The Irish govt has no national intelligence agency
The Defencs Forces is depleted
Not looking good lads
@rtenews
RTE badly needs a correspondent who covers Defence.
@RTENewsPaulC
gave a good overview.
It is a complicated, multifaceted area, and needs a reporter who specialises in it.
The Government, too, need to revert to a Minister with sole responsibility for Defence.
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"One of the reasons for our unpreparedness is that governments have been afraid to take on vocal groups who claim to be defending neutrality, when in fact many of them are bitter critics of western democracy & support some of the most repressive regimes"
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Russian "Meat Assaults".
Horrendous.
It's curious how the Irish Left never seem to condemn Russia for using people as cannon fodder.
The indifference to life and neglect of human rights by Russia never factors into their logic.
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Ireland must have a dedicated Minister for Defence.
That Minister must be unwavering in their determination to defend and secure Ireland.
Mixing it up into conjoined departments with competing interests in the current climate is simply gross negligence.
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"The discovery that Campbell engaged with a Russian intelligence agent presents challenges for both the Irish & British security services, as the Kremlin has been trying to engage with violent dissidents since 2020 as part of efforts to undermine Europe."
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We as an Irish public are lucky to have Cathal Berry TD not only in a position of influence within the Dail, but also to offer professional insights into inner and cross-functional workings of our national security apparatus.
Recommended 10min interview.
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Cathal Berry proving once again to be a rock of sense.
Neutrality = notions.
Neutrality is only as real as it is defended.
The fate of the Defence Forces is intertwined with the notion of neutrality. The further the former deteriorates, the less tenable the latter becomes.
"I think the greatest threat to Ireland's neutrality is from Dublin, not Brussels..."
@berrycathal
on where the risk to Ireland's neutrality comes from.
@ciarathedoc
#TonightVMTV
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30x AS90s is serious firepower.
Props to the UK for putting their armour where their mouth is.
Statement out now from PM
@RishiSunak
’s office: The UK sending a squadron of 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine “in the coming weeks” and ~ 30 AS90s, large, self-propelled guns, will follow. UK will begin training the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use them in coming days. via
@FT
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It can not be stressed enough that this is a positive development for Irish security, foreign policy, and defence.
It is a signal that we are positioning our independence among our peers first and foremost.
I imagine that this will enable our EU Battlegroup contribution, too.
Micheál Martin announces plan to get rid of triple lock which limits Irish military operations overseas
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GOOD NEWS*
🇮🇪 IRELAND IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS 🇮🇪
*For
- Drug smugglers
- Human traffickers
- Malicious state actors
- Illegal arms importers
- Illegal fishing
- Saboteurs of Critical National Infra
Be sure to thank your local TD for supporting the economy
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Rest in Peace.
Former Irish soldier killed in combat in Ukraine
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Ireland only has a small number of citizens needing evacuation, had we had an aircraft capable of military airlift, we would not only be rescuing Irish people. In a single flight we could rescue other Europeans, even Afghans too.
Seems a fitting capability for a country on UNSC.
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Spread the word....
Army Reservists train one night a week and occasional weekends.
Ireland needs more Reservists - people who are willing to squeeze in military service into their busy lives.
It's the best of both worlds, follow your chosen career, and serve your country.
💪
🧵 THREAD
2 Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps is a Combat Support unit.
This is why we ensure that baseline soldiering skills are kept up to date.
Allow us to explain the process routine weapons training evaluations in the Army Reserve.
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'Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said it was “a disgrace that we are sitting on the fence, watching this happen and not taking action”.'
Is that not the whole point of neutrality???
You can't have your cake and eat it.
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"Ireland talks up its support for Ukraine and for the defence of western values, a favourite theme of Varadkar’s. Our actual policy, though, is someone else can do the defending, while we remain in a sort of permanent hold-my-beer posture."
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Despite initial disruption, the forum is now underway.
It's disappointing that those supposedly advocating for freedom of speech do so by denying those with the floor to be free to speak.
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The Commander in Chief of the Irish Defence Forces is expressing reservations about increasing funding of the Defence Forces.
Talk about dereliction of duty.
On Nato - "We're better than that"
This is both out of line and beneath the office that Higgins holds.
Disappointed.
This is really poor and highly disappointing behaviour from the President. Again.
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Just heard on
@rtenews
that
@dfatirl
"may not be able" to assist Irish people trying to evacuate from
#Afghanistan
.
At what point are we going to start asking questions about what
@simoncoveney
is doing with
@IRLDeptDefence
?
It cannot continue to be process without substance.
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🇮🇪 spends €12.85Bn on Housing, yet it has been mismanaged into a housing crisis
🇮🇪 spends 26.5Bn on Healthcare, that's a money pit too
🇮🇪 spends 1.1Bn on Defence, the DF manage to cut their cloth to measure
Defence needs money. Housing & hospitals need management
#FundtheDF
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17
97
The most frustrating aspect of
@LeoVaradkar
's
#MSC2024
comments is the entitlement and false sense of moral authority with which they are made.
The Irish delegation was clearly tone deaf and failed to read the room.
We have to do better than this.
23
15
96
'Ireland had “freeloaded” off the investment of others who were part of Nato, said the report, which added that this “home truth” had been admitted last year by the then taoiseach, Micheál Martin, as a discussion about Irish neutrality deepened.'
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11
98
A four ship navy.
For an island nation.
If there's no dedicated Minister for Defence, then there's no accountability for Defence.
This is the impact.
Two naval ships to be tied up as staffing crisis deepens in Irish Navy.
The tying up of a further 2 ships and moving to a 4 ship Navy is a direct consequence of an inability to retain suitably qualified and experienced
@naval_service
personnel.
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127
7
13
91
Unless
@MichealMartinTD
starts talking about increasing core pay and actually training and equipping for warfighting, the Defence Forces will continue to deteriorate.
Soldiers want to soldier.
Everything else is unproductive noise.
#FundTheDF
10
16
96
What would be scary to know is how little actual force would be required to bring Ireland to its knees.
Could Ireland be conquered in a matter of hours if we were invaded? We discuss now with
@BerryCathal
#patkenny
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17
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91
8
95
"French officials have warned the Irish Dept of Foreign Affairs about efforts by Russia to extend it disinformation activities into Ireland in the run-up to next month’s European elections."
You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.
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24
95
People seem to think that advocating for defence is to wish for war.
It's quite the opposite. I want Ireland to have a strong defence so that it doesn't have to fight a war.
I see those who want peace but are unwilling to defend it as inviting the violence they try to avoid.
@RobGilbey
"War is always the
choice, of the chosen
who will not have to fight”
Jimi Hendrix
"War: a massacre of
people who don't know
each other for the profit
of people who know each
other but don't massacre
each other." Paul Valery
3
0
2
11
7
92
"They [The British 🇬🇧] therefore offered to protect our skies in a deal from which the Defence Forces were excluded, even though the RAF asked for their input. This lack of consultation between the [🇮🇪] Government and its own military baffled the RAF."
10
20
90
Richard Boyd Barrett on
@PatKennyNT
with
@AntonSavageShow
stating that "Neutrality is Ireland's best defence" is the stuff of utter fanaticism
Neutrality is not a substitute for a comprehensive defence policy.
If you love it, protect it.
#FundTheDF
30
5
89
As a 🇬🇧 Brit, I'm laughing at this. As are many others. Probably until the point they realise, "Wait, we're paying 2.16% gdp on defence & they're scrounging off us?"
As an 🇮🇪 Irish citizen, not only is it embarrassing, but the lack of candour from
@MichealMartinTD
is concerning.
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24
88
Building a viable Reserve Force is a low-cost, high-impact response not only to aggression but disaster, too.
Ireland has a lot to learn from Estonia in terms of how to structure and optimise Reserve Forces.
Embracing the ecosystem of irregularities is a key component.
23
11
93
I just finished 'Is Ireland Neutral?' by
@ConorGallaghe_r
It was a very long way to say 'No'.
As far as I am concerned, consuming this book is now a prerequisite for any meaningful debate on
#IrishNeutrality
.
I like that Conor finishes on a
#FundTheDF
note.
Well done, Conor!
8
12
91
Straw man argument.
Ireland is not joining NATO.
NATO would not accept our application.
It would need 3 decades of meaningful investment and capability development to be eligible for NATO membership.
Irish neutrality is a broken brand, little more
There is no substance to it
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