Lockheed-Martin, based in Maryland and Washington D.C. is described as the world’s “largest defense contractor by revenue” recently sponsored a conference in Dublin.
I remember when Radio Eireann hosted programmed by firms such as Donnelly’s Sausages and Urney’s Chocolates which frankly were asking listeners to buy their products. The Irish State had weathered many a storm by then but citizens were not so dumb as to expect free lunches from businesspersons.
And it is an axiom of the self-styled “Leader of the Free World” that there is NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH.
The conference was organised by “the National security group Slaindail, and heard from Brigid Laffin, an emeritus professor at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies in Italy, (who) said everything changed on February 24 for small states within the European Union. “Small states don’t have might. So small states have to be smart. Small states have more to invest in the international order than anyone else” she said.
“This country is way off, and I mean way off, having the kind of mature debate about security and defence. This country needs to face up to the reality of what it means to be a player in the EU”
My story comes from THE IRISH POST (London)
Cricketers were once divided between Gentlemen, who participated, and Players who were paid for their contributions. I must ask whether the Emeritus Professor is aLady, giving her contribution pro bono publico, or a sponsored professional.
Like hundreds of thousands of fellow citizens I served some years, in the FCA, the State’s Second Line Reserve, most of whose time was unpaid and I feel entitled to ask that of the Professor.
A former Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett ,opined that Ireland needs to focus less on Nato and the EU for Ireland’s defence “and strengthen its military relationship wit Britain”.
Mellett was reported to have said that Ireland was most at risk among EU countries, “as the naval exercise conducted by Russia off the south coast of Cork in February showed.”
Ireland’s military relationship with Britain is one of victim to aggressor. Bombs In Dublin and Monaghan, assassinations, torture, imprisonment of innocent men have earned for the aggressors Orders of Chivalry from the Monarch. The soil had not settled on those murdered on Bloody Sunday when the main culprits were awarded gongs.
The Russians exercised in international waters, as was their right. And gracefully, even graciously discontinued the exercises when approached by Irish trawlermen.
I remember when a British submarine upended an Irish trawler and tried to evade responsibility.
Neutral Ireland under de Valera and Frank Aiken, and,indeed Charles Haughey, played a constructive, honourable part in world affairs, armed, almost entirely with principle and intelligence.
But they got no free lunches from Lockheed .
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