Fianna Fail candidates support cooperation with NATO.

Crowley supports cooperation with NATO "Where appropriate". Fair play to him!
Crowley supports cooperation with NATO “Where appropriate”. Fair play to him!

As pointed out by Adrian Weckler here, Fianna Fail eurocandidates are running on a European Liberal manifesto which calls for co-operation with NATO and enhanced defence cooperation within the EU. All of which I agree with, by the way. But it sure ain’t neutrality, I mean, would we promise the same to China?

I can imagine some people in Fianna Fail regarding me as a smartarse for pointing this out, but the fact is, in the European Parliament, this stuff matters, and Irish candidates can’t just pretend that it doesn’t.

The manifesto actually says:

” ELDR believes the EU should play an important role in contributing effectively to global security, where appropriate in cooperation with NATO structures. Therefore we call for major new efforts to strengthen and extend the European Security and Defence Policy by bringing together European defence-related resources and capabilities. This would enhance the EU’s military defence cooperation and its responsiveness to international security and humanitarian emergencies.”

In fairness, by global standards, it’s fairly tame stuff, but considering that our troops have served under NATO command in Yugoslavia, and US troops use Shannon (And a couple are apparently based there for logistical reasons) what exactly is Fianna Fail’s definition of a breach of neutrality? The truth is, FF is opposed to us formally joining NATO, but everything else is on the table. Why don’t they just say that? 

 

 

Is Libertas a Catholic version of the DUP?

A report from The Economist here. Given that Libertas  STILL has not published a detailed manifesto, we’re still not sure what it stands for on non-Lisbon issues. However, as this piece points out, and its Irish candidates utterances confirm, there is a religious undertone to the party, and not a nice Church of Ireland happy clappy one either.

Seriously, aside from Lisbon, what have we heard from some Libertas candidates? Stop foriegn workers, Euthanasia, Abortion, and Same Sex Marriage. 

There are a fair few people who will vote for that platform. But let’s be up front about what it is that we’re been asked to vote for. There is a section of the country that will always bow to the will of the Catholic Church, and they are as entitled as any to their own political party. But given the week that is in it, and the report issued, you’ll forgive me, a Catholic, from not being too enthused about letting the Catholic Church and their lay battalions too near any levers of power either here or in Strasbourg.