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Post by cato on May 28, 2020 14:47:03 GMT
Once apon a time , for a decade or two independent Ireland had a reasonably independent foreign policy guided by principles of justice , international law and freedom. Ireland was broadly in the Western camp but was prepared to back the admission of Communist China into the UN against American advice. Frank Aiken as foreign affairs minister , also condemned China's invasion and illegal annexation of Tibet. It's strange those who regularly denounce Israeli occupation have forgotten this even greater and bloodier act of violence.
Covid 19 has exposed our national weakness in not being able to equip our hospital and nursing home staff with basic PPE equipment. We have literally gone begging to China to buy their shoddy products. They asked our Taoiseach to publically grovel and ring to thank them. And he did. An Aer lingus jet was dispatched to pick up the defective goods. RTE carried coverage of the jets progress as if China was saving the poor Irish people. Subsequent flights didn't get similar gushing coverage for some strange reason.
Yesterday the rubber stamp Chinese communist parliament passed laws to remove basic freedoms in Hong Kong. RTE news carried the story without making any reference to the fact this "parliament" is not a democratic body and that it's overwhelming vote (2874 to 1!) was hardly fair. Someone pointed out maybe we should send our TV licence money directly to China.
Modern Ireland in contrast to our 1960s ancestors doesn't call out Chinese Communist tyranny. We ignore the locking up of tens of thousands of Moslems in reeducation camps. The demolition of catholic churches and persecution of ordinary believers isn't even worthy of comment. We like to talk about the tide of history . Within the EU Ireland has the most craven attitude towards Red Neo Capitalist China.In 2020 we are getting firmly on the wrong side of history.
Our UK obsessed chatterati don't seem to think it curious that rebel Ireland is now China's obedient pet lap dog. We like to imagine we have overthrown our subservience to London and Rome. Perhaps we only swapped it for Bejing, Brussels and Facebook.
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Post by Tomas on May 28, 2020 22:13:21 GMT
Within the EU Ireland has the most craven attitude towards Red Neo Capitalist China.In 2020 we are getting firmly on the wrong side of history. Our UK obsessed chatterati don't seem to think it curious that rebel Ireland is now China's obedient pet lap dog. We like to imagine we have overthrown our subservience to London and Rome. Perhaps we only swapped it for Bejing, Brussels and Facebook. Sad to learn things like that. Only glad to know there are also left Irish wiser than the opportunist "mainstream extremist". Still hope for new life after the virus-siege, against all odds. Maybe? |
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Post by rogerbuck on Jul 9, 2020 19:21:17 GMT
We like to imagine we have overthrown our subservience to London and Rome. Perhaps we only swapped it for Bejing, Brussels and Facebook. I like this post, but I think Irish subservience to London may be greater in recent years than at any time since 1921. Also, I can't help noting the idea so prevalent in continental Europe, that Brussels (home to NATO as well as the EU) is far more a tool of Washington than many English-speakers ever see. I don't know how much that's true. But if you read French conservative publications, you will see that idea everywhere you look. Meanwhile, you will rarely see it in Anglo-American conservative circles. |
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Post by cato on Jul 10, 2020 10:54:56 GMT
We like to imagine we have overthrown our subservience to London and Rome. Perhaps we only swapped it for Bejing, Brussels and Facebook. I like this post, but I think Irish subservience to London may be greater in recent years than at any time since 1921.[ Cato I am curious as to why you believe this. Relations between the Irish state and the UK have traditionally been non existent to middling/poor. The last 2 decades have seen a vast improvement. As our closest neighbour this is positive and long overdue. I can't see any evidence we are subservient. At a media level most of our chatterati are positively Anglophobic at least towards anything remotely right wing. br] Also, I can't help noting the idea so prevalent in continental Europe, that Brussels (home to NATO as well as the EU) is far more a tool of Washington than many English-speakers ever see. I don't know how much that's true. Cato I sympathise with Donald Trump on this. NATO is one of the main reasons why Europe remained communist free but the Europeans never paid their fair share of alliance costs. The idea the Franco Germans could ever replace the strategic might of the USA is laughable. European militaries are pale shadows of what they were a few decades ago and would not be able to deter Russian adventurism on their own no matter what fantasies some EU bureaucrats entertain on occasion. If Europeans want a bigger say - spend more on defence. Simple. But if you read French conservative publications, you will see that idea everywhere you look. Meanwhile, you will rarely see it in Anglo-American conservative circles. Some French still haven't got over 1940 . Let alone Vietnam and Algeria and the loss of their Empire. |
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Post by rogerbuck on Jul 10, 2020 14:21:07 GMT
Thank you, Cato. It would take me a lot to explain why I see this so differently to you and many others. Right now, I can only manage a brief "toe in the water". And maybe quite a sloppy toe at that, as time to carefully formulate things I lack now. That toe in the water involves the fact that, in response to your question as so much else here at this forum, I am always seeing the Irish situation through the lens of comparing it to continental Europe, where like you (I believe) have lived. In the other thread I started here, the pro-globalist author spoke of Ireland as the "the last Anglo-Saxon Globalist" in the EU. I think this is because he is also comparing it to continental Europe. He sees what I see and likes it. I see what he sees and I don't like it one bit. So compared to the continent, I see Ireland as far more culturally and politically aligned to (or, as I put it: "subservient") to London and the Anglosphere liberalism I associate with London, than at any point since 1921. Or, to take another example, when you say the Irish media are "Anglophobic" they look positively Anglocentric to me, again compared to countries like France or Spain where I have lived. Again, this is just a very sloppy toe in a big, complex sea of water. |
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Post by rogerbuck on Jul 10, 2020 16:39:20 GMT
Some French still haven't got over 1940 . Let alone Vietnam and Algeria and the loss of their Empire. This is not without truth. But, with respect Cato, I don't think the issues I'm referring to here can be reduced to French imperialism. IMHO, they go far, far deeper. I will add to the above that really maybe the best answer I can give to your honest questions/concerns here lies in the other thread I'm referring to wherein the author basically seems to be saying that with Britain gone, it's up to Ireland as the "only purely globalist", "Anglo-Saxon" country left standing in the EU to carry the "only purely globalist, Anglo-Saxon" torch. The French see that liberal, neoliberal "only purely globalist" torch that Britain and now her new Irish imitator have been carrying. IMHO it's far, far more about this than Algeria or Vietnam. Hmm, I hope I may be forgiven for quoting that author's words again, in bold no less:
I am a bit emotional. That article in the other thread, along with some others, has really hit me. Quite hard. |
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