Irish Examiner 22/2/2025
Article
Europe needs more peacemakers and fewer armies.
John F Kennedy spoke these words on 10th June 1963: “the pursuit of peace is not as dramatic as the pursuit of war, but we have no more urgent task”.
I joined the Irish Defence Forces on 28 September 1963, and John F Kennedy was assassinated on 22 November 1963. Promoting peace and justice can be dangerous for the peacemakers including JFK. Eighty-six Irish soldiers, many of whom I knew, gave their lives for the justified cause of international peace. Ireland must continue to promote peace by peaceful means only and avoid joining foreign armies and wars of aggression.
The TINA syndrome which stands for “There Is No Alternative” was in vogue after the economic crash and austerity crisis. That TINA syndrome is now being applied to the militarisation of Europe. There were alternatives to the imposition of austerity, and there are alternatives to the militarisation of Europe, which has already played a significant role in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of European people. These alternatives include making peace by peaceful nonviolent means. The costs of militarisation and the destruction of wars is immense.
The estimated world military expenditure for 2023, was $2443 billion. This does not include the huge costs of wars to countries being destroyed. The alternative is to spend most of these billons on conflict prevention, including transforming the UN and restoring the proper rule of international and humanitarian laws and jurisprudence.
A BBC report on 16 February 2025 states that: “Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for the creation of an army of Europe”. Many European countries are reported to be in full war preparation mode. It is not clear whether this would be a European Union (EU) army or wider European army.
Thirty-four European countries have national armies. NATO is the world’s largest regional military force. Twenty-four of the twenty-seven EU states are full members of NATO, and the three neutrals including Ireland are members of NATO’s Partnership for Peace. This might not be so bad if NATO was a genuine defensive alliance. Since the end of the Cold War NATO member states have been waging aggressive resource wars in breach of the UN Charter in Serbia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and elsewhere and supporting Israeli war crimes amounting to genocide against the Palestinian people.
The Warsaw Pact was disbanded in 1991 after assurances were given to Russian leaders that NATO would not expand, “not one inch eastward”. Since 1999 NATO has expanded from 19 member states to 32, taking in former eastern European states up to Russia’s borders.
Ireland should avoid entanglement with NATO or European armies. The Irish Defence Forces has been a volunteer army since the foundation of the State. Until the 1990s Irish soldiers had to volunteer before being sent on UN peace missions. Now, they can be compelled to serve on overseas missions including NATO ones. This is one of the reasons that our citizens are unwilling to join the Defence Forces, and why our soldiers are leaving the Defence Forces. Irish positive neutrality is the best way to defend the best interests of the Irish people and the wider interests of humanity. Our neutrality has been virtually ended due to Irish soldiers serving with NATO, proposed abandonment of the Triple Lock, helping to train Ukrainian soldiers to kill Russian soldiers, and serving with EU military Battlegroups, and neocolonial missions in Africa. If Irish soldiers are killed on such missions their deaths will not have been justified.
After the end of the Cold War the alternatives to the militarisation of Europe should have been a bright new dawn of peace and economic cooperation across Eurasia. A buffer zone of neutral states should have been created from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. That opportunity was lost due to US determination to be the world’s unipolar superpower. Ukraine agreed to give up its nuclear weapons and became a neutral state, but this neutrality was ended in 2014. Attempts to negotiate a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict by the Helsinki process failed. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian and Russian people have died. Many more will die unless peaceful alternatives are created to replace the militarisation of Europe. More European armies are the problem, not the solution.
Those who argue that Ireland should defend its people by conventional military means, should consider the likely financial costs and lives lost, and the peaceful alternatives. Neutral Austria is considering purchasing 58 new Leopard tanks at €29,000,000 each.
In this nuclear armed 21st century, the time to stop wars is now, before they start, if humanity is to have a future.
Edward Horgan, Commandant (retired), is a former UN peacekeeper. He completed a PhD thesis on reform of the United Nations in 2008
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THE KERRYMAN
19/02/2025
EU leaders are in ‘full war preparation mode’, let’s hope it’s not unstoppable
SIR,
Foreign Affairs and Defence Minister, Tánaiste Simon Harris, has been briefed that many of Ireland’s EU partners are in ‘full war preparation mode’. War hysteria seems to have taken hold of far too many international political leaders. Such hysteria is in danger of becoming an unstoppable force, fuelled by unjustified Russo-phobia or China-phobia and by the human greed scramble for access to valuable resources.
The photographs and videos of the destruction in Gaza and Ukraine should be a warning of the devastation that may occur in many other countries if common sense and sanity fail to prevail, leading to wars at international or global level. The people of countries devastated in World War Two, especially Germany, Japan, Russia and China, need to be reminded of the destruction of cities like Hamburg, Dresden, Stalingrad, Tokyo, Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
The population of these cities, and world population, has increased substantially since World War Two. The destructive power of weapons and munitions has also increased, as demonstrated by the use of 2,000-pound bombs dropped on the people of Gaza and the 11-ton GBU-43/B MOAB bomb ‘successfully tested’ on Afghan people in 2017.
If a major conventional war occurs, many major cities and their people could be reduced to rubble like Gaza has been. Up to 40 million civilians died due to World War Two. If such a major war goes nuclear, all of planet Earth may be reduced to rubble.
Instead of following the example of Sweden and Finland, Ireland must strengthen our positive neutrality and use it to promote peace and justice for all of humanity and Irish soldiers must only participate in foreign missions that are under a UN mandate.
In this 21st century, the time to stop wars is before they start.
Sincerely,
Edward Horgan, Castletroy,Limerick.
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THE KERRYMAN
13/03/2025
European re-armament has led to two world wars – we won’t survive a third
SIR,
European Union leaders including Irish politicians are using Orwellian language to justify militarism and preparations for war, while failing to promote peace and reconciliation in Europe and failing in their duties to take all necessary means to end the genocide that is ongoing against the Palestinian people.
Irish politicians, including Micheál Martin and Simon Harris have described the Russian attack on Ukraine as unprovoked, unlawful and unjustifiable. Yes, it was unlawful and unjustified, but it was provoked by the unjustified expansion of NATO up to Russia’s borders, and by the overthrow of the pro-Russian President of Ukraine in 2014.
On February 24, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was reported as saying that peace in Ukraine may be more dangerous than the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Speaking to the press on March 9, EU Commission President von der Leyen stated: “…you’re familiar with the 800 billion (euros) package for defence, and that is historic. This can be the foundation of a European defence union. We will drive the ‘Rearm Europe’ plan forward with full force.”
The rearming of Europe has twice led to world wars in the past. Europe and humanity will not survive World War Three.
The Irish people cannot be defended by conventional military means. Positive neutrality promoting international peace and justice is the only sane option for defending the Irish people. Economist Cormac Lucey (Sunday Times, March 9) estimates that the real level of Ireland’s national debt is €863.6 billion, including pension liabilities.
Spending billions of euros on conventional weapons will help to bankrupt Ireland and its people and do nothing to defend them. Ireland and the EU need to actively promote peace in Europe and take all necessary means to end the genocide and chaos in the wider Middle East and elsewhere.
Sincerely,
Edward Horgan, Castletroy,
Limerick.
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The Avondhu
13/03/2025
The Avondhu is a local newspaper circulating in Co Cork, and west Waterford, south Tipperary and south Co Limerick.
Gambling with World War Three
The debacle that unfolded in the White House on 28th February, had at least one important statement, when US President Trump told Ukrainian President Zelensky: “You’re gambling with the lives of millions, you are gambling with World War Three.”
While the Trump administration may be genuine in their efforts to promote peace in Ukraine, they are doing the opposite in the Middle East and elsewhere and risking a nuclear war with China. Their active support for the Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people is doing irreparable damage to the proper rule of international law. The risk of nuclear war has never been greater. Yet, the Irish Government is damaging Ireland’s positive neutrality by abandoning the triple lock, supporting one side in the Ukraine conflict and entanglement with NATO and European Union militarisation.
All this raises the question as to what precautions our government has taken to protect the Irish people in the event of a serious nuclear accident in the UK or the use of nuclear weapons in Europe or worldwide? Most countries in eastern Europe have underground protection for their citizens. If there is a serious nuclear accident on the west coast of the UK, where can the people of Dublin find shelter from radioactive fallout? If Shannon Airport is attacked due to its use by the US military, what precautions are in place to protect those living and working in Shannon?
The iodine pills sent to each household by Minister Joe Jacob in June 2002 are long out of date. There are no public underground shelters. The squadron of fighter jets proposed by Tánaiste Simon Harris will not protect us. Ireland needs to restore its neutrality, promote international peace and stop joining the warmongers.
Edward Horgan, Castletroy,
Limerick.
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The Irish Daily Mail published my letter below today with just minor edits and the Irish Independent published it with bigger edits but the message hopefully got across
14/03/2025
Speak up for Palestine
I may at times sound like a lone voice crying in the wilderness. When serious injustices are being perpetrated involving the killing tens of thousands of women and children in Palestine, our silence makes us complicit. An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD, is understandably being widely praised for his diplomatic performance in defending Irish economic interests in his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The morning after, RTE and other news outlets reported that Micheál Martin had praised President Trump for his peacekeeping efforts in Gaza and Ukraine. While all efforts to promote peace in Ukraine are very welcome, only time will tell how effective or genuine the US government’s Ukraine peace efforts will be. The killing of Palestinians by Israeli forces in Gaza and the West Bank continued on 12th March as Micheál Martin was praising President Trump for his peacekeeping efforts in Gaza. The Israeli government and its military forces are being actively supported by the US Government and being supplied with the weapons and munitions that are killing Palestinians. We may never know how many Palestinian children have died from starvation, diseases, hypothermia, bombs and bullets, but it is likely that many died while Micheál Martin was in the US for his diplomatic visit.
Irish economic interests should not take precedence over the lives of our Palestinian neighbours. Jesus Christ reminded us that our neighbours are all humankind.
Edward Horgan, Castletroy, Limerick
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Irish Independent 17/03/2025
Coalitions of the Killing?
Dear Editor,
In 2003, 48 countries participated in an illegal occupation of Iraq and the overthrow of its government. US president George W Bush described this as a coalition of the willing. A similar coalition, which included warlords and drug barons, participated in the occupation of Afghanistan in 2001 and the overthrow of the Afghan government, leading to 20 years of bloody war. In 2011, a Nato-led coalition abused a UN Security Council resolution to precipitate the overthrow of the Libyan government, leaving Libya in chaos ever since. Another coalition of the willing that includes the US, UK and several EU states has been supporting Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people that the ICJ and ICC international courts say may amount to genocide. On March 15, at least nine people were killed in an Israeli drone attack in northern Gaza. During 2024/25, a coalition including US, UK and Israel has been carrying out extensive air raids on Yemen. Several million people have been killed or died due to war-related reasons precipitated by these so-called coalitions of the willing across the wider Middle East. This month, UK prime minister Keir Starmer announced yet another coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine in its conflict with nuclear-armed Russia. This increases the risk of nuclear war as the UK and France are also nuclear powers. These coalitions of the willing have become coalitions of the killing. All this killing has been in breach of the proper rule of international laws, and Ireland has been complicit in some of it.
Edward Horgan, Castletroy, Limerick
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Irish Independent and Irish Daily Mail 22/04/2025
Death of a peacemaker
Dear Editor,
On the death of Pope Francis, humanity has lost one of its most persistent peacemakers. He consistently called for an end to the Israeli assault on Gaza and for Palestinians and Israelis to be able to live in peace. On the issue of the destruction of our global environment he emphasized the interconnectivity of the many issues facing humanity. He said: “our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing breaking point”. Too many religious and political leaders in Ireland and elsewhere have been far too silent on genocide, war crimes, destructive militarisation, and gross breaches of international and humanitarian laws that have been causing millions of deaths worldwide and huge destruction and suffering since the beginning of this 21st century. Our world is already at breaking point, with millions of refugees and displaced persons dying while attempting to get to safety from wars and environmental destruction. May Pope Francis rest in peace and may all of humanity work together to end these multiple self-inflicted crises.
Edward Horgan, Castletroy, Limerick
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Sunday Independent 11 May 2025
The catastrophic genocide in Gaza
Dear Sir,
The genocide in Gaza is now becoming catastrophic. The warnings by Dr Michael Ryan (WHO), Peter Power (UNICEF), and the UN Secretary-General António Guterres are being ignored by the Irish Government and by the so-called international community, who have abandoned the Palestinian people, and ignored their responsibilities towards the proper rule of international and humanitarian laws. Too many of these organisations and their leaders are actively assisting or being complicit in the genocide. The UN has been rendered powerless by abuses of the powers of veto. The Irish Government is failing to take all necessary measures to prevent or punish breaches of the Genocide Convention. By allowing the US military to use Shannon Airport Ireland may be in breach of Article III ( e ) Complicity in Genocide. Ireland has failed to effectively use its membership of the UN and EU to advocate on behalf of the Palestinian people, and to uphold international humanitarian laws. Its plans to remove the triple lock undermines the role of the UN, and it is failing to process the Occupied Territories Bill in a timely manner.
It is too late to save the Palestinian people who have already been killed, or to undo the physical and mental trauma suffered by millions of Palestinians. Up to 100 Palestinians are now dying daily, by Israeli bombs and bullets, and by starvation and diseases due to the Israeli blockade and destruction of medical facilities.
Israel plans to expand its military offensive, and to capture and hold the territory of Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the cabinet had decided that Gaza's 2.1 million population "will be moved, to protect it". This expanded military offensive, and ethnic cleansing is likely to cost the lives of many more Palestinians. This genocide must be ended and all those responsible for it, or complicit in it, must be held to account as soon as possible, otherwise all of humanity is in danger, as the rule of brutal force replaces the proper rule of law.
Edward Horgan, Castletroy, Limerick.
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Daily Mail 13 May 2025
We need 'triple lock' now more than ever before.
Dear Editor,
The Fianna Fail/Fine Gael-dominated Irish government has been determined to abandon Irish neutrality since the end of the Cold War, against the wishes and best interests of the Irish people. They have been using a step-by-step approach. With each step they repeat the mantra that: ‘this is not a breach of traditional Irish military neutrality’. The steps include allowing US military to use Shannon airport for NATO’s war against Serbia in 1999, the US-led wars against Afghanistan 2001 to 2021, the Iraq war 2003, the overthrow of the government of Libya in 2011, conflicts in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere, all in breach of the UN Charter, and of Irish neutrality.
By allowing US military use of Shannon airport since 7th October 2023, the Irish Government is contravening the Genocide Convention Article III (e) which states that ‘complicity in genocide’ is a punishable act. Our government’s plans to abandon the triple lock by removing the need for UN approval before sending Irish soldiers on overseas mission, is a serious breach of solemn undertakings given to the Irish people during the referenda for the Nice and Lisbon treaties. Abandoning the triple lock seriously undermines the UN and will put an end to the active aspect of Irish neutrality, in favour of joining dangerous ‘coalitions of the willing’ including nuclear armed NATO. Twenty-three of the EU’s 27 member states are full members of NATO. NATO wars in the 21st century have caused the deaths of millions of civilians. NATO countries possess over 4,200 nuclear weapons capable of destroying all life on Planet Earth.
It is vital for all of humanity that Ireland and other neutral countries continue to campaign against this nuclear terrorism and for global peace and justice.
Edward Horgan, Castletroy, Limerick.
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Daily Mail 20 May 2025
EU must do more to end slaughter of Palestinians
Dear Editor,
The European Hospital in Khan Yunis is, or was, a 232-bed public hospital founded by UNRWA with a grant from the EU in 1989 at an estimated cost of $45 million. On 13 May 28 Palestinian people were killed in Israeli attacks on this hospital. The Israeli military said it struck a “Hamas command centre” beneath the hospital.
This deliberate bombing of a hospital is just one of many war crimes committed by the Israeli military in Gaza. Since the Israeli aid blockade began on 2 March 2025, at least 57 children have died from the effects of malnutrition. More than 400 aid workers and 1,300 health workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Mr Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Mr Yoav Gallant on 20 May 2024 crimes against humanity. The International Court of Justice is investigating whether Israel has been committing genocide against the Palestinian people. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has taken a strongly pro-Israeli stance on a number of occasions despite criticism from some of her own staff, and some EU member states. EU Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas who is High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security has offered Israel assistance for its plan to take over the distribution of aid in the Gaza Strip, thereby endorsing the Israeli government’s attacks on UN agencies working in Gaza.
The international community, that includes the EU and all UN member states, has been doing far too little to end the genocide against the Palestinian people. This calls into question the credibility of the European Union that claims to be a democratic organisation and that should be promoting and upholding the proper rule of international and humanitarian laws.
The European Union should not be complicit in genocide.
Edward Horgan, Castletroy, Limerick.
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Daily Mail 22 May 2025
EU must do more to end slaughter of Palestinians
Dear Editor,
The Prime Ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, Slovenia and Spain published a joint statement on 16 May saying: “We will not be silent in front of the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes in Gaza. More than 50.000 men, women, and children have lost their lives”. Such a statement, while welcome, is already much too late for those 50,000 already dead. Later in the statement these seven PMs acknowledged “the important role played by the United States, Egypt and Qatar” in negotiations on a ceasefire. In the meantime, instead of a ceasefire, Israel has intensified its bombardment of Gaza killing hundreds more, especially women and children. On 20 May UN spokesman Tom Fletcher said that 14,000 babies in Gaza would die within 48 hours unless supplies of baby food can be delivered to them. The Arab states in the Middle East have virtually abandoned their Palestinian fellow Arabs, especially the western-supported regimes in Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Far too many states are complicit in the Israeli genocide in Gaza, including Ireland due to US military use of Shannon airport. The roles played by the US, Britain and Germany goes far beyond being complicit and has arguably amounted to active participation in this genocide. On 20 May, British PM Sir Keith Starmer announced that he and the leaders of Canada and France were horrified by Israel's new offensive in Gaza, and the level of aid being allowed into Gaza. Why were they not horrified by what Israel has been doing to the Palestinian people since 7 October 2023, or since 1948? History eventually exposed the complicity of many countries and their leaders in the Holocaust. It is vital for the future of humanity that all those who participated in, or were complicit in, the Palestinian genocide are held to account.
Edward Horgan, Castletroy, Limerick