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Replying To Freethinker:  "Very interesting question re the worlds major religions. I would ask another one. What would the world resemble if the different religions hadn't been hijacked over the millennia by bloodthirsty and power hungry emperors and despots. In my opinion, the propagation of the various religions was always a smokescreen for land and assets grabs. Look at the way Mr Putin cosied up to the leader of the Orthodox Church when he first decided that Russia's "strategic" interests were more important than Ukraines right to self determination. And there have other such scenes over the centuries. The Crusades were another example."
Was discussing this subject with a friend earlier. Most religions are actually pretty good as regards values/morals/guidelines on living a good life, it's human beings #### the whole thing up.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13866 - 21/11/2024 11:31:57    2580552

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I do not support any political party; however, I do vote for all on my voting ticket in order of choice / preference using the PR system, there's a little bit of a contradiction there because by me voting for the candidate only I am indirectly voting for that person's party.

Our democracy in every sense of the word is more honest / acceptable than most other countries imo, our system is not rigged either but perhaps it may be flexed a little from time to time but rarely.

I watched with interest the party leaders' interview with Collette Fitzpatrick last night, in this instance the leader was Sinn Fein's Mary Lou Mc Donald.

- - - - Interesting.

Question. - What excuse will the super powers or indeed any other country have for starting wars when religion is finally eradicated.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3050 - 21/11/2024 12:00:59    2580555

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Replying To cavanman47:  "Ireland are neutral.

We won't need to pull our weight.

Europe (NATO), with or without the US, would wipe the floor with Russia if it came to it."
What about protecting our own waters and air space? Only last few days the Russians were fishing around again. We have very sensitive deep sea cables making landfall here. We have obligations. Are you happy the RAF are protecting us? Ireland are seen as a joke and freeloaders in the eyes of the international community.

Ireland is not neutral and never has been.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11407 - 21/11/2024 14:01:32    2580576

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Replying To yew_tree:  "What about protecting our own waters and air space? Only last few days the Russians were fishing around again. We have very sensitive deep sea cables making landfall here. We have obligations. Are you happy the RAF are protecting us? Ireland are seen as a joke and freeloaders in the eyes of the international community.

Ireland is not neutral and never has been."
Militarily, we are neutral.

What's your suggestion? Purchase some ships and subs and go confront the Russians?

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5193 - 21/11/2024 14:47:50    2580593

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Replying To cavanman47:  "I agree the numbers will pan out similarly to how you've outlined.

SF will do slightly better than current estimates and Independent Ireland will do considerably better than forecasted.

But I do think FF/FG will lead the next government and my point is that this wouldn't happen if things weren't going well, on the whole, in this country."
Things are going well from my perspective but I suppose depending on your situation things may not be going so well, if your stuck paying a fortune for rent and can't see any prospect of ever buying or building a house then maybe things look a lot different for people like that.
If your living in a town that barely had the services to cope with the existing population, maybe your Garda station and Post office were closed down and then you get a few hundred asylum seekers landed into your area then you'd be pretty annoyed with the way the things are being run etc.
Maybe if you have first hand experience of our AE services in our hospitals are on a waiting list for a long time you might have a different view of how things are being run etc etc.
I thin the Gov would have done a lot better but for the Greens, I think FF/FG with maybe independent Ireland and maybe a few others from the FF/FG gene pool would be able to do things better still.
I think the planning system needs to be looked at to give people from rural Ireland a better chance for their children to build houses on their own land, also there should be planning required for these IPAS centres and local people should have a say in it the same as any other housing development.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3029 - 21/11/2024 16:08:32    2580607

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Replying To cavanman47:  "Militarily, we are neutral.

What's your suggestion? Purchase some ships and subs and go confront the Russians?"
Have enough equipment and personal to be able at least know who's fishing in or off our waters. We should have sonar/radar and more ships. An air force is coming in 2027 with the air corp to be disbanded and not before time. People give out about the Americans and British but we are in effect sheltered by them and the EU. We should be pulling our weight.

It's not about confronting anyone. That's childish.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11407 - 21/11/2024 16:25:19    2580612

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Replying To yew_tree:  "Have enough equipment and personal to be able at least know who's fishing in or off our waters. We should have sonar/radar and more ships. An air force is coming in 2027 with the air corp to be disbanded and not before time. People give out about the Americans and British but we are in effect sheltered by them and the EU. We should be pulling our weight.

It's not about confronting anyone. That's childish."
I've often wondered if those who extoll the virtues of being "neutral" really appreciate the reality of modern geo-politics. As stated above, we are unable to police our waters to protect those strategic underwater cables and rely on other countries armed forces to carry that out, can we expect and still parade our neutrality . In the event that the unthinkable ever happens and a nuclear bomb/s explode in the UK or France, will we be able to persuade the destruction to bypass us because we are neutral. Just a couple of questions on just two points. And, by the way, I have no strong views on the matter either way.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1266 - 21/11/2024 18:32:06    2580636

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Replying To yew_tree:  "Have enough equipment and personal to be able at least know who's fishing in or off our waters. We should have sonar/radar and more ships. An air force is coming in 2027 with the air corp to be disbanded and not before time. People give out about the Americans and British but we are in effect sheltered by them and the EU. We should be pulling our weight.

It's not about confronting anyone. That's childish."
You're Ireland's answer to Trump. A European army is the worst thing we could possibly be part of.

A significant increase in focus on defence is akin to a declaration of war. Absolute madness.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3143 - 21/11/2024 19:08:25    2580640

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