Spokesman Books

Ireland refused the invitation from the United States to join NATO when it was founded in 1947, and has maintained its military neutrality ever since. Roger Cole, Chair of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA), recently published this article in the IRISH TIMES. CrisisOpinion: The Army, born in a national struggle against imperialism, is being increasingly integrated into BattleGroups of the EU, a strategic military partner of Nato. ‘A small nation has to be extremely cautious when entering into alliances whichbring it, willy nilly, into those wars... we would not be consulted in how a warshould be started – the great powers would do that – and when it ended, no matterwho won . . . we would not be consulted as to the terms on which it should end.” – Taoiseach Éamon de Valera, Dáil Éireann, July 12th, 1955. On February 15th, 2003, millions of people throughout the world marched inprotest against the plan by the US and its vassal states to invade, conquer and occupy the sec...

On 23 July 2002, the Prime Minister called a high-level meeting about Iraq. It took place in Downing Street. The minute taker noted that his record was "extremely sensitive". It does indeed contain confidential information about preparations for war on Iraq. Blair's comments are recorded, as are those of the Chief of Defence Staff, Sir Michael Boyce, among others. On 4 December 2009, Boyce appeared before the Iraq Inquiry, and was rather candid about the frustrations of trying to prepare a major military campaign without being able to tell his head of logistics. (Defence Secretary Hoon had told him not to.) Boyce was not asked about his precise comments about military options and critical requirements for the US (basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus), as recorded in the memo of the meeting of 23 July '02. Next week, John Scarlett appears before the Inquiry. He had opened the discussion in Downing Street with an account of intelligence and the latest Joint Intelligence Co...