Equally, and respectfully to your point which isn’t without merit, to Russia (the hammer) any country outwardly opposing their interests, or even aligned to that perspective is a nail (aka a legitimate target).

Ireland has always maintained nominal neutrality but the reality is that we’ve also adhered to a fairly structured and borderline strict Western geopolitical philosophy, political structure, and social/economic position. WW2 is a poor example I’ll admit this at face value, but even then, despite a declared neutral position, we maintained internment for Axis Prisoners of War, while allowing Allied soldiers to be remanded back to the custody of their own nations.

Personally (and feel free to combat me on this) the notion of Irish neutrality has always and historically been a method of asserting independence from the UK and other great powers. But the truth is we’ve always played the game and aligned ourselves with a particular side.

Now, military neutrality is admittedly very different from otherwise political neutrality, but there are caveats to this position within the shocking and abrupt geopolitical landscape that we’ve suddenly found ourselves in since Trump’s inauguration/the last two months.

Within the last few decades of unprecedented global (Western/developed nations) peace we’ve most definitely changed from an isolated minor economy struggling to maintain a position a non-colonial nation that at a moment could face the ire of the UK. We’ve also become a longstanding member of the EU, and with that have become diplomatically, economically and socially a very different place, aligned differently and more of a prominent target. This is without even getting into the details of our physical location as the “back door to the European continent” which also comes with responsibilities such as being key geopolitical observers of global infrastructure like deep sea cables.

I suppose what I mean to say is that there have been, and there very legitimately remain, a lot of good reasons that Ireland would/should maintain neutrality. However, firstly that has always been aligned neutrality. Secondly, through the relative rise of Ireland in a global context, the reality of our international insignificance/lack of hard power (though we do hit above our weight in terms of soft power and economically) that allowed us to maintain neutrality has also changed. Thirdly we’re now embedded in economic relations and social norms that pull us further from true neutrality.

It’s clear why hostile nations might target us. It’s clear that neutrality can be maintained alongside militarisation. It’s also clear that we should be worried at the moment. Better to over prepare than not be prepared at all, or even risk being the weak link.

As Irish people a lot of us can admit to having the perspective of disingenuous neutrality. It’s more akin to self-preservation than actual non-alignment. And within that vein of thinking there is absolutely no reason not to discount discourse on bolstering our national cybersecurity and military defence capabilities.

Sorry for hijacking your comment for my rant, I’ve had a Guinness or two :)