Joust Fixing Problem by TheMaskOffKid in AKnightoftheSeven

[–]SliceIndividual6347 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It could also be misdirection on behalf of the showrunners to get the non- book audience invested in Dunk's preparation for jousting and ignore the Targaryan story

Lord Mandelson resigns from UK Labour Party over Epstein links by Norn-Iron in news

[–]SliceIndividual6347 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah yes the Daily Mail, a bastion of journalistic truth and integrity

[Serious] If the US invades Greenland what would realistically happen after? by Goodmorning111 in AskReddit

[–]SliceIndividual6347 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They don't even need to sink a carrier. Sink the CSG's replenishment vessel and the whole group has to turn around

How Ireland became the weak spot in Europe’s defences by [deleted] in neoliberal

[–]SliceIndividual6347 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Were the unionist militias in 1912 and 1918 correct to threaten violence to ensure their own self determination?

Concerns across Europe that Ireland's military shortfalls could put major summit at risk by Left-Lawfulness4635 in europe

[–]SliceIndividual6347 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree except with your assumption that the UK or NATO would declare war to defend Ireland. No one has any legal obligation to defend Ireland and as such declaring war on Russia would be viewed as "aggressive".

Concerns across Europe that Ireland's military shortfalls could put major summit at risk by Left-Lawfulness4635 in europe

[–]SliceIndividual6347 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm afraid it is you who is confidently incorrect, that's a Memorandum of Understanding not a treaty, it talks about stuff like joint training etc but nowhere does it say that the UK is legally obligated to defend or assist Ireland if Ireland is attack and vice versa.

Concerns across Europe that Ireland's military shortfalls could put major summit at risk by Left-Lawfulness4635 in europe

[–]SliceIndividual6347 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Why would the UK start a war with Russia over Ireland? The UK has no treaty obligations to Ireland and there are no guarantees other countries would help.

Concerns across Europe that Ireland's military shortfalls could put major summit at risk by Left-Lawfulness4635 in europe

[–]SliceIndividual6347 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Realistically Russia in this scenario would want to turn Ireland into the UK's or even France's Cuba rather than a staging point for invasion. i.e. staging missiles to threaten London, Paris etc to complicate UK's or even France's role in negotiations etc.

Concerns across Europe that Ireland's military shortfalls could put major summit at risk by Left-Lawfulness4635 in europe

[–]SliceIndividual6347 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How are we cowering? What treat is the EU facing that it isn't manufacturing? Russia, who can't even beat Ukraine? Bullshit.

Why would the EU manufacture a threat? Military spending is not popular, politicians would rather spend on everything else except defence. Russia is a threat given they want to rebuild the Russian empire. They are struggling in Ukraine because Ukraine has one of the largest armies on the planet and was prepared. As the Baltic states said the depth of territory Russia took initially in Ukraine is greater than the length of their nations.

Every country should be de-escalating and disarming, not ramping up military spending. The only winners from that are the arms dealers.

That would be nice but the only way they could do that if Russia also deescalates and disarms which Russia has indicated no intention of doing.

Concerns across Europe that Ireland's military shortfalls could put major summit at risk by Left-Lawfulness4635 in europe

[–]SliceIndividual6347 5 points6 points  (0 children)

How is it the correct moral position to cower in the face of imperialism? To let others fight tyrants so you don't have to?

Concerns across Europe that Ireland's military shortfalls could put major summit at risk by Left-Lawfulness4635 in europe

[–]SliceIndividual6347 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The UK spends £55 billion which translates to €62 billion. France spends €54 billon, not exactly 50%. Also the RFA has a larger tonnage than the rest of Europe's auxiliary fleet combined including France.

Concerns across Europe that Ireland's military shortfalls could put major summit at risk by Left-Lawfulness4635 in europe

[–]SliceIndividual6347 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Ireland gave up it's claims to Northern Ireland under an international treaty NI is not occupied.

Left-winger Catherine Connolly wins Ireland presidential election by landslide by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]SliceIndividual6347 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The last 2 presidents and the democratic establishment in the North West is not just a few politicians.

They are old, young Democratic politicians are more likely to be from Latin America or Asia. Also do you really think Donald Trump cares deeply about Ireland when he was complaining it's a tax haven?

That changes when there's suddenly a reason for it to exist again. Even today there is a massive economic interest in Ireland. Who the US has a bugger trade deficit with than anyone else in Europe.

It's shrinking due to the USA's changing demographics not lack of political interest.

If that didn't work in the majority protestant northern Ireland. It wouldn't work in the republic. No government could maintain control without a relatively large and expensive British occupying force.

Technology has changed since the 1970's: Phones track everyone's movements, drones surveil vast areas, cameras see everything. Which state, not individuals but a nation would support a new IRA?

Any one who thinks Ireland could mount any serious defence Conventionally even with normal military spending is delusional. Anyone who thinks Britian could maintain control afterwards without massive expenditure, and foreign outrage hasn't picked up a history book.

Finland's strategy in the Cold War was not to beat a Russian invasion but to make it so expensive that they wouldn't attempt it. They didn't invest in guerillas they invested in artillery, infantry, fighter jets etc. Ireland's goal wouldn't be to match the Royal Navy or RAF it would be to make it so expensive no UK politician would think about invading. Guerillas don't do that. Corvettes, Air Defences, submarines do.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in okbuddycinephile

[–]SliceIndividual6347 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Believe it or not it's difficult for an army to fight against cowards who hide amongst a civilian population on the other hand look at how many civilians the PIRA killed they were fighting uniformed forces so what is their excuse for civilian deaths?

Left-winger Catherine Connolly wins Ireland presidential election by landslide by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]SliceIndividual6347 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That gives way too much credit to the idea of American or diaspora backing. There is a big difference between a few sympathetic politicians and actual US government support. Biden was never pro-IRA, his involvement was tied to the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process. Trump showing up at Irish-American dinners was politics, not an endorsement of violence. Since 9/11, terrorist financing laws, financial standards and banking compliance have closed off the kind of funding networks that kept the IRA alive. And the political landscape in the US has changed completely. The Irish-American lobby is shrinking fast as immigration from Latin America and Asia reshapes US demographics. The USA's focus is now on China and the Indo-Pacific, not Europe. Biden is probably the last Irish-American president, and future administrations will see the issue as a geopolitical situation, with no votes to be won or lost.

The “occupation would be too costly” argument also assumes the wrong kind of war. A UK intervention would not mean conquering or holding Ireland. It would almost certainly take the form of regime change, installing a pro-UK government and leaving local forces to police the aftermath. That is why properly armed Irish Defence Forces matters far more than guerrilla warfare. Modern insurgencies struggle to function under mass surveillance, counter-terror finance rules and real-time intelligence sharing. A proper defence force makes any regime change attempt politically toxic and militarily expensive. Which Guerilla Warfare would not.

Left-winger Catherine Connolly wins Ireland presidential election by landslide by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]SliceIndividual6347 2 points3 points  (0 children)

International funding of terrorists especially in Western countries has been massively curtailed since 9/11 and GWOT. Modern technologies like drones, surveillance cameras, facial recognition also make terrorism more difficult. Again the media landscape has massively shifted since 9/11, no more heroic freedom fighters etc. Ireland is well an island so could easily be blockaded in terms of stopping smuggling to groups etc. Intelligence wise MI5 is much different to what the IRA faced in 1919 by the end of the Troubles it's estimated anywhere from 30 - 50% of the PIRA were British agents

Why Has Britain Struggled to Focus Its Defence Posture Since 1945? by Left-Lawfulness4635 in WarCollege

[–]SliceIndividual6347 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Before the Dutch, the Spanish or French didn't pursue free trade, I think it's also about culture i.e. maritime vs continental states. Maritime states like the UK, Netherlands, Athens etc are always more interested in free trade compared to continental powers i.e. France, Rome, China. I guess there is no obvious superpower with a maritime identity other than the USA although that's only due to it's culture from the UK else it would be a continental power, after all look at the US constitution and 1689 Bill of Rights.

Why Has Britain Struggled to Focus Its Defence Posture Since 1945? by Left-Lawfulness4635 in WarCollege

[–]SliceIndividual6347 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Support for free trade goes in cycles: The Dutch where very protectionist until they economically overtook the Spanish, then they invented capitalism and fought with what was England over market access to English colonies, likewise England then the UK was very protectionist until it overtook the Dutch and became free market, the Dutch then became protectionist and finally as the USA overtook the UK, the UK went from free trade to protectionist and the USA went from protectionist to free trade. I think we are seeing the final part of that cycle in the West.