A British paper pushing an Irish front to an Ukrainian war seems to be the role of the Sunday Times Irish edition the past week as the bullets started flying in Eastern Europe.
Of late the paper has been rather captivated by alleged Russian influence operations in the Republic, particularly the clandestine actions of the Russian embassy in Rathmines, and its questionable expansion as supposedly masking intelligence gathering facilities.
Arriving onto our press stands, some might say surreptitiously, around the time of Brexit in 2016, the paper carries even by Irish standards a pro-Atlanticist/British line on matters of NATO, and the recent belligerence towards Russia and China.
Rolling out expected headlines advocating a rethink on Irish neutrality and highlighting alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine, the Irish edition is merely an organ in the wider pro-war push carried by its central hub in London.
For the best part of a year, the paper has fixated on the supposed spookery by the Ruskies in Rathmines, incessantly chirping on about the need for Ireland to go hard on the Russian Bear at the cost of the state’s much prized neutrality.
Whatever about the risks of Russian spying operations in Rathmines, can one imagine the Times taking the same line against British intelligence in the Republic, or can Irish sovereignty only be drawn upon when British strategic interests are involved?
The kerfuffle over Russian naval exercises on our Western periphery last month pales in comparison to the near daily stories of British vessels cruising through Irish waters off Donegal, nevermind the spectacle that is Shannon Airport.
Its pro-British sentiments aside, the paper can be commended for its mild straying from the media pack on the trans issue, again in line with the wider editorial line of the Times brand in London. Whatever about the social dystopia of PC Britain, there does seem to be a strong caucus of TERFs within or semi-adjacent to the British establishment, unlike here.
In Britain this weekend the paper has been instrumental in the targeting of Kremlin cronies in conjunction with some strategic leaking. Whatever about the merits and demerits of The Times’s editorial stances, it appears as a media vehicle to be fully wedded to and writing in sync with British strategic aims.
In general the British media has been a few headlines short of calling for airstrikes on Moscow so fervid has the sabre rattling at Russia been. The junior partner in the Atlanticist coalition since Churchill lost the imperial family jewels in the asinine 1939 war, Britain thinks highly of itself by imagining it can set the tone on events in Kiev.
Ultimately the worldview of the Times envisions an Ireland tethered at the hip to Britain and the Atlanticist bloc, and that includes rushing into every geopolitical house fire that NATO starts with its foes. The Ireland that they dream of entails whatever meagre military and strategic purpose we have being subsumed within the British and NATO war machine at the Suvlas and Sud el Bars of today and tomorrow.
Englightened Irishmen of the Neale Richmond variety may soon have condemnation of De Valera’s Gaelic backwater on their lips as they are shot to pieces in the Donbass and Taiwan.
One can only speculate, but I can imagine the written invective that would be shown towards Ireland should a nationalist regime seek to mitigate economic links with Britain and pivot towards Russia or China.
Ian Femling made a conscious decision when he jokingly described The Times as James Bond’s favourite paper, owing to the title’s historical and semi-covert ties with the British intelligence establishment.
To be crystal clear, lest this publication find itself on a pro-Russian watchlist, very little sympathy can be expressed by an Irishman at the carving up of Ukraine by Russia and the big powers.
Russian aggression in Ukraine is predicated on a desire for national annihilation towards a small nation they regard as a renegade state, very akin to the worldview of Anglo-unionists in Ireland. The mindset of Alexander Dugin towards Kiev matches perfectly the anti-Irish worldview of some of our very best crypto-unionist journalists and politicians with their jabs at Catholicism and Republicanism just masking a darker Hibernophobic undercurrent.
We are reliving another 1914 moment, with Ukraine in the role of little Catholic Belgium, and Russia playing the part of the arriviste Germany. As before there is an embarrassingly large contingent of our elite ready to play a neo-Redmondite role, this time in the Donbass rather than Flanders as before. They are joined by the fake Left, who have let their social empathy to be abused and hijacked by a non-stop media spectacle.
To this we can only express our unbridled scorn, knowing well what the human cost of this Atlanticist folly will be, and the implicit treason in throwing in your lot with England over our own presently partitioned land.
Irishmen made the mistake of marching into Belgian trenches a century ago, though avoided running into German gunfire again in 1939, and some of us are not so keen today to repeat the Great War farce.
Our national objectives are now as they were then —Sinn Féin Amhain!
Aside from it’s (London-based) neo-conservatism, it is the best of the Irish legacy media. It is willing to not toe the line on ‘transgenderism’ or ‘climate change’, and it’s letters page is the pulse of intelligent popular opinion.
THE BUTCHERS APRON, One only has to look at a calendar over the last 1 Hundred Years and mark the years that Warmonger Britain engaged in throughout the world. There are very few empty spaces and relying on memory alone over the last 20 years,it comes as no surprise at all.AMNESIA is obviously
playing a role here because although their efforts backfired and information came to light,CONNING AND GOADING THE PUBLIC under false pretense,Iran,Iraq,Libia etc.etc. it has not deterred them at all.
I will be fair and point out that a lot of British Subjects objected,demonstrated and cried foul…but being SUBJECTS…they must obey,and follow.
This is a very different scenario in Ukraine. CIA,US UK,EU,and NATO are all involved,have been for years…and supplying ARMS…the arms trade, along with
Kickbacks,corruption,propaganda and infiltrators…Putin in the way ? NO .
THE GLOBALIST EVENT 201 began in 2019 and we have been in their orchestrated war ever since. Has everybody forgotten about the Epstein connection to the Royals,Trump, deep state,Pope,Vatican,WEF,DAVOS,or have we remembered,Bilderberg,City of London,Communists,Gates,Fauci,
Swab, The Death Jab….we have only just begun,curtain roll, it gets HOTTER.
Staying soft on Ukraine again. Disappointing
Thank you for the word “Hibernophobic” That is gold!
I find myself in the position of being somewhat of an aged fan, a modern day elder groupie of sorts, when it comes to this authors exceptional talent, for making total and absolute sense out of the most strange and nonsensical situations, a hugely admirable quality!.
Sadly, Ciaran Brennan is a writer for the Burkean (no disrespect whatsoever) , rather than the current leader of our small nation. IF ONLY, one of the many politicians within the current Irish government was given the gift, of even only 50% of Mr. Brennan’s smarts , what a valuable difference that gift would make to the running of our nation.
Sadly, our collective gain on having Mr. Brennan’s considered intellect working for the betterment of this country, would of course result in a loss of this admirable wordsmith and thus, a gaping hole in the excellent content produced by the author and his equally talented colleagues at the Burkean.
I state quite clearly, my admiration for the author and for his choice of subjects. God knows, there must be an easier way for modern journalists to make a living, perhaps writing a column for a small magazine as the favored agony Aunt or a similar (once considered) cushy number as a magazine writer.
Thankfully, the author favors the more risky, more conflicting and arguably the more important subjects of the day , week or month to get his pearly whites well and truly sunk into.
There are perhaps none more deserving a subject /s than the current situation between Russia and Ukraine, along side all the lovely statements from the ever encouraging and always grateful Ukrainian President .
On one hand, we have a collective echo chamber of outlets, TV, Radio & Print media (hitherto MSM),
a collective of Stenographers, busily repeating the statements and wishes of their individual governments and nations.
Thus, resulting in a MSM of many nations repeating the exact same statements from unknown sources , as though these very words come from God’s own mouth!.
In print media there are the BIG ONES, almost all carry the Times name and logo, The Irish Times, New York Times , London Times, L.A, Times and so on, and on. Such is the print media which we as individuals of individual nations , choose as our source of news and events.
The Times of London and The Irish Times (as stated by the author) differ little.
Should Paddy get his hand taken off in the rear of his new tractor, then one would not expect to see such an incident reflected in the London Times.
Yet, should the United States decide to allow it’s President to call for the murder, of the head of another state, (Yes Biden Did!) then one can be sure such idiocy will be reflected world wide.
In the same way in which Mrs. Clinton rather distastefully, celebrated the murder of another head of state Colonel Gadaffi, with her : We Came , We Saw – We got him! statement.
All such teenage like celebrations of the death / Murder of another, should immediately be reviled by all adults!. But it is not, instead we are collectively fed the old script of Putin BAD and Russia BAD or Syria BAD, swiftly followed by statements demanding the removal of a certain leader of a certain country!.
It’s ALL a build up to something dreadful, terrifying, awful or unimaginable!. Something NO civilized nation should even think about, never mind actually carry out!. Sadly, this is the level which our civilization has achieved or perhaps, a level our collective civilization has stooped down to.
Currently, some of our more dimwitted politicians, encouraged by MSM and in particular print media like the Irish Times , are suggesting that WE Irish should become members of NATO!.
No it’s not a sick joke , We Irish, a small island nation are being pressured to become members of an ailing and failing group , which as a collective, beyond ALL Doubt created the issue which eventually lead to the current situation in Ukraine!.
There is absolutely no doubt, that had NATO in marriage with the United States and the UK, considered the requirements set down by Russian President Putin, the current situation within Ukraine most likely, could and would have been AVOIDED!.
So, we as a collective within an island nation of just a smidgen over 5.1 million, formerly a peace keeping nation admired worldwide , for the absolute professionalism and fairness of our military as they carried out Peace Keeping duties . We are being pressured in to the big boys club!, WHY??.
I have no desire to under sell my nation nor her great people, but let’s be realistic about any attempt by our ever more authoritarian government, to get our boys and girls serving their country into NATO.
Realistically, what possible reason would we as a nation have, for forsaking our neutrality.
Our military is after all, small in comparison to all the other NATO nations, we could only play a very small part in NAT O exercises and the cost placed upon our nation financially, could literally leave us crippled.
Therefore, the only possible reason for Ireland’s Defensive Forces and current Peace Keepers to join NATO, would be to assist the US to further the ongoing pressure on Russia, China, Pakistan and India.
In my humble opinion, said reasons are not of our national concern , the cost financially and politically could never be justified by any government of Ireland. Why bother getting into a situation which may in the long term actually harm our country.
There is NO Good reason to sacrifice our Neutrality for the US, UK, China , India, Russia or any other nation for that matter. We must remain a good business partner of the US, the UK, India Russia and China to name but a small few!.
God knows, the current situation inflicted upon Ireland because of EU membership has already done enough damage to this country!.
Add to this the EU entanglement with NATO and the US and just like prior sanctions imposed upon Russia by the EU, WE this little island in the sea, lose millions upon millions of Euros from lost Dairy sales to Russia.
As I write this, Petrol prices are nearing €2. per liter, or €8 per gallon , giving a total US equivalent of $8.90 per gallon. Natural Gas is yet another first of very many blow back injuries, which we as a nation will suffer, due to the unrealistic sanctions created by the United States against Russia.
Remember this, Russia has as yet, Not returned sanctions towards the EU, US and UK among other unfriendly nations. So what you are feeling now hitting you in your wallet , IS NOTHING in comparison to what is about to come our way.
It’s Only the beginning, EU countries are expected to accept persons from Ukraine as refugees. Ireland’s government has already signed us up to take in 200,000 , now I know there is already a chorus of folk singing the praises of their arrivals, OK.
Remember those Face Masks, standing in the rain outside shops in small towns all over Ireland, Guess What Covid -19 also has to be paid for YET!.
Neutrality, is something we have to keep for our country, mainly but not only, because we can not afford to lose business from, or with other large nations.
Between expensive Woke desires & Rainbow Dreams, Covid -19, and the ever growing number of refugees , plus the upcoming Green Hike, decided it seems by our children, BUT in Reality driven by our Politicians, via our Teachers.
OUR Grandchildren’s Grandchildren will be paying for Liberal ineptness, all the way into their 80’s or 90’s!.
May God Forgive those of our Political class who sold us all out Again!