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China in Chad - An interesting comment from Minister O’Dea
Read more about: Foreign Affairs
While his row with John Deasy was the one which caught the headlines, the interesting comments from Willie O’Dea last week were his comments on the Chinese involvement in Chad’s civil war:
The rebellion is supported by Chad’s powerful neighbour, Sudan, whose regime is in turn by the Government of China.
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Approaches to the Chinese authorities would be quite futile because the Administrations of both China and Sudan have stated publicly they have nothing at all to do with the rebels in Chad. At a diplomatic level, we must take China’s word for it, although we might have information to the contrary.
So here we have our Minister for Defence stating in the Dáil that a country participating in the internal affairs of another country, supporting rebels and lying about it. A tad odd why we require their approval to participate in military missions through the Triple Lock.
Also, if we cannot say it diplomatically to the Chinese, surely saying it in the Dáil amounts to the same thing - or is this just a restatement of John Bruton’s comment that if you want to hide something, get up in the Dáil and say it?
A tad odd why we require their approval to participate in military missions through the Triple Lock.
I’ll tell you why - it’s supposed to stop reckless military adventures abroad, particularly for the sake of ambitious powers.
Being patsies for French colonial ambitions isn’t something most Irish people would support - though Fine Gaelers, have, I suppose, been well broken-in on the concept when it comes to facillitating the British version of same.
I’ll tell you why - it’s supposed to stop reckless military adventures abroad, particularly for the sake of ambitious powers.
It doesn’t - a la Chad. It may have during the cold war, but today we have at least three of the five members solely concerned with their own national interests and no ideological concerns. The triple lock is an amoral concept which allows us to sit idly by with moral certainity.
Being patsies for French colonial ambitions isn’t something most Irish people would support</i.
I don’t either, but the UNSC - that great moral body - does.
thugh Fine Gaelers, have, I suppose, been well broken-in on the concept when it comes to facillitating the British version of same.
The strength of your argument is only strenghtened by such ad hominem attacks.
Indeed. And Saddam Hussein said he didn’t have WMD, so we should have just trusted him and not invaded? Oh, hang on….