Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Higgins for deferring to me earlier.

Disagreement is the most powerful engine for arriving at the truth, so please do not construct disagreement as any kind of hostility or disrespect. I am saying this with absolute respect.

First, to Dr. Berry’s assertion that peace enforcement and war fighting are different things, he said war fighting is about seizing cities, invading and so on. I put it to the witnesses that that is what the United Nations did in Korea. We have to be very careful. Something approximate to that happened with both Operation Enduring Freedom and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. That evolved into a war fighting, full spectrum combat operation. Therefore, I am concerned about mission creep. Would the witnesses share those concerns in an environment where future missions outside of the UN Security Council and triple lock will more likely be peace enforcement?

My second question is in regard to military advice and successive Governments taking military advice. We see the Defence Forces, through no fault of their own, on their knees in our lifetime and on our watch. We can only put one ship to sea, we have no maritime or ground capabilities and we have nothing in the air domain. Would the witnesses trust that community of decision-makers to send any number of Irish troops anywhere in the world at any time in the future to any conflict?