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  • US Pressure for Irish troops and gardai help in Afghanistan

    WikiLeaks: US Pressure for Irish troops and gardai help in Afghanistan


    By Tom Brady



    The US put intense pressure on the Irish government to sanction a bigger role for the Republic's troops or gardai in Afghanistan, leaked secret papers reveal.
    And the US also wanted special status for troops passing through Shannon Airport on their way to Afghanistan and Iraq.
    Confidential documents, obtained by the Irish Independent from the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks, reveal the extent of the pressure placed on Irish officials by the US Embassy in Dublin.
    Despite the negative reaction from several Irish contacts, US Ambassador Dan Rooney reported back to Washington: "We will keep pressing the Irish on additional police or troop trainers and development assistance."
    At one stage, a senior Department of Defence official, who is named in the leaked US cable, told the embassy that Ireland had been exploring opportunities to contribute military trainers to Afghanistan but faced security-related and political difficulties.
    He outlined discussions with Canada on sending two Irish soldiers, probably a lieutenant or captain and an NCO, as instructors in a Canadian-led training programme for junior officers and NCOs.
    Other participants would be from Sweden and Finland.
    But the Defence official said the idea had been rejected as too dangerous since Canada would not be able to provide logistical support such as secure housing or transportation.
    The project's advantage, according to the official, would have been its political palatability in a country protective of its neutrality.
    The US cable -- sent in December 2009 -- quoted the Irish official as stating his soundings confirmed that working outside NATO with the Canadians and fellow neutral countries Sweden and Finland would have met with the approval of the "pacifist-oriented" Green Party and of the Oireachtas.
    The official said he had heard the previous day that Irish trainers might participate in a similar -- but NATO-led -- training mission but that would also have to pass scrutiny on security grounds and be approved by the Dail before getting a go-ahead.
    He said Dail approval would be more difficult because of the NATO connection but he felt it could probably be won over with the argument that Ireland must support the international community's efforts to build the capacity of the Afghan forces to provide for their own security.
    Embassy officials also raised the possibility of concluding an agreement with Ireland that would grant US troops special status as they travelled through Shannon on the way to and from Afghanistan and Iraq.
    However, the senior Defence official pointed out that giving US troops any sort of special status would spark a major public debate.
    He said this would awaken the opposition of an Irish populace that was very jealous of Ireland's neutrality, according to the cable.
    The official added it could also jeopardise Irish national security, since it would highlight Ireland's help to the US and expose it to possible terrorist attacks by al-Qa'ida or associated groups.
    He believed the current informal arrangement should remain in place








  • #2
    a pity the Americans never really got the Irish troops they wanted.
    RGJ

    ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

    The Rifles

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by RoyalGreenJacket View Post
      a pity the Americans never really got the Irish troops they wanted.
      Why would we want to get involved?

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by apc View Post
        Why would we want to get involved?
        you already are.
        RGJ

        ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

        The Rifles

        Comment


        • #5
          Oh what could have been...

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by RoyalGreenJacket View Post
            a pity the Americans never really got the Irish troops they wanted.
            Meaning...?

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Wicklaman View Post
              Meaning...?
              Meaning he would've liked to see more DF troops deployed in A'Stan?

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Hello Alaska View Post
                Meaning he would've liked to see more DF troops deployed in A'Stan?
                exactly.

                good army, good men, good kit, good news.
                RGJ

                ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

                The Rifles

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Hello Alaska View Post
                  Meaning he would've liked to see more DF troops deployed in A'Stan?
                  Be careful what you wish for;

                  its feck all to do with us- I wish the coalition well

                  but its not our battle- we had no input on any part of it.
                  Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
                  Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
                  The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere***
                  The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
                  The best lack all conviction, while the worst
                  Are full of passionate intensity.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by hedgehog View Post
                    Be careful what you wish for;

                    its feck all to do with us- I wish the coalition well

                    but its not our battle- we had no input on any part of it.

                    He is young and knows no better..

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by hedgehog View Post
                      Be careful what you wish for;

                      its feck all to do with us- I wish the coalition well

                      but its not our battle- we had no input on any part of it.
                      We supported the mandate that has the Coalition there.

                      If it's good enough for us to support politically, it should be good enough for us to commit too. Although that's just my personal opinion.

                      Originally posted by Craghopper View Post
                      He is young and knows no better..

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Hello Alaska View Post
                        We supported the mandate that has the Coalition there.

                        If it's good enough for us to support politically, it should be good enough for us to commit too. Although that's just my personal opinion.



                        Roll your eyes all you like- but its feck all to do with us,

                        why should any young Irish person lose their life in a war that is not ours.

                        The Americans are witdrawing their boys out this year- is paddy the pig really that desperate for overseas that we would sacrifice the best of our youth to appease others.


                        Your young HA- and its good your running to the sound of gunfire- but I genuinely hope you dont get to anywhere like Afghanistan.

                        And I was on the very first trip there- just in case.
                        Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
                        Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
                        The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere***
                        The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
                        The best lack all conviction, while the worst
                        Are full of passionate intensity.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Hello Alaska View Post
                          We supported the mandate that has the Coalition there.

                          If it's good enough for us to support politically, it should be good enough for us to commit too. Although that's just my personal opinion.



                          Whats the rollyeyes for ? You are young and inexperienced .. HH is correct.. Just look at the amount of coalition Soldiers coming home in coffins and with lost limbs...

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Hello Alaska View Post
                            We supported the mandate that has the Coalition there.

                            If it's good enough for us to support politically, it should be good enough for us to commit too. Although that's just my personal opinion.
                            Would be very against it. Not our war (and even the Brits have now put an exit date). How many times have they come out with the "just six more months" game? It was lost when Dubya lost interest and went to Iraq instead.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by hedgehog View Post
                              Roll your eyes all you like- but its feck all to do with us,

                              why should any young Irish person lose their life in a war that is not ours.

                              The Americans are witdrawing their boys out this year- is paddy the pig really that desperate for overseas that we would sacrifice the best of our youth to appease others.


                              Your young HA- and its good your running to the sound of gunfire- but I genuinely hope you dont get to anywhere like Afghanistan.

                              And I was on the very first trip there- just in case.
                              We supported the mandate to send troops there, we've deployed a small number of troops... Obviously someone, somewhere thinks it's somewhat our war.

                              Again, this is just my personal opinion but I feel a deployment like A'Stan would have given the DF the kick up the bollocks it needs, both in terms of opening the eyes of those in charge and right down to the individual soldier. The fact that people die over there shouldn't stop us from going, we're an army after all and people could die anywhere we go.

                              Again this is just my opinion. Although it's all hypothetical since nothing came of the pressure.

                              Originally posted by Craghopper View Post
                              Whats the rollyeyes for ? You are young and inexperienced .. HH is correct.. Just look at the amount of coalition Soldiers coming home in coffins and with lost limbs...
                              "He's young and knows no better"... Don't be so condescending.
                              Last edited by Hello Alaska; 8 June 2011, 00:00.

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