This is, to say the least, rather harsh. Ireland’s military neutrality has long been accepted by the United States so expectations of Irish military involvement in Operation Iraqi Freedom were never formed in Washington.
Besides, Ireland’s small military is stretched as it is with internal security duties and service with United Nations peacekeeping missions, not least in Liberia, a country with strong historical ties to the U.S. but one where the Bush administration stopped short of fully intervening when civil war recently broke out.
Ireland has been helpful to the U.S. over the past year in a very practical sense. Tens of thousands of U.S. troops have passed through Shannon Airport on their way to Kuwait and Iraq.
Irish air space, despite neutrality, has been open to overflights by U.S. military aircraft and civilian planes carrying troops and supplies.
Ireland’s minister for foreign affairs, Brian Cowen, has repeatedly stressed Ireland’s support for the U.S.-led war against terrorism, not least in Afghanistan.
The Washington Post reported Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz as saying that it was necessary for the protection of the essential security interests of the united States to limit competition for the prime contracts (in Iraq) to companies from the United States, Iraq, coalition partners and force-contributing nations.
Is Wolfowitz implying here that Ireland is somehow a threat to U.S. national security interests? Sure sounds like it.
Dr. Strangelove would appear to be alive and well.