Swiss can teach us a lesson on peace

■ Pauline Beach is absolutely correct in her sentiments (Irish Independent, Letters, February 14), Ireland does have a proud and continuing peacekeeping tradition. As I had grandparents who fought in World War I, I have some small insight of the horrors of war from their experiences.

I think her point that world wars were not part of the Irish psyche is not unique to us. I doubt that any of the nations involved were eager for war, at least not for long, anyway. Nobody believed World War I would last four years. Or that the price could have been so high.

There wasn’t much choice about the second. The Nazis were only too happy to oblige.

Irish citizens fought in both and died in their thousands. In their own way they were, as far as most of them believed, fighting for Ireland and very much so in the second.

Just as well too, because we had made almost no preparations to defend ourselves. No Navy, air defence, and an Army of just 7,000 very poorly equipped troops.

Her point that in the event of some future war the Army of today could train us all up is a small bit uninformed. Modern wars are fought brutally quickly and do not spare the unprepared.

Also, how would we equip these hurriedly trained troops? Ireland spends less on defence than all other European countries, including the neutrals, and has barely enough gear to train and supply its UN missions.

We should copy Switzerland’s example. It will not need to train anyone up as it has already trained. Swiss-style neutrality requires compulsory military service, and when was the last time it was invaded?

A quick military fact: the Irish Army has 85 (Swiss-built) armoured vehicles, the Swiss army has 500 of the same vehicles, and quite a few others also.

Jim Dooley

Banduff, Cork