The US-Israeli assault on Iran is an act of aggression that threatens to set the entire Middle East ablaze. A sovereign state has been bombed, its leader assassinated and 185 innocent schoolgirls killed. These are not defensive actions. They are the actions of powerful states acting in defiance of international law. Let me state very clearly: the Iranian Government is brutal and repressive. It has crushed protesters, oppressed women and jailed dissidents. That merits the highest of condemnation but the brutality of one government does not license another to set aside international law and engage in military aggression. Israel, already pursuing a genocide in Gaza, has widened its murderous campaign. Israel has no interest in peace, in compromise or in negotiation, and the United States has backed and enabled this escalation. This represents military aggression over diplomacy. This confrontation has already spilled into Lebanon and across the Gulf. The UN Charter is explicit: force is prohibited save in the case of imminent self-defence or UN Security authorisation and neither is demonstrated here. Pre-emptive is not a substitute for legality yet the Government's response has been limited to expressions of concern and calls for restraint. Calling for restraint on all sides blurs the reality of who initiated this aggression. Only days ago, the Taoiseach spoke of Ireland being able to "stand militarily" with states engaged in conflict. This language undermines Ireland's neutrality and neutrality matters precisely at moments like this. It means we do not align ourselves with aggression, but more to the point, it means we robustly defend international law consistently. Of course, we are already seeing the consequences of all of this here with fuel prices rising sharply in recent days. The price-gouging has started. This needs to be stopped in its tracks and the Government needs to drop any notion or plan of increasing carbon taxes in the coming weeks. Ní mór don Taoiseach ionsaithe na Stáit Aontaithe agus Iosrael ar an Iaráin a cháineadh mar shárú tubaisteach ar an dlí idirnáisiúnta. Ní leor guaim a lorg. Caithfidh sé stop láithreach a héileamh ar an ionsaí míleata seo, agus comhrá agus taidhleoireacht a mholadh, chomh maith le hathdhearbhú ar an dlí idirnáisúnta. Léiríonn an iompar bagrach seo arís dúinn an fáth gur cóir don Rialtas gníomhú chun neodrachas na hÉireann a láidriú in áit bheith ag obair go náireach chun an bun a bhaint de. I ask the Taoiseach directly if he will condemn the US-Israeli strikes without qualification. Will he state clearly that they are in breach of international law? Irish neutrality demands that the Taoiseach be unequivocal on both these questions.
Sentiment score: -0.16
Wow. That is really dangerous.
Sentiment score: 0.03
The rhetoric we have just heard from the Taoiseach is very dangerous. He has, in effect, offered a defence and rationale for the indefensible and brazen breach of international law. These strikes were launched while negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme were reportedly making progress, while diplomacy was under way and while talks were described as constructive. Now, instead of dialogue, we have missiles. Instead of dialogue and negotiation, we have assassination and dead schoolgirls in large numbers. Why is it that the Taoiseach will not call out this aggression and name it for what it is? He expressed concern and called for restraint but notably stopped short of condemning those who have launched this attack. The question is: why? Ireland's neutrality and our commitment to international law mean absolutely nothing if they disappear when powerful states are involved. Why is the Taoiseach's shrinking away from stating the obvious? Why will he not speak clearly? Why will he not name the actions of Israel and the United States as illegal, dangerous and in breach of international law?
Sentiment score: -0.20
You are not a serious-----
Sentiment score: 0.00