Paul Murphy on Biden's Visit, Neutrality and Foreign Policy
Paul Murphy criticised the government's handling of President Biden's visit and warned against abandoning Irish neutrality in favour of NATO alignment. He argued the invitation was treated with respect but said plans for a citizens assembly on neutrality have been downgraded and raised concerns on Ukraine, China, Israel and climate.
Visit and reception
He said President Biden was an invited guest and was treated with respect by politicians, the Irish public and the media. Murphy argued that if a country issues an invitation it is right to make the visitor welcome and courteous treatment was shown throughout the visit.
Neutrality forum and public opinion
Murphy noted that a previously proposed citizens assembly on neutrality has been downgraded into a special forum inspired by citizens assembly principles. He said the key principle of random selection appears to have been abandoned because of concern over public opinion on neutrality.
Foreign policy focus
He criticised the framing of a new Cold War as democracy versus autocracy, saying the US provides military support to many dictatorships, and argued the government clearly favours aligning Ireland with NATO. He also said meetings around the visit focused mainly on Ukraine and China, and noted Secretary Blinken and other senior officials were present in Ireland.
Israel, Palestine and climate
Murphy said his own meeting did not cover Israel and Palestine, but that other meetings may have discussed the issue. He stated his position that Israel should exist "not as an apartheid state" and should exist alongside an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, which he said is the government's position. On climate, he quoted a presidential line about comparing leaders with the alternative and argued the current administration shows more commitment to climate action than some others.
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Ishak, at the centre of Joe Biden's speech to the Dáil last week was to talk about a new Cold War in reality, pitching that the key struggle in the world is between democracy and autocracy, failing to mention that the US provides military support to a majority of dictatorships in the world, but really the idea of a US-led NATO in the West and the East of China, Russia and allies. It is very clear that this government has no doubts about where they stand in that, would like Ireland to abandon all of what is left of neutrality and align Ireland with NATO. Public opinion remains a very important obstacle to what you would like to see. So we had the fact that just over a month ago your predecessor said that we might have a citizens assembly on neutrality, a random selection of citizens coming together to discuss neutrality. That was then downgraded last week into a special forum on neutrality inspired by the principles of the citizens assembly, but I assume that the key principle, i.e. a random selection of citizens, has been abandoned because you are scared of the people's opinion on this matter. In relation to President Biden's visit, I think it is important not to forget that he was an invited guest. When you invite a guest to your house or to your country, you treat them well, you make them feel welcome and you treat them with respect. That is what was done by politicians in this house, by the Irish public in general, and perhaps even indeed by the media. I do not think that is a bad thing. You might take the view that he should not have been invited in the first place. That is fair enough, but I think if you do issue an invitation to somebody and they come to your town, your village, your community, your home, your country, you treat them with respect and courtesy. That is what was done. We did not have time in our meeting to discuss the situation in Israel or Palestine, but there were other meetings. Secretary Blinken was present in Ireland as well, as well as other senior White House staff, so it may have come up in other meetings that I was not party to. The main focus was on Ukraine and also on China. The President was very clear that he is not seeking a new Cold War with China, nor does Ireland or Europe want to be caught in the middle of a Cold War between the USA and China, but he does want a rules-based international order based on democracy and liberty and territorial integrity and freedom and the values that we share with America. I am not sure when he – Deputy Barrett mentioned comments he made in the past saying that if Israel did not exist, America would make it exist. I am not sure when they were made or in what context. I would hope that Deputy Boyd Barrett agrees with me that Israel should exist. Not as an apartheid state. Not as an apartheid state, no. If it is equal rights for everybody, yes, a state should exist. Yes, because I certainly believe that it should exist alongside an independent Palestinian state, based on the 1967 borders, and that is the position of government. That is a meta. There is one thing that President Biden says, and this is in relation to the question on climate. One thing he says from time to time is that he asks that people compare him with the alternative, not the almighty. I think that perhaps is my answer in relation to climate, in relation to what the alternative would be, perhaps, under a different administration when it comes to climate. We do not have a choice when it comes to who people select as their president or as their government. That is the sovereign right of any independent country. But I think it is fair to say that there is more commitment to climate action from this administration than perhaps other administrations.
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