Should Ireland give up its neutral status and join NATO?

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deadgerbil · 22-25

I was surprised to learn that it wasn't a member already, even though it has the UK defending its airspace. But then the big hang up to joining seems to be the northern Ireland stuff

Ozymandiaz

@deadgerbil Why is the hang up N.Ireland?

deadgerbil · 22-25

@Ozymandiaz

Ireland had been willing in 1949 to negotiate a bilateral defence pact with the United States, but opposed joining NATO until the question of Northern Ireland was resolved with the United Kingdom (see The Troubles 1968–1998).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland%E2%80%93NATO_relations

Ozymandiaz

@deadgerbil That stuff was sorted out in the 1990s by the Good Friday Agreement so it would have very little to do with it these days.

deadgerbil · 22-25

@Ozymandiaz do you see Ireland ever joining?

Ozymandiaz

@deadgerbil 50/50. The country is pretty pro-western even when it was neutral during WWII. The general population is not so keen on the idea of joining though.