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Originally Posted by Rainbow Six
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I always like looking at all the contingency plans drawn up to take control of Ireland during a major war, particulary the German and British plans during WW2. Shows the relative value of Ireland to to others due to its geography.
An Irish newspaper recently posted online that the oil terminal at Bantry was a likely target for a Soviet nuclear strike during the Cold War. Recent Irish State Papers were made available to the public entitled “Strategic Importance of Ireland to the UK in Times of War” sets out the likely role of Ireland in the event of a global nuclear war.
The document drawn up by the Irish intelligence services says that Ireland was under direct threat of nuclear attack with likely targets including the Whiddy oil terminal in Bantry Bay and Shannon Airport. The report also said that Ireland would be likely to assist the UK in the event of a nuclear war with up to 500,000 people available for military service as well as offering sites for missiles, more than 30 airstrips, oil supplies and access to dozens of ports and harbours. Ireland was also identified as a likely staging post for reinforcements from the USA.
During the Cold War Ireland refused to join NATO because Northern Ireland was still a part of the United Kingdom. But Ireland did offer to set up a separate alliance with the USA but this was refused and it was linked in part to the $133 million received from the Marshall Aid Plan. It was also revealed recently that the Irish government started secret transmission of information with the CIA in 1955 from the Irish embassy in London. During the Cuban Missile Crisis the Irish government authorized searches of Soviet aircraft that stopped over at Shannon Airport en route between Warsaw Pact countries and Cuba.
Sort of shows which side the Irish are really on.