Ireland's moral responsibility

Has Ireland not got enough wealth yet for it to feel obliged to spend a little time, thought and energy getting involved with the problems of the rest of the world? Or is the making of money to be its sole raison d'etre for ever?

The world is in a fragile state because of colossal inequality, imperial and religious wars, pollution and natural disasters, yet what does Ireland do about it? Ireland has for so long thought of itself as the poor , helpless mite, that it easily continues thus (except for the 'poor') and so escapes growing up and taking on some responsibility. So, whether it is the invasion of Lebanon, Palestine of Iran by Israel, the armed robbery of any nation with precious natural resources by America and Britain, international torture, the grossly unfair treatment Cuba, the horrific injustice done to Iraq, the menacing of Iran, poverty and disease in Africa, the proliferation of provocative US missile systems around the world, guantanamo prison, or any of countless more horrors happening on this planet, smug and self-satisfied Ireland remains silent.

It is the horrors perptetually perpetrated by the major powers in the world that cause most of the misery in the world, rather than the relatively few and occasional acts of terror, and in this age there is sufficient accessible information for everybody in Ireland to be abundantly aware of this. Yet where are the cries of 'Enough' from this part of the world? Where are the questions, let alone the demands? Is it that Ireland is prepared to 'go along with' every atrocity committed by America just because American businesses invest in Ireland? Is that it? Is that really it? And if it is, are the Irish content to indefinitely aid and abet crimes they do not have the stomach to commit themselves, and delude themselves that they have not the slightest responsibility for?

If 'neutrality' is not a dirty word here now, it is surely one that has become obsolete, if not dirty.

It is an old axiom that the greatest generosity and humanity is found amongst the poor, and there is much evidence to show that Ireland, once poor, was well liked for its perceived humanity. Where does it think it stands now, and, more importantly, does it care?