The Irish Times view on the US attacks on Iran: Trump's biggest gamble
Donald Trump's
bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities
at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan has made the world a significantly more dangerous place. As UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres rightly warns, the strikes are a 'dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.' He said there was 'a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.'
Although Trump claims that the strikes
have successfully 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear programme
, their ostensible sole and arguably welcome purpose, it is clear that he does not now intend to disengage. Israel has, as it has hoped for some time, acquired a formidable partner whose continued commitment will be assured by Iran's inevitable retaliation at US targets. 'Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,' Trump warned. 'If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.'
Israel's purpose, unlike the US, in launching its attack was never solely the disabling of the infrastructure of a nuclear weapons programme. Its objective, largely unstated, has always been the regime in Tehran itself. It has no intention of leaving the job half done.
The leader of Israel's parliamentary opposition, Yair Lapid, a committed critic of prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, yesterday backed the US attack: 'It was the right and correct thing for Israel, Israeli security and global security. It's a good moment.' But rightly added that Israel should now aim to wrap up the war with Iran, saying that its 'main objectives had been achieved.' Netanyahu is unlikely to listen.
READ MORE
Regime change is likely to prove difficult with unpredictable consequences as the US should have learned in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Although the US strikes are clearly in breach of international law, most western capitals while emphasising that they were not involved, and appealing for 'de-escalation', have dodged the issue to avoid antagonising Trump.
Not so his Democratic opponents in the US, who are complaining bitterly that once again the president has ignored the constitutional limits of presidential power by usurping Congress's authority to declare war.
Within the ranks of his MAGA movement sharp divisions are also opening up between those who signed up because of his promise to pull America out of all 'forever wars', and those who will back him whatever he does. And the polls are showing the president's performance rating sliding, By attacking Iran, Trump has taken a huge gamble in what is a defining moment for his presidency. The consequences are uncertain and the risks that it could all backfire are substantial.
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Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Letters to the Editor, June 23rd: On the EU and Israel, organ donation and tattoos
Sir, – Today, the EU foreign ministers are to meet to discuss whether the EU-Israel Association Agreement should be suspended, in whole or part, due to Israel's failure to meet human rights obligations. The review recommendations indicate Israel has failed to meet their human rights obligations, as they relate to their actions in Gaza. And yet all indications are that because there will not be consensus among the EU foreign ministers, they will provide a further month to see if Israel will change its posture on provision of aid to Gaza. This approach beggars belief. For the past 20 months Israel has faced innumerable 'red lines' from world governments and bodies, and ignored them with impunity. READ MORE On May 19th, Canada, France and the UK indicated there would be 'concrete actions' if Israel did not permit aid entering Gaza – we still await! On June 10th Australia, the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Norway placed financial sanctions and travel bans on two Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir (national security minister), and Bezalel Smotrich (finance minister) – big swing! Yet every time it appears that taking firm action is close, Israel changes the narrative; the latest 'Israel is threatened by Iran', and the world shrinks back to the position of 'Israel has the right to defend itself'. While this occurs, Gaza slips further from public consciousness. The result being the killing and starvation continues unabated, and where aid posts appear to have become the new killing fields for the IDF. The EU foreign ministers must act with decisiveness today. Similarly, equally decisive action must come from EU leaders on Thursday. Failure to do so will indicate the EU leaders and politicians, our leaders, have parked their humanity. – Yours, etc, PHILIP BRADY, Donnycarney, Dublin 9. Sir, – Jane Mahony suggests in her letter (June 20th) that Trinity College is anti-Semitic and racist for singling out Israel, while maintaining ties with other unnamed countries with well documented human rights and international law violations. To suggest what Israel is doing in Gaza is comparable to what other unnamed countries are doing is a gross understatement of the atrocities Israel is carrying out on a daily basis. The slaughter of civilians, the destruction of homes and infrastructure, and the constant dehumanisation of Palestinians, are actions which Israelis and Israel's supporters should be ashamed of. Trinity's actions will at a minimum help to raise awareness with some Israelis of what their government are doing, while conveying the horror of many of us as we continue to watch the atrocities unfold. In the grand scheme of things, a small but brave step – the world could do with more of these. Yours, etc, MARTIN FOLAN, Leixlip, Co Kildare. New rules on organ donation Sir, – The new rules underpinning organ donation and transplant in Ireland, on which matter I was kindly quoted in a report online (' What are the new rules around organ donation in Ireland and what if I want to opt out ?', June 17th) are welcome but, as as observed by Dr Liam O'Neill (Letters, June 20th), are unlikely to boost activity in this literally vital realm. There is indeed a logical argument that they might reduce it. At present, ICU doctors aim to seek family consent from all potential organ donors and data shows that we largely achieve this. Henceforth, we will only seek consent in the case of patients not on the register. It is not obvious that significantly higher rates of acquiescence will result from these fewer requests. The point made by Dr O'Neill that, to match the best in the world, which he sees as 'the Spanish system', will require 'higher levels of Government support, investment and transplant infrastructure' is fair but there are cultural factors that also apply. Ireland is a very litigious society and this discourages doctors from taking on high-risk cases. This is a rational viewpoint that runs through our practice but that is not conducive to pushing the limits of medical innovation. We doctors may need to become braver. Another trend in recent years is that life-expectancy in Ireland has increased significantly, with safer roads and better outcomes from stroke among the factors. These disasters were major sources of donor organs. The consideration of older, less robust donors is becoming necessary. Notably, in recent years the US has soared in terms of international transplant activity reports. This appears to be good news, but the unfortunate reality is that the opioid epidemic there which has caused so many deaths has been the source of many donations. One must recall that organ donation is underpinned by tragic deaths of donors, and so be careful what we wish for. The priority of preventing those deaths in the first place is surely the most fundamental one. However, given the altruism of Irish people there is much to be optimistic about and I have no doubt we can achieve higher levels of transplantation. Investment in ICU beds and better theatre access are key targets. Currently, organ donation is the outcome of about 0.3 per cent of deaths it Ireland, and about 0.6 per cent of those in Spain. Approximating the rates of the latter country would enable us to greatly reduce waiting lists and improve quality of life, most markedly for those on dialysis. The new rules introduced will be merely a small step toward achieving this goal. The consideration of higher-risk donors is essential. – Yours, etc, BRIAN O'BRIEN, Kinsale, Co Cork. Tattoos, you lose Sir – I am not surprised to read that Gen-Z ( late 1990s and early 2010) are miserable according to Finn Mc Redmond. ( 'It's no wonder people my age are miserable. Everyone keeps telling them they're totally screwed,' June 19th) . When they look at their young bodies defaced with multiple tattoos, it cannot fill them with joy. Years ago the only people with tattoos were male prisoners , sailors and psychiatric patients. Now the young people of Generation Z have followed in their footsteps and those of the primitive tribes where this practice originated . I have yet to meet a person who did not regret getting a tattoo in later years . – Yours, etc, DR PAT Mc GRATH, Co Dublin. Sir, – I am not a great fan of tattoos, but one fascinated me a few days ago. A young man, out for a run overtook me. He was wearing shorts but no top. His entire back was covered in tattoos and I wondered where was the point, as obviously he couldn't see them , unless, of course, he has set up a double mirror at home. If so, I hope he enjoys his reflection after his run! – Yours. etc. MARGARET BUTLER, Co Dublin. Brain injury and better care Sir, – I refer to the letter from Joe Condon (June 14th) regarding the placement of younger people with disabilities in nursing homes. I want to endorse his call for the Government to take a leadership role in actively addressing this significant and enduring issue. An estimated 19,000 people in Ireland suffer a life-changing brain injury every year – that's 52 people every day, of all ages, from all corners of the country. Often, the impacts make it impossible for the person to return home directly from hospital and – for too many – the only available option is to live in a nursing home designed for the care of older people. As Mr Condon rightly asserts, this is not a place where a young person with a brain injury can engage effectively in rehabilitation to maximise their recovery and independence. Investing in community-based neuro-rehabilitation services is key to the solution. Rehabilitation services enable people with brain injury to move more seamlessly and successfully from hospital to home. They focus on ensuring that the person can rebuild their life after injury, reducing their limitations over time, promoting autonomy and community integration. Specialist brain injury case managers are essential to the rehabilitation process and critical to the realisation of the recommendations in the 2021 Wasted Lives report. They act as the bridge between acute hospitals, rehabilitation services, and community supports, making sure that no one with a brain injury is left to face their recovery alone – or worse, that they fall through the cracks and are forgotten about. They work in partnership to identify inappropriate nursing home placements, develop alternative pathways to recovery, and support young survivors of brain injury to move from residential care to more independent living. Some of those young people go on to work and further education. All of them – when they have the opportunity – return to play active roles and contribute to their communities. Currently, access to specialist brain injury case management is limited by geography. It is, in essence, an Eircode lottery. Acquired Brain injury Ireland is actively campaigning for an investment of €2 million per annum to provide this service nationwide. Not only would this targeted investment directly support commitments made in the programme for government to end the systemic misplacement of younger people in nursing homes – it would also uphold Ireland's obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which affirms the right of every person to access timely, appropriate rehabilitation. Brain injury can happen in the blink of an eye. Lives are changed, but not ended. We can do better. – Yours, etc, KAREN FOLEY, Chief executive , Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, Dublin. Infrastructure for cyclists Sir, – On my cycle to work in Galway University Hospital each day I pass through a number of new and under-construction housing developments in the Letteragh area, providing much needed modern urban housing for the people of Galway. What can't be seen anywhere are new protected cycle lanes or bus stops to accompany this rapid expansion of housing. Enforcing car dependency, through lack of active travel infrastructure, on a new generation of residents is both regressive and short-sighted. Galway already suffers from some of the worst congestion in Europe, adding thousands of cars to the picture can only worsen this. Located just 3km and 15 minutes by bike from the city centre, linking these new developments (and all those like it) to the city centre with active and public travel infrastructure should be a mandatory requirement for councils and developers. If we are serious about reducing congestion, improving our air pollution and health and meeting our legally binding emissions reductions targets, these are the open goals which we can't afford to miss. – Yours, etc, DR CALLUM SWIFT, Galway University Hospital, Galway. .
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Is Ireland sliding into a gerontocracy where the older generation dominates?
A gerontocracy is a system where the elderly hold sway, governing by and for their own interests. The concept traces back to the classical period, with Plato describing a society where 'the elder man rules, and the younger submits.' In Sparta, the Gerousia, a council of elders including two kings and nearly 30 elite full-citizen men of the city state of Sparta over 60, wielded significant judicial and legislative power, embodying this structure. The term 'senate' derives from the Latin senex, meaning old man. From antiquity to today, gerontocracy persists in places such as China, where CCP leaders seldom retire before their late 80s, perhaps adhering to that Confucian adage that 'when you meet someone older, you must respect and submit to that person's wisdom and power because he must have come across problems you encounter'. Perhaps the most vivid example of modern gerontocracy is in the world's superpower the United States where an octogenarian and septuagenarian candidate dominated the field during the last presidential election in a country where the average age is 38. Polling showed that many voters in the US were uneasy with 81-year-old Donald Trump and 78-year-old Joe Biden, before being replaced by his 60-year-old vice president Kamala Harris, as the two early nominees with age a major factor in their discontent. Beyond the executive branch, the second branch of government - the legislative - is dominated by elders. The current Senate is the second oldest, with an average age of 63, and the House of Representatives is the third oldest, averaging 57 years of age, since the foundation of the US Congress in 1789. It was president Ronald Reagan who, at the ripe old age of 78, in 1984 said he would not make age an issue during his presidential campaign against Walter Mondale. But while candidates may not make age an explicit issue during the campaign it certainly dominates their time in office. Currently, about a third of the federal budget is dedicated to Social Security and Medicare payments which benefits those over 60, who make up less than 20% of the US population. These costs are mainly borne by young workers and employers even as older generations are financially better off than younger cohorts. Talk of cuts to such programmes are usually met with voter rage as candidates and office holders alike walk a tightrope in accommodating older voters and promising to balance budgets. Aside from international examples, Ireland offers a closer look at gerontocratic rule. A recent study carried out by the Electoral Commission reveals the older generation's outsized influence on Irish elections. Titled the National Election & Democracy Study General Election 2024, the findings, carried out by Red C, indicates that 90% of those aged 65+ voted in last year's general election. But while the older generation enthusiastically headed to polling stations in their droves, young people, for the most part, stayed at home - their parents' home, that is. Housing between the generations Housing, the top electoral issue, underscores this divide. While voters express frustration with the crisis, 89% of those who turned out to vote are homeowners, with two-thirds reporting stable or improved economic conditions. Since the Troika's exit in 2013, house prices have doubled, boosting wealth for homeowners — mostly older generations. Meanwhile, wages, especially for younger people, have lagged, rising just 27% since the crash from 2013-2022. The ESRI highlights Ireland's stark generational homeownership gap: nearly 80% of those over 40 own homes, compared to just a third of those under 40. In 1993, 70% of 25-34-year-olds were homeowners; by 2016, 60% of this group were renters, and the 2022 census showed over two-thirds of 18-34-year-olds still living with their parents - way above the EU average. With 30% of Ireland's population aged 18-39, the over-40 cohort, around 10% larger, dominates both homeownership and voter turnout. Despite desperate attempts by the Millennial 'TikTok Teesh' Simon Harris to appeal to the youth, the 34th Dáil's power rests on older homeowners' support. This influence is reflected in government policy. Pensions In 2020, nearly every party opposed raising the state pension age from 66, with Sinn Féin, popular among under-65s, pledging to lower it to 65. A post-election Commission on Pensions recommended gradually raising the age to 67 by 2031. With the average life expectancy standing at 87, it only makes sense that the pension age rise concurrently. Yet the government, seemingly wary of older voters, rejected the recommendation, offering higher pensions for those retiring at 70 and proposing PRSI hikes — largely borne by younger workers. With birth rates declining and the worker-to-pensioner ratio projected to drop to 2:1 by 2050, PRSI costs will likely climb, further impacting working age people. Pensions, like housing, favour the old. Only 30% of 20-24-year-olds have some sort of pension plan, compared to over 70% of 45-54-year-olds, often tied to property wealth. Maybe the government's refusal to raise the pension age is informed by the last time geriatric rage was elicited. Following the crash, and the imposition of brutal austerity, the Fianna Fáil-Green-PD government did away with the automatic entitlement for over 70s to free healthcare and a medical card. This sparked major protests with opposition leaders, including Fine Gael's Enda Kenny and Labour's Eamon Gilmore, addressing some demonstrators. Fearing the electoral repercussions, the coalition government backtracked on their plans but ploughed ahead with gruelling cuts for mainly younger, working-age people. Shortly after the crash, Ireland registered one of the highest unemployment rates among those aged 15-24 at over 40%. Many young people emigrated — nearly 10% during the recession — rather than protest. The housing trap Housing remains the starkest indicator of youth disenfranchisement. Average rents now exceed €2,000 monthly, and post-crash rules requiring 10-20% deposits trap young people in a cycle of paying more in rent than a mortgage would cost. House prices are seven times the average income, compared to 1.5 times in the 1980s. A new report from the Central Bank of Ireland found that the wealthiest 10% of households held just below half of the total net wealth in 2024 mainly due to high house prices. According to the bank, Irish households have financial assets worth €570bn. For them, rising house prices are a positive development with politicians equally richly rewarded at the ballot box. When Mary Lou McDonald proposed lowering house prices to €300,000, her party was accused of recklessness. Fine Gael Senator John Cummins warned: 'We'd see our construction sector and economy crash.' Similar sentiments were echoed by then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar when he stated that "one person's rent is another person's income" when voicing his opposition to rent caps. Such Freudian slips reveal how politicians view housing: as an asset whose rising price must be maintained in order to satisfy the equity of a homeowners' property and yields for a landlord. Meanwhile, those desperate to get onto the property ladder and stuck paying gargantuan rents are left scraping by and politically unrepresented. Independent TD Barry Heneghan, at just 27 years of age, is one of the youngest candidates to sit in the current Dáil. Photo: Sam Boal/Collins Photos While some younger candidates did manage to get elected during the last general election, including Barry Heneghan at age 27, the spectre of career politician and septuagenarian Michael Lowry giving Paul Murphy the two fingers in the Dáil chamber as the new government was formed could not have shown more clearly whose interests they will represent. Minister of state for international development and the diaspora, Neale Richmond, recently mentioned that Ireland's greatest export was its people. With 70% of young people in Ireland contemplating emigration, you can expect bumper figures for exports in the future if this situation continues. The fissures between old and young are widening with housing causing the rupture and youth despair filling the crevice. Going back to first principles and re-examining who housing policy should represent and what the purpose of a home is would go a long way in stabilising that societal chasm.
Irish Daily Star
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Star
Trump threatens regime change in Iran with chilling ‘MIGA' social post following bombings
Donald Trump chillingly alluded to a "regime change" in Iran as he suggested that one would "MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN." In a Truth Social post on Sunday afternoon, the U.S. president wrote, "It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!" The post comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at a plan to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in several interviews last week following his strikes on Iran . Read More Related Articles Donald Trump dementia fears spike after 'symptom' spotted in President's suit Read More Related Articles JD Vance faces huge backlash for bringing 'uncontrollable kids' to Trump parade Experts, however, worry that such an assassination could create even more unrest in a region deeply afflicted by it. Khamenei fears that, too, and has already made provisions for the event of his assassination. Wary of such a possibility, Khamenei now only speaks to his commanders through a trusted aide and has suspended electronic communications in order to make it more difficult to find him, according to three Iranian officials familiar with his emergency war plans, who spoke to The New York Times. He's now holed up in a bunker, and he's reportedly picked an array of potential replacements down his chain of command in the event that more of his lieutenants are killed. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened "irreparable damage" to America (Image: via Getty Images) Khamenei has already named three senior clerics as candidates to succeed him, too, the officials said, in the event that he's assassinated. It's been described as a remarkable move and one that illustrates just how precarious his situation is — this could be the end of his three decades of rule. The entire point of Khamenei's work is to preserve the Islamic Republic, which is in danger of collapsing amid the airstrikes and surprise attacks launched by Israel — and now, the U.S., too — over the past couple of weeks. The strikes are the biggest assault on Iran since its war with Iraq back in the 1980s, and the effect has been detrimental to the nation's capital, Tehran. The Israeli attacks have reportedly been much more intense and have caused more damage in Tehran than Saddam Hussein did during his entire eight-year war against the country. Iran overcame the initial shock from the attacks, however, and has been able to reorganize enough to launch daily counterstrikes against Israel, striking a hospital, the Haifa oil refinery and religious buildings and homes. But when the U.S. entered the war, things changed. Trump announced late Saturday that the U.S. had deployed B-2 bomber jets to strike three of Iran's nuclear sites — including its uranium-enrichment facility deep underground at Fordow. "Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terror," Trump said in an address to the nation on Saturday night.
