British Actions On 14th June 2026 Royal Marine Commandos commandeered a ship named Smyrtos that was sailing under the flag of Cameroon. The Ministry of Defence admitted that the ship was boarded in international waters as it was more than 12 nautical miles from the UK coast (see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyek039l2vo ). Despite this, the MoD claimed that the operation … Continue reading Maritime Law And ‘The Freedom Of The Seas’ !
Russia
Hague Tribunal Rejects Ukraine’s Crimea claims!
The ruling marks a “convincing victory” in a decade-long maritime dispute, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said A Hague-based Arbitration Tribunal has rejected Ukrainian maritime claims against Russia, including attempts to challenge Moscow’s sovereignty over Crimea and surrounding waters. Ukraine launched the case in 2016 before the Permanent Court of Arbitration under the UN Convention on the Law of the … Continue reading Hague Tribunal Rejects Ukraine’s Crimea claims!
The End Of The Empire?
There are two views about the Trump Presidency. The majority view appears to be that Trump is deranged, erratic and irrational. A minority view is that there is a coherence about the State’s policy. However, the two views are not incompatible. Trump is erratic, but the State is coherent. In his Presidential campaign he advocated … Continue reading The End Of The Empire?
Pie In The Sky: EU Ambitions In Armenia And Ukraine
The Guardian reported on May 4th that: “The EU is sending a team of experts specialised in combating Russian propaganda and interference to Armenia, as it increases its support to the former Soviet republic in a tense political period. In a highly symbolic sequence of events, EU leaders will hold their first summit with Armenia, after … Continue reading Pie In The Sky: EU Ambitions In Armenia And Ukraine
Is The EU fit for purpose?
“Why a Club of six is both Europe’s best hope and its greatest risk” was the title of an article in Social Europe, the Social Democratic pro-EU Think Tank: its content should be required reading for all concerned with the Irish Presidency of the EU later this year. It outlines the central problem in the EU, which it calls “The deadlock in the … Continue reading Is The EU fit for purpose?
The B&ICO !
It seems that an account of the B&ICO should be given, and that I will have to give it. I was not in any sense a founder of it, but I was around at the time and I knew its founders, Pat Murphy and Liam Daltun; Gerry Golden might be named as a third (all … Continue reading The B&ICO !
Ireland, Poland and all humanity need peace not war
The Polish and Irish people have suffered too much historically, due to wars and occupation. Poland’s central European location makes its borders difficult to defend. Ireland’s isolated Atlantic ‘island behind an island’ location left it vulnerable to abusive British imperialism. Poland and Ireland achieved independence after World War I. While Ireland avoided the devastation of … Continue reading Ireland, Poland and all humanity need peace not war
An “À La Carte” EU?
The EU and the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen are very keen on Ukraine becoming a member of the Union. According to a report in Politico—a news agency that claims to be a survey of opinion across EU leaders and top officials—she has come up with an innovative way of … Continue reading An “À La Carte” EU?
Victor Grossman RIP
The late Manus O'Riordan often liked to quote analysis by the German Socialist, Victor Grossman—a supporter of Die Linke—who has just died, aged 95! We reproduce the following tribute to him—thereby remembering both him and Manus! Lives worth living Obituary, Victor Grossman 11 March, 1928 – 17 December, 2025 Phil Butland20/12/2025 Victor Grossman died on … Continue reading Victor Grossman RIP
More Tariffs?
Letter to the Editor From Eamon Dyas Redefining tariffs as a security tool rather than an instrument of commercial relations has been a ploy of the EU Commission since last December (see link below). Ostensibly this new policy was a response to the recent actions of Russia in Ukraine but arguably the Commission had been … Continue reading More Tariffs?
Irish Political Review 