A Clare politics professor has expressed concern that a drastic increase in US defence spending indicates the potential for a future large scale conflict.
It follows threats of US military action in both Iran and Greenland and the capture and detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Protests began in Iran on December 28th in response to the collapse in value of the Rial in comparison to the US Dollar.
Over 500 people have been killed and more than 10,000 people arrested, while the Iranian government warned those taking part face the death penalty.
Iran’s foreign minister has since claimed the protests are under ‘total control’.
White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, says Donald Trump is not afraid to use military power in Iran.
The US plans to increase defence spending to $1.5 trillion by next year, equal that of every other nation combined.
Newmarket-On-Fergus native and Professor of Politics at Dublin City University, Donnacha Ó’Beacháin, says historically, such increases solely occur in wartime settings.
Earlier this month, US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and transported him to New York where he was indicted on drugs, weapons and terrorism charges.
Meanwhile, President Trump has claimed taking control of Greenland is vital for US security and threatened to annex the world’s largest island ‘whether they like it or not’.
Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Limerick, Neil Robinson has ruled out the possibility of immediate conflict between the US and the remaining NATO members.
He claims given the importance of the United States to the organisation’s stability, countries won’t rush to support Denmark militarily.
You can listen to the full interview here:
