The bloc must hold exercises in Irish-controlled waters, whether Dublin agreed or not, Chris Parry has said

The potential unification of Ireland would be a major blow to the West's security as it could allow Russia and China to expand their reach in the North Atlantic, a former NATO commander has warned.

Speaking at a briefing for members of Parliament and the House of Lords on Wednesday, retired British Rear Admiral Chris Parry argued that if the UK were to lose its foothold in Northern Ireland, it would present a major opportunity for Moscow and Beijing.

He noted that the waters between Northern Ireland and Scotland are essential for Britain's deployment of its nuclear-armed submarines, describing it as "critical to our strategic deterrent." "With a united Ireland, there is no guarantee we could deploy our ballistic missiles," Parry said.

He also suggested that a potential Irish unification would enable NATO adversaries to threaten critical undersea cables.

So a unified Ireland, on the border with the UK, could be a threat to the UK as it could be exploited by 'enemies' such as Russia and China.

Just as, historically, it was a threat when it could be leveraged by enemies of England such as Spain or France.

But hang on. Haven't we heard this somewhere before?

Ah yes. This was the main justification Putin used for invading the Ukraine - the threat of NATO bases on Russia's borders.

The justification that the MSM portrayed as nonsense. 

After all, what head of state could possibly object to the 'defensive' NATO alliance moving in on its borders, building bases and stationing missiles that could be used for a 'decapitation strike' on their capital?

So what to do if you are NATO facing potentially a similar scenario according to the Rear-Admiral (retired)?

Invade Ireland; force it to abandon neutrality and join NATO; or allow enemies to increase their influence on the borders of the UK?

What a quandary.