Britain's secret terror force. BBC1 now..

[1961_vintage]

Dirty business soldiering, even more so where it's guerrilla and the Geneva Convention is off the table.

 

[kinkysleftfoot]

I served with the unit that replaced the MRF so I shall be watching this a bit later with keen interest!

 

[pominoz]

I served with the unit that replaced the MRF so I shall be watching this a bit later with keen interest!

You served with the SRU?
Respect.

 

[kinkysleftfoot]

I served with the unit that replaced the MRF so I shall be watching this a bit later with keen interest!

You served with the SRU?
Respect.

Or 14 int as it was officially known :-)

 

[mad4city]

If you looked at my other post you would see that I say that NI should remain part of the the UK until it's people decide otherwise.
What we are talking about here is not something that happened 1500 years ago.
The partition of Ireland is a relatively recent event.
I am not arguing against the reasoning as obviously the majority of the people in the North wanted it that way, and they wanted a bit more
if they could have got away with it.
I thought it was obvious that I was referring to the Catholic population of Ireland as a whole who viewed it as an occupying force not
the Protestant population of the North.
Although I do know a few Ulstermen who believe in a United Ireland and class themselves a Irish.

The division of Ireland is now getting on for a century ago prior to that all Ireland was part of Great Britain longer ago than the division of India say and for every Ulsterman who wants a united Ireland you'll find a thousand in the South who wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. They are now two different countries it happens the world over.

I really feel sorry for all the people of countries in the World that we fucked up.
Not just us, French, Dutch, Spanish and so on.
I therefore do not see because of conquest that we can claim these places as ours.
The same goes for Gibralter and The Falklands but , what's done is done and until the majority of the people in these places
and NI decide otherwise then it should remain as it is.
Perhaps I should clarify, I only know a couple of Ulstermen who class themselves as Irish, there may be others but I am sure the
majority want to stay British and I said that's how it should remain.
You are probably right as well, perhaps people of the South are a bit two faced.
Asked the question do you want a United Ireland, answer.. Yes.
Do you want the baggage that comes with it.. No.
But I do think it will happen one day, the majority now will become the minority.

Two faced?
The people of the Republic were offered a referendum on the subject, at the time of the Good Friday agreement.
We voted to relinquish the constitutional claim on the six counties and replace it with an aspiration that the country would one day be united.
That was a step forward, made for the good of all concerned, and not an easy step either. It was made at the height of the Celtic Tiger when we (and the world's so-called, top economists) thought there would never be a poor day in Ireland again, too. So financial implications were not an issue.
There is nothing two-faced about a nation voting on an issue at the heart of its constitution. You spout about the democratic wishes of Northern Ireland but you casually insult those of the entire island.
It'd be very interesting to see, if it were put to a vote in the UK, what support there would be for re-uniting Ireland.
Then again, with over 70% of the population, up there, employed by the state, your welcome to it, as far as I'm concerned. (All else aside, you should see what I'm paying in tax, besides supporting the Norn Ironers on top of that!).

Hey, perhaps one day your country might grow up and write its constitution down, rather than making it up as it goes along - and hoodwinking its citizens (subjects?) into thinking that they're doing them a favour by perpetrating that particular, legislative, three card trick.

 

[mad4city]

It was war

Innocents die in war but usually accidemtally

In this case the IR purposely targeted innocent people including old men and children by blowing them up usually

i don't believe that the british government stooped to that same low level even if of course innocent people suffered as they always do in war (but nowhere near as much as the IRA made them suffer of course)

It wasn't a war though. At least not as far as your government is concerned. The hunger strikes were all about the IRA wanting to be accorded prisoner of war status. The UK never granted it.

 

[stony]

I served with the unit that replaced the MRF so I shall be watching this a bit later with keen interest!

Fair play mate, huge respect to you for that. Our Sean did three tours in NI in the 70s and ended up marrying an Irish catholic girl. Once he'd left the army they moved back here and had to move house three times because of death threats in the form of letters from the IRA. The police couldn't work out how the IRA got their new address so quickly. It turned out to be her mum who was grassing them up.
He rarely spoke of his time over there, but he got pissed one night and just started talking about it. I had no idea of the sort of shit he went through until then. So huge respect to any of our lads that served.

 

[Wilmslow Road]

The division of Ireland is now getting on for a century ago prior to that all Ireland was part of Great Britain longer ago than the division of India say and for every Ulsterman who wants a united Ireland you'll find a thousand in the South who wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. They are now two different countries it happens the world over.

I really feel sorry for all the people of countries in the World that we fucked up.
Not just us, French, Dutch, Spanish and so on.
I therefore do not see because of conquest that we can claim these places as ours.
The same goes for Gibralter and The Falklands but , what's done is done and until the majority of the people in these places
and NI decide otherwise then it should remain as it is.
Perhaps I should clarify, I only know a couple of Ulstermen who class themselves as Irish, there may be others but I am sure the
majority want to stay British and I said that's how it should remain.
You are probably right as well, perhaps people of the South are a bit two faced.
Asked the question do you want a United Ireland, answer.. Yes.
Do you want the baggage that comes with it.. No.
But I do think it will happen one day, the majority now will become the minority.

Two faced?
The people of the Republic were offered a referendum on the subject, at the time of the Good Friday agreement.
We voted to relinquish the constitutional claim on the six counties and replace it with an aspiration that the country would one day be united.
That was a step forward, made for the good of all concerned, and not an easy step either. It was made at the height of the Celtic Tiger when we (and the world's so-called, top economists) thought there would never be a poor day in Ireland again, too. So financial implications were not an issue.
There is nothing two-faced about a nation voting on an issue at the heart of its constitution. You spout about the democratic wishes of Northern Ireland but you casually insult those of the entire island.
It'd be very interesting to see, if it were put to a vote in the UK, what support there would be for re-uniting Ireland.
Then again, with over 70% of the population, up there, employed by the state, your welcome to it, as far as I'm concerned. (All else aside, you should see what I'm paying in tax, besides supporting the Norn Ironers on top of that!).

Hey, perhaps one day your country might grow up and write its constitution down, rather than making it up as it goes along - and hoodwinking its citizens (subjects?) into thinking that they're doing them a favour by perpetrating that particular, legislative, three card trick.

Calm down.
It was certainly not intended as an insult perhaps I should not have used two faced.
I was merely trying to say that the people of the Republic want a United Ireland but perhaps don't want the shit that would go with it.
At this time anyway.

 

[TOFTHELADS]

He rarely spoke of his time over there, but he got pissed one night and just started talking about it. I had no idea of the sort of shit he went through until then. So huge respect to any of our lads that served.

my old man served there in 321 EOD from 1970 to 1972 as you can imagine he was a busy bloke at the time running around chasing his arse trying to dufuse bombs. He too very very rarely talks about his time there unless we have had more than a few beers. He's had nightmares for years about his time and to be honest still does just not as frequent as the years have gone by.

 

[blueinsa]

My old man was there with 2 RRF and did three tours in the early 70's and like many have said on here, doesn't want to talk about it which speaks volumes for what many went through over there.

 

[pominoz]

He rarely spoke of his time over there, but he got pissed one night and just started talking about it. I had no idea of the sort of shit he went through until then. So huge respect to any of our lads that served.

my old man served there in 321 EOD from 1970 to 1972 as you can imagine he was a busy bloke at the time running around chasing his arse trying to dufuse bombs. He too very very rarely talks about his time there unless we have had more than a few beers. He's had nightmares for years about his time and to be honest still does just not as frequent as the years have gone by.

Sorry, i posted this to blueinsa by mistake.

Thought you may find this interesting if you have not seen it. Brave, brave men.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-jL3drcH_8[/youtube]

 

[mad4city]

I really feel sorry for all the people of countries in the World that we fucked up.
Not just us, French, Dutch, Spanish and so on.
I therefore do not see because of conquest that we can claim these places as ours.
The same goes for Gibralter and The Falklands but , what's done is done and until the majority of the people in these places
and NI decide otherwise then it should remain as it is.
Perhaps I should clarify, I only know a couple of Ulstermen who class themselves as Irish, there may be others but I am sure the
majority want to stay British and I said that's how it should remain.
You are probably right as well, perhaps people of the South are a bit two faced.
Asked the question do you want a United Ireland, answer.. Yes.
Do you want the baggage that comes with it.. No.
But I do think it will happen one day, the majority now will become the minority.

Two faced?
The people of the Republic were offered a referendum on the subject, at the time of the Good Friday agreement.
We voted to relinquish the constitutional claim on the six counties and replace it with an aspiration that the country would one day be united.
That was a step forward, made for the good of all concerned, and not an easy step either. It was made at the height of the Celtic Tiger when we (and the world's so-called, top economists) thought there would never be a poor day in Ireland again, too. So financial implications were not an issue.
There is nothing two-faced about a nation voting on an issue at the heart of its constitution. You spout about the democratic wishes of Northern Ireland but you casually insult those of the entire island.
It'd be very interesting to see, if it were put to a vote in the UK, what support there would be for re-uniting Ireland.
Then again, with over 70% of the population, up there, employed by the state, your welcome to it, as far as I'm concerned. (All else aside, you should see what I'm paying in tax, besides supporting the Norn Ironers on top of that!).

Hey, perhaps one day your country might grow up and write its constitution down, rather than making it up as it goes along - and hoodwinking its citizens (subjects?) into thinking that they're doing them a favour by perpetrating that particular, legislative, three card trick.

Calm down.
It was certainly not intended as an insult perhaps I should not have used two faced.
I was merely trying to say that the people of the Republic want a United Ireland but perhaps don't want the shit that would go with it.
At this time anyway.

Sorry. I did kinda go off on a rant there.
And you're right about the attitude in the Republic towards the North, to a certain extent anyway.
A lot of us are fed up with the whole tweedledum & tweedledee approach to politics that they have.
On a more positive note, two middle-aged friends of mine went to Derry & Belfast with their two sons (both in their early 20's), the week before last.
They had to explain to their sons about the Troubles. The lads (who are both in Uni, frighteningly) had a vague notion that there had been some sort of hassle but were blissfully unaware of just how bad it was. Still less could they give a shite when it was told to them.
Maybe there's some hope if all of today's kids feel that way.
Anyway, apologies again for jumping down your throat like I did. I was out of order.

 

[Bilboblue]

I served with the unit that replaced the MRF so I shall be watching this a bit later with keen interest!

Any non-incriminating stories to tell us kinky?

 

[mammutly]

It was war

Innocents die in war but usually accidemtally

In this case the IR purposely targeted innocent people including old men and children by blowing them up usually

i don't believe that the british government stooped to that same low level even if of course innocent people suffered as they always do in war (but nowhere near as much as the IRA made them suffer of course)

It wasn't a war though. At least not as far as your government is concerned. The hunger strikes were all about the IRA wanting to be accorded prisoner of war status. The UK never granted it.

You are right,the hunger strikes were about POW status, but they became more than that. Bobby Sands was democratically elected as an MP whilst on hunger strike. Here are a few of his words:

“I believe I am but another of those wretched Irishmen born of a risen generation with a deeply rooted and unquenchable desire for freedom. I am dying not just to attempt to end the barbarity of H-Block, or to gain the rightful recognition of a political prisoner, but primarily because what is lost in here is lost for the Republic and those wretched oppressed whom I am deeply proud to know as the ‘risen people’.”

They will not criminalise us, rob us of our true identity, steal our individualism, depoliticise us, churn us out as systemised, institutionalised, decent law-abiding robots. Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal.”


Interesting that Peter Robinson quoted Bobby sands just yesterday in his speech to the DUP conference. He called his vision narrow. In 2013, I think he is right.

 

[i kne albert davy]

It was war

Innocents die in war but usually accidemtally

In this case the IR purposely targeted innocent people including old men and children by blowing them up usually

i don't believe that the british government stooped to that same low level even if of course innocent people suffered as they always do in war (but nowhere near as much as the IRA made them suffer of course)

It wasn't a war though. At least not as far as your government is concerned. The hunger strikes were all about the IRA wanting to be accorded prisoner of war status. The UK never granted it.

You are right,the hunger strikes were about POW status, but they became more than that. Bobby Sands was democratically elected as an MP whilst on hunger strike. Here are a few of his words:

“I believe I am but another of those wretched Irishmen born of a risen generation with a deeply rooted and unquenchable desire for freedom. I am dying not just to attempt to end the barbarity of H-Block, or to gain the rightful recognition of a political prisoner, but primarily because what is lost in here is lost for the Republic and those wretched oppressed whom I am deeply proud to know as the ‘risen people’.”

They will not criminalise us, rob us of our true identity, steal our individualism, depoliticise us, churn us out as systemised, institutionalised, decent law-abiding robots. Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal.”


Interesting that Peter Robinson quoted Bobby sands just yesterday in his speech to the DUP conference. He called his vision narrow. In 2013, I think he is right.

I'm sure he just fancied a chicken curry

 

[mammutly]

It wasn't a war though. At least not as far as your government is concerned. The hunger strikes were all about the IRA wanting to be accorded prisoner of war status. The UK never granted it.

You are right,the hunger strikes were about POW status, but they became more than that. Bobby Sands was democratically elected as an MP whilst on hunger strike. Here are a few of his words:

“I believe I am but another of those wretched Irishmen born of a risen generation with a deeply rooted and unquenchable desire for freedom. I am dying not just to attempt to end the barbarity of H-Block, or to gain the rightful recognition of a political prisoner, but primarily because what is lost in here is lost for the Republic and those wretched oppressed whom I am deeply proud to know as the ‘risen people’.”

They will not criminalise us, rob us of our true identity, steal our individualism, depoliticise us, churn us out as systemised, institutionalised, decent law-abiding robots. Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal.”


Interesting that Peter Robinson quoted Bobby sands just yesterday in his speech to the DUP conference. He called his vision narrow. In 2013, I think he is right.

I'm sure he just fancied a chicken curry

<a class="postlink" href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/562460-sammy-wilson-s-tasteless-joke-about-long-creche-at-sf-s-ard-fheis" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://audioboo.fm/boos/562460-sammy-wi ... -ard-fheis</a>

 

[i kne albert davy]

You are right,the hunger strikes were about POW status, but they became more than that. Bobby Sands was democratically elected as an MP whilst on hunger strike. Here are a few of his words:

“I believe I am but another of those wretched Irishmen born of a risen generation with a deeply rooted and unquenchable desire for freedom. I am dying not just to attempt to end the barbarity of H-Block, or to gain the rightful recognition of a political prisoner, but primarily because what is lost in here is lost for the Republic and those wretched oppressed whom I am deeply proud to know as the ‘risen people’.”

They will not criminalise us, rob us of our true identity, steal our individualism, depoliticise us, churn us out as systemised, institutionalised, decent law-abiding robots. Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal.”


Interesting that Peter Robinson quoted Bobby sands just yesterday in his speech to the DUP conference. He called his vision narrow. In 2013, I think he is right.

I'm sure he just fancied a chicken curry

<a class="postlink" href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/562460-sammy-wilson-s-tasteless-joke-about-long-creche-at-sf-s-ard-fheis" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://audioboo.fm/boos/562460-sammy-wi ... -ard-fheis</a>

bit late in the night for links as Ive been on pre tottingham game beer night sorry

 

[stonerblue]

It was war

Innocents die in war but usually accidemtally

In this case the IR purposely targeted innocent people including old men and children by blowing them up usually

i don't believe that the british government stooped to that same low level even if of course innocent people suffered as they always do in war (but nowhere near as much as the IRA made them suffer of course)

It wasn't a war though. At least not as far as your government is concerned. The hunger strikes were all about the IRA wanting to be accorded prisoner of war status. The UK never granted it.

Excellent point.