The IRA

[Michael Corleone]

Ducado I think you are the one who may need a bit more information about the troubles to be honest. Some of the things you've said is just plain incorrect.

 

[johnmc]

Correct, GDM. The military were sent in originally to protect the Catholic population who were subject to horrific and virtually unchecked and unpoliced levels of violence, abuse and murder from the majority population. And the pitiful, borderline Nazi so-called police force of the time.
The soldiers were initially welcomed in nationalist areas - until they decided the RUC etc were more their kind of people.
Up until the mid to late 70s, Catholics in Northern Ireland had fewer democratic, social and economic rights and access to services than the black population in South Africa.
Mandela was a terrorist to Margaret Thatcher. The ANC committed horrific atrocities in his name. But now rock stars and our own Manchester City are queuing up to kiss his arse.
Cam someone explain the difference, apart from geographical proximity?

Good post

 

[TCIB]

Not much will be taught about the troubles now, English schools are shit for teaching real world stuff, all the pc shit and offending (insert ethnicity religion here)

For those saying "but but Libya, Afghanistan" Your compairing apples and oranges.

 

[talkativesprout]

No. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
'Ulster' is not and never has been part of the United Kingdom.
Ulster is one of the four ancient provinces of Ireland.
It includes the counties of Donegal and Monaghan, which are in the free Republic of Ireland.
Ulster existed long before invasion by a foreign nation, the plantation of Scottish protestants, vote denial, gerrymandering, the man who invented genocide and ethnic cleansing in the name of the English crown, Oliver Cromwell, and his spiritual daughter Margaret Thatcher.
Terrible atrocities were committed on all sides, including British soldiers.
Only an idiot or a hopeless bigot still refuses to accept Bloody Sunday was anything other than a state sanctioned slaughter. Even the government gas admitted as much.
For everyone on here who has a squaddie mate who was killed or maimed over there, there is a Catholic family with an equal grievance.
It is conveniently disingenuous at best, and pathetically dishonest at worst, to pretend that British soldiers and the loyalist paramilitaries they armed and provided so called intelligence to, were in any way less blameworthy than any other player in this awful tragedy.

Well perhaps those catholic families should not of had a murderous terrorist amongst them. Are you actually saying that the bombing of non military targets on the mainland is a course of action that justifies the means in the whole scheme of things ? Im sure the British military did some horrid things, but i think on the atrocity stakes they may well been bottom of the table in the league.

No, you're trying to put words in my mouth.
Murder is murder, whoever commits it.
Are you seriously saying all the Catholics who were murdered were either terrorists or were harbouring them?
Laughable and ridiculous. You need to do some serious reading before you post again.
Next you'll be saying all the natives killed in Vietnam were VC, or all the Afghans and Iraqis killed recently were al Qaeda.

I think you really need to consider your points better. If you take all non combatants injured during the troubles as casualties of war, then the overhaul total may well lean in the favour of the british

 

[LongsightM13]

I'm going to bid farewell to this thread now, but it has been an interesting debate and, unusually for bluemoon, has stuck to geopolitical argument rather than depressing sectarian mud-slinging.
Suffice to say I'm over in Northern Ireland - a stunning, beautiful and undiscovered part of the world, by the way - visiting relatives next month and it is a significantly more pleasant and stress-free experience nowadays than it used to be 20 or 30 years ago. And long may that continue.
In the words of Captain Sensible, "Im Glad It's All Over"

 

[talkativesprout]

I'm going to bid farewell to this thread now, but it has been an interesting debate and, unusually for bluemoon, has stuck to geopolitical argument rather than depressing sectarian mud-slinging.
Suffice to say I'm over in Northern Ireland - a stunning, beautiful and undiscovered part of the world, by the way - visiting relatives next month and it is a significantly more pleasant and stress-free experience nowadays than it used to be 20 or 30 years ago. And long may that continue.
In the words of Captain Sensible, "Im Glad It's All Over"

May the sun shine on your back.

ooops its may the sun rise to meet you (my fault, mams from dublin :)

 

[Citizenhill]

As a guy who is just 16, I can tell you they tell us absolutely nothing about the IRA or the conflict over there. In fact, I don't think a teacher has ever mentioned such a thing.

Needless I have my opinion on them, vile human beings.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

I've never found it to be honourable or brave to plant a bomb in a car or a building or anywhere else in public for that matter, before scurrying off to hide somewhere safe. Callous and cowardly are the words that describe those sort of actions, whoever they are perpetrated by.

 

[jamiegrimble]

I am not going to delve through this thread.as Its a pretty depressing flashback.
My everlasting memory on this dreadful episode,is Bobby Sands v Maggie Thatcher.
Sands refused food,until his demands were met.Thatcher refused any compromise.
Sands Starved himself to death for Political reasons.

 

[BlueMo']

I'm going to bid farewell to this thread now, but it has been an interesting debate and, unusually for bluemoon, has stuck to geopolitical argument rather than depressing sectarian mud-slinging.
Suffice to say I'm over in Northern Ireland - a stunning, beautiful and undiscovered part of the world, by the way - visiting relatives next month and it is a significantly more pleasant and stress-free experience nowadays than it used to be 20 or 30 years ago. And long may that continue.
In the words of Captain Sensible, "Im Glad It's All Over"

May the sun shine on your back.

ooops its may the sun rise to meet you (my fault, mams from dublin :)

May the road rise to meet you.
May the shine warm upon your face.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the rain fall soft upon your fields..
And until we meet again may God hold you
in the palm of his hand.