Quizzes & Puzzles1 min ago
Martin Mcguiness Dies.
What is in NI's future now? According to George Galloway everyone in NI wants a united Ireland! What planet is he on!
Answers
Galloway is on planet Galloway. A complete irrelevance to anything sensible. I hope Mr McGuinness's death will spur the politicians on to agreement in the current difficult circumstance
08:38 Tue 21st Mar 2017
“But I suspect that the Usual Suspects have not risen yet !”
I have now. Had to have my hair cut this morning. These days I pay £8 in a search fee and £2 for the cut.
“When will you ever learn? How long after the British were thrown out of Kenya, Cyprus, Israel, Malaysia, even the US, did you stop seeing their freedom-fighters as terrorists?”
I never did and I still don’t. I particularly don’t see IRA members of the 1970s and 1980s as “Freedom Fighters”. Much of their campaign of violence was indiscriminate and ended up killing and maiming large numbers of people who had no chance whatsoever of having any influence over their cause. In fact, but for the fact that we fortuitously overslept one morning Mrs NJ and I could well have been among their victims as a bomb exploded in Victoria Station just at the time we would normally have been passing through.
And exarmy has beaten me to it (because my “haircut” took so long). I heard the Reverend Blair on the wireless this morning saying that but for Mr McGuiness the so-called Northern Ireland “peace process” would not have been possible. Of course he neglected to mention that but for the violent activities of Mr McGuiness and his mates the peace process would not have been necessary.
I have now. Had to have my hair cut this morning. These days I pay £8 in a search fee and £2 for the cut.
“When will you ever learn? How long after the British were thrown out of Kenya, Cyprus, Israel, Malaysia, even the US, did you stop seeing their freedom-fighters as terrorists?”
I never did and I still don’t. I particularly don’t see IRA members of the 1970s and 1980s as “Freedom Fighters”. Much of their campaign of violence was indiscriminate and ended up killing and maiming large numbers of people who had no chance whatsoever of having any influence over their cause. In fact, but for the fact that we fortuitously overslept one morning Mrs NJ and I could well have been among their victims as a bomb exploded in Victoria Station just at the time we would normally have been passing through.
And exarmy has beaten me to it (because my “haircut” took so long). I heard the Reverend Blair on the wireless this morning saying that but for Mr McGuiness the so-called Northern Ireland “peace process” would not have been possible. Of course he neglected to mention that but for the violent activities of Mr McGuiness and his mates the peace process would not have been necessary.
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While again reiterating that Martin McGuinness's activites should not be forgiven or forgotten (or lat least if the latter then only by the victims) it is a little unfair to lay all of the woes of the troubles at the door of the IRA. The first bomb of the that era was planted by the UVF, the first RUC officer to die, also, was shot by loyalists. When the Britiah Army arrived on the streets of Derry they were welcomed, as was then Foreign Secretary Callaghan, who spoke to cheering crowds in the Bogside.
All of which is to say that it's complicated: McGuinness did not invent the IRA (his IRA in any case evolved out of a very different IRA), not did he cause the conflict, while his actions undoubtedly made it worse for a long time. so did the actions of many others. The current Ian Paisley's dad for example, sowed tension and division for decades until finally, and amazingly, he and Mr McGuinness were able to make peace together.
Had I ever lifted a finger in the cause of peace in Ireland I would feel I had a right to criticise those who risked a lot to do so.
So I am not going to :-)
All of which is to say that it's complicated: McGuinness did not invent the IRA (his IRA in any case evolved out of a very different IRA), not did he cause the conflict, while his actions undoubtedly made it worse for a long time. so did the actions of many others. The current Ian Paisley's dad for example, sowed tension and division for decades until finally, and amazingly, he and Mr McGuinness were able to make peace together.
Had I ever lifted a finger in the cause of peace in Ireland I would feel I had a right to criticise those who risked a lot to do so.
So I am not going to :-)
-- answer removed --
Yes very similar to the Nobel Peace Prize of 1978.
Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat had been knocking seven bells out of each other for donkeys’ years (or rather directing their troops to, with considerable civilian casualties). Suddenly they shake hands, it’s all over and they get a Nobel Peace Prize each. Sorry, but with peacemakers like that (and Mr McGuiness) who needs any warmongers?
I'm not criticising the peace makers in Northern Ireland. I'm criticising the warmongers and, whoever "started it", Mr McGuiness was among those determined to end it by violent means.
Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat had been knocking seven bells out of each other for donkeys’ years (or rather directing their troops to, with considerable civilian casualties). Suddenly they shake hands, it’s all over and they get a Nobel Peace Prize each. Sorry, but with peacemakers like that (and Mr McGuiness) who needs any warmongers?
I'm not criticising the peace makers in Northern Ireland. I'm criticising the warmongers and, whoever "started it", Mr McGuiness was among those determined to end it by violent means.
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