Northern Ireland

[Silent Hunter]

I cannot believe that we're stuck over some PHOTOGRAPHS.

Much as I dislike the thought of First Minister Paisley, I wish Sinn Fein would grow up.

They're moaning about humilation, but what about all the lives the IRA ruined.

[patrick1]

but what about all the lives the IRA ruined.

To be fair what about the lives ruined by the UVF, UFF, LVF, RUC, CID branch, the SAS, the Parachute regiment etc.  It is a two way street.  "Dr." Ian Paisley has as much blood on his hands as Adams.  Through his rhetoric that Catholics are idolitors, the Pope is the anti-christ, the church is the whore of Babylon, he gave rise and condoned Loyalist butchers like Gusty Spence, Michael Stone, King Rat Billy Wright and Johnny Adair.  Paisley and the DUP wish to handle the decommisioning process as a surrender-which any Republican cannot accept.  Sinn Fein has accepted other compromises-like clergy Protestant and Catholic examining the decommisioning process.  They should not have to submit to Paisley's attempt at Propaganda.

[Tory]

No it isn't a two way street. I don't condone the actions of the UVF or UDA(or it's various umbrella groups), but for you to suggest that because there are some protestant militias the IRA isn't a terrorist group and that it should be delt with in a differant way than Al-Queda is disturbing.

I support the independence of NI(and Wales and Scotland for that matter), and therefore am opposed to the UUP and DUP. I detest Paisley.

Paisley criticised the Catholic Church, so he gives rise to terrorism? That is a rather ludicrous statement. The RCC teaches that anyone who isn't a baptised Catholic is going to hell. That seems to be a pretty harsh criticism of Protestantism. Is the Catholic Church responsible for the IRA's killing of protestants? No, it isn't.

[AuH2O]

Screw the IRA. Bunch of communist pigs.

[patrick1]

No it isn't a two way street. I don't condone the actions of the UVF or UDA(or it's various umbrella groups), but for you to suggest that because there are some protestant militias the IRA isn't a terrorist group and that it should be delt with in a differant way than Al-Queda is disturbing.

I support the independence of NI(and Wales and Scotland for that matter), and therefore am opposed to the UUP and DUP. I detest Paisley.

Paisley criticised the Catholic Church, so he gives rise to terrorism? That is a rather ludicrous statement. The RCC teaches that anyone who isn't a baptised Catholic is going to hell. That seems to be a pretty harsh criticism of Protestantism. Is the Catholic Church responsible for the IRA's killing of protestants? No, it isn't.

Re-read what I said.  I never stated that the IRA was not a terrorist organization.
I was trying to give the other side of the story.  Furthermore, neither the British or American govt's consider the IRA a terrorist group any longer   Loyalist paramilitaries killed nearly the same amount of civilians during the troubles- something that goes unreported in the American press.  I condemn the tactics of both the IRA and Loyalist paramilitaries. Paisley gave incendiary speeches and approved of burning out Catholic residents living in Protestant neighborhoods.  His words on the aftermath in 1968 were as follows: "Catholic homes caught on fire because they were loaded with petrol bombs; Catholic churches were attacked and burned because they were arsenals and priests handed out sub-machine guns to parishioners; and the massive discrimination in employment and shortage of houses for Catholics were simply because they breed like rabbits and multiply like vermin."  Memebers of the UDA and UVF held very prominent positions in his Free Presbyterian church.  Maybe Paisley wasn't the Loyalist paramilitaries Himmler but he was certainly their Goebbels.

[patrick1]

The RCC teaches that anyone who isn't a baptised Catholic is going to hell. That seems to be a pretty harsh criticism of Protestantism. 

No it doesn't^^^.  That is a pre-Vatican II concept.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I blame both sides

[patrick1]

I blame both sides

I agree with that, both sides have their culpability.  However, I think what is being lost in the above discussion is that there may be fierce arguments over issues and assemblies have been put on hold but the shooting and bombing have stopped.  The miltary element of the conflict has ceased and both sides have used politics  to settle disagreements. This has been an enormous development and something that everyone can take heart in .

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I blame both sides

I agree with that, both sides have their culpability.  However, I think what is being lost in the above discussion is that there may be fierce arguments over issues and assemblies have been put on hold but the shooting and bombing have stopped.  The miltary element of the conflict has ceased and both sides have used politics  to settle disagreements. This has been an enormous development and something that everyone can take heart in .

True. It's amazing that Adams and Paisley are even talking to each other

[Јas]

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Are they talking to one another?
I thought the DUP still refused to talk face-to-face with sinn Féin.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

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Are they talking to one another?
I thought the DUP still refused to talk face-to-face with sinn Féin.

Well... talking through other people then. Even if it's just to say "I'm not talking to him..."

[Julien]

David Trimble has said that the DUP has given too much away during negotiations. I thought that was funny.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

David Trimble has said that the DUP has given too much away during negotiations. I thought that was funny.

*sns*

[patrick1]

How is it that David Ervine, a former ASU member of a Ulster Volunteer Force, has become my favorite Unionist politician?  I have seen him on a few programs, notably the documentary Endgame in Ireland, and he is a lucid proponent of economic equality and social justice.  I'd much rather have Ervine than some D.U.P. cretin.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

How is it that David Ervine, a former ASU member of a Ulster Volunteer Force, has become my favorite Unionist politician?  I have seen him on a few programs, notably the documentary Endgame in Ireland, and he is a lucid proponent of economic equality and social justice.  I'd much rather have Ervine than some D.U.P. cretin.

True