Hitchens: We surrendered to the provisional IRA - NI is not really part of the UK

DColeman

An interesting clip from the BBC, in which Peter Hitchens claims (3:20), that in 1998 the British Government – under pressure from the Clintons – surrendered to the Provisional IRA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zmfcTKIdik

So many shredded promises of "we’ll never sit in Government with Sinn Fein, we’ll never allow the Maze to be redeveloped, we’ll never allow Policing and Justice Powers to be devolved to the north, we’ll never allow them to take down our flag..."

Although a catholic majority doesn't in anyway mean there will be a united ireland, it will be interesting to see how the PUL community reacts to the demographic change regardless.

The North appears to be a battle of ethnicities as much as anything. Those of irish descent vs scottish/english descent. To have those of planter descent becoming a minority in what is perceived as their own country, will send anger amongst the PUL community here, and they will NOT like it, regardless if it stays part of the UK.

Many on the British (far) right still regard the irish people as some sort of untermensch, sub-human scum, or just simply "fenian bastards" as Nick Griffin calls us, and, well, these people are on the verge in becoming the largest ethnicity in NI now.

Still an awful lot of people there are against mixed marriages sadly (a poll showed 90% of OO members against them) and I suspect many from PUL community will be increasingly hesitant to support them fearing their culture may be diluted in doing so, understandable in a way.

Regarding Hitchens is he right? In part yes, Northern Ireland is going "green" (or less orange) due to changing demographics, Belfast city council was a result of increased catholic population, quite simply. A United Ireland by 2022? Dream on, not for long long time yet, if ever, its staying part of the UK for almost everyones lifetime on here IMO.

NuckingFacker

90% of OO dislike Catholics shocker. Did the other 10% not understand the question?

Mr Benevolent

Another NI thread. This will contain sensible and thought-provoking debate.

Or maybe not.

Steve O

Mr Hitchens, I got car sick in your office.

Seachmall

That ain't Hitchens.

That's the lesser known, lesser loved, equally angry, forever living-in-the-shadow brother.

Madam_X

Thought Nick Griffin was all "down" with the Irish now that muslims are public enemy number one to his ilk (which must cause a bit of a dilemma with the auld anti semitism).

Steve O

Madam_X wrote: »

Thought Nick Griffin was all "down" with the Irish now that muslims are public enemy number one to his ilk (which must cause a bit of a dilemma with the auld anti semitism).

Who knows whom nick has his glass eye on.

pragmatic1

Madam_X wrote: »

Thought Nick Griffin was all "down" with the Irish now that muslims are public enemy number one to his ilk (which must cause a bit of a dilemma with the auld anti semitism).

Nah that scumbag showed his true colours regarding the Irish a few months back.

steddyeddy

Peter's late brother spoke out in favor of a united Ireland in the past. Peter's rant is probably going to p1ss off people on both sides on the divide.

laugh

Peter was originally an atheist on the far left, maybe he decided that since he was the lesser Hitchens in those areas to take the very opposite positions?

Tommy Dillon

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Nah that scumbag showed his true colours regarding the Irish a few months back.

Why? What did he do?

awec

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Nah that scumbag showed his true colours regarding the Irish a few months back.

As if it wasn't already known before that. He's classless.

Harry Deerpark

Madam_X wrote: »

Thought Nick Griffin was all "down" with the Irish now that muslims are public enemy number one to his ilk (which must cause a bit of a dilemma with the auld anti semitism).

Arabs are Semitic people and the vast majority of Arabs are Muslims. How can it be a dilemma when it's pretty obvious he hates both? Do you expect him to take sides? Please stop embarrassing yourself by using words you don't understand, like anti-Semitism.

Fuhrer

Oh, its the **** Hitchens.

Chuck Stone

What a strange twist of fate it is that Unionists/Loyalists will be living under a nationalist SF led administration and their continued 'union' with Britain (who couldn't give a fuck about them) depends on how happy Nationalists are with the status quo in the North.

Seachmall

Harry Deerpark wrote: »

Arabs are Semitic people and the vast majority of Arabs are Muslims. How can it be a dilemma when it's pretty obvious he hates both? Do you expect him to take sides? Please stop embarrassing yourself by using words you don't understand, like anti-Semitism.

Don't be so potato.

tdv123

YaYYYY We won. Up the Provo's

Madam_X

Harry Deerpark wrote: »

Arabs are Semitic people and the vast majority of Arabs are Muslims. How can it be a dilemma when it's pretty obvious he hates both? Do you expect him to take sides? Please stop embarrassing yourself by using words you don't understand, like anti-Semitism.

I'm aware many of the Arab people are Semites. But obviously as you well know, anti-Semitism is accepted as synonymous with hatred towards Jewish people specifically. No need to pretend that's not the case just because you're in the mood for a pointless attack.

Agent Smith

Tommy Dillon wrote: »

Why? What did he do?

Lets just say he went Full Retard

woodoo

Chuck Stone wrote: »

What a strange twist of fate it is that Unionists/Loyalists will be living under a nationalist SF led administration and their continued 'union' with Britain (who couldn't give a fuck about them) depends on how happy Nationalists are with the status quo in the North.

Interesting point and its certainly not what the likes of Carson would have envisaged back in 1912.

Hitchens is way of the mark with a united Ireland in 2022. The majority in NI don't seem that interested in it right now and maybe the same could be said for the south. But i think it has to happen someday. Continued demographic changes, a healthy secular irish economy to the south and another generation of peace in NI may just result in the conditions for a united ireland. Its a good few years away though imo.