Berserker wrote: » I'm a Unionist, as you know and the GFA (*) delighted me. It's took republican terrorism out of play; the biggest threat to people on this island and guaranteed that NI will remain as part of the UK for the rest of my lifetime; speaking as a thirty something. We both know that a UI is a complete non-starter from an economic perspective. If you disagree with this, I'd welcome a financial road map for a UI. The likes of Saoradh show us exactly where republicanism is these days; on it's last legs. (*) I was opposed to certain parts of the agreement such as the release of republicans from prison.
Berserker wrote: » Never knew the IRA were the negotiating type.
forgottenhills wrote: » If you understood history you would realise that the "Brits" as you call them saved our asses in WW11. They were under enormous military pressure after Dunkirk and if they had signed a peace agreement with Hitler at that point (and they were under huge pressure to do so) then the Nazis could have just walked into Ireland any time they liked. But the so called Republicans will never give credit to Britain for anything. And getting back to the point of this thread, why are there PIRA apologists on this thread, as you are in a roundabout way defending the actions of the Real IRA? It is also shameful that the PIRA obviously did not destroy all their weapons and explosives as they were supposed to do as part of the GFA, and claimed that they did, and that some of the PIRA's semtex has now turned up in the hands of their equally psychopathic offspring, the Real IRA.
Matt Barrett wrote: If you knew your history you'd know DeValera supported Hitler and went to the German ambassadors home to give condolences upon hearing of Hitler's death. FYI: The U.S. and many others saved the Brits ass.
forgottenhills wrote: » Oh, I don't know, SF seem to be devoting their energies recently to organising events and making speeches around their opposition to the Brexit "hard border" concept and printing off posters, t-shirts and mugs about Brexit then anything to do with getting a devolved government back in place in NI. There is more mileage there for them. If the DUP eventually cop on (which may not even happen) that it would be best for them to get a NI executive back in place I would speculate that SF will at that point ratchet up their demands to allow something to go back in place.
RobMc59 wrote: » Just watched the sein feinn leader on BBC news and was pleased she was speaking sense for a change- denouncing the killers saying they don't represent Ireland and wants them to disband-the only way forward is via peaceful means.
FrancieBrady wrote: » Hate having to point this out Rob - but SF have been saying this about dissidents since 1998 and also warning about their rise.
PeadarCo wrote: » De Valera visit to the German ambassador apparently was as much to do with how badly he got on with the American ambassador as anything. If you look at Ireland in WW2 Ireland was neutral in favour of the allies especially as the war progressed. From allowing allied planes to use the donegal gap(one of planes that spotted the bismark before it was sunk used this gap) to giving weather reports which helped with DDay. Those being just 2 examples. On the overall topic the UK will leave when the voters of NI want them to. How killing your fellow Irish people helps persuade them to do this is anyone's guess.
RobMc59 wrote: » I wasn't implying she has ever condoned these people-I'm sure she is a decent person if a little misguided -there are some who appear to consider these actions justified(I know you're not one of them)and it's good they can't claim to represent decent law abiding republicans.
Matt Barrett wrote: » Didn't come across like that. You were just having a little dig. Fair enough.
Matt Barrett wrote: » The IRA were in talks with the British government long before any GFA.If you knew your history you'd know DeValera supported Hitler and went to the German ambassadors home to give condolences upon hearing of Hitler's death. FYI: The U.S. and many others saved the Brits ass. Even the PIRA don't support or condone the Real or continuity IRA, so what are you talking about? So when the average drug dealer can pick up a gun you think the current shower are using weapons hid from twenty odd years ago by an organisation they don't belong to?
FrancieBrady wrote: » I see your point. But again reality confounds your notion. SF agreed a deal with the DUP to get the institutions up and running. But the backroom DUP (the same one that scotched the May agreement with the EU) said no to that. What are SF meant to do, just cave in and allow the DUP to keep vetoing progress?
Farawayhome wrote: » The Soviet Union defeated the Nazi's. Honestly, how many times have people been corrected on basic history?
Matt Barrett wrote: He was a fair weather Nazi sympathiser? Fair enough so. Ask any polish about Ireland leaving the lights on. Away the point was being put forward that 'the brits saved our asses' in WW 2. Hardly, they needed saving themselves and I think had an in with Hitler.
blanch152 wrote: » Sinn Fein were not prepared to accept a non-sectarian Languages Act, and wanted to continue a sectarian policy of separate languages Acts.
PeadarCo wrote: » He wasn't a sympathiser. From reading different accounts he seemed not to get along with the US ambassador partly due to tension on how far Ireland would openly support the allies(a lot of what Ireland did was secret at the time). It seems that De Valera by signing the book of condolences was acting as a strictly neutral nation as much to spite the ambassador as anything. It was a stupid thing to do especially with hindsight. In terms of WW2 what has it to do with the thread? Under the Good Friday agreement it was accepted that the border can only change with a vote. Unfortunately that means its perfectly acceptable for the British army to be in Northern Ireland it is their country. They will leave however if the majority of the people in Northern Ireland can be convinced to leave. So getting the Brits out is as simple as persuading the people of Northern Ireland to vote them out.
briany wrote: » The current iterations of the IRA, whether it be the New IRA, the Continuity IRA or any other outfit have no mandate. What they think is a mandate is really just the following of a minority culled from run down areas dotted around the island (you could say they're economically and socially repressed vs politically oppressed). The associated political groups are a pretty deluded shower, too. No right-thinking Irish person with a decent life would want to have anything to do with any of these groups. If British soldiers were to suddenly start brutalising people on the streets of NI again, I could see a logic to the existence of armed Republican groups, i.e. violence begets violence, but there's absolutely no call for these glorified gangsters attempting to destabilise the peace that has been achieved.
Blazer wrote: » They never had a mandate. This is about controlling all the illegal activities the IRA get upto ie diesel laundering, cigarette smuggling, drugs etc. A border makes it far harder but not impossible for them to continue their illegal activities. Even if the unification happened this scum would still engage in illegal activities, the threatening of witnesses, armed robbery etc etc. Nothing would really change.
FrancieBrady wrote: » i.e. the IRA, if they are smuggling, would be all for as hard a border as they could get.
Aegir wrote: » You really have plugged yourself in to the collective. The SFOS directors would be very proud.
Blazer wrote: » lol lol Francie..you're a gas man...as thick as **** but gas all the same.
FrancieBrady wrote: The 'border' is under threat of change and I certainly got no vote on it.
Farawayhome wrote: The Good Friday agreement is long gone. It's perfectly reasonable to disagree with any treaty and argue for changes.
PeadarCo wrote: » So what changes would you make?
PeadarCo wrote: » The Good Friday agreement was an agreement on the border. It resulted in changes to the Irish constitution that recognised the border in its current form and that Northern Ireland is part of the UK. If you live in North Ireland you got to vote in the brexit vote and subsequent general election. That's the unfortunate reality that Northern Ireland is part of the UK until a democratic vote decides otherwise. That's what people signed up to with the Good Friday agreement. I'd agree with you about the issues Brexit causes for the border however shooting and killing people won't solve it as the British establishment have already washed their hands of Northern Ireland. If you want to avoid a hard border the long term question is how do you persuade those undecided or unionist to vote for a united Ireland. Bombing and killing people didn't work for the British so why should it work for the new group of terrorists.
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://w2.vanillicon.com/v2/284f2526e18ff7e4c08066f9ed850ed0.svg)
