guy2231 wrote: » The most militarized zone on the whole planet, a guerilla army known as one of the most sophisticated and best in the world seems to meet that criteria. The Battle of Newry Road was a running gun battle between British Army helicopters and Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) armed trucks, fought along the lanes east of Crossmaglen, County Armagh, on 23 September 1993. The engagement began when an IRA motorized team from the South Armagh Brigade attempted to ambush three helicopters lifting off from the British Army base at Crossmaglen. Doesn't sound like a mafioso or criminal attack to me when you have attacks like that, gun battles lasting hours between the IRA and army, country roads riddled with landmines like Afghanistan and army bases and police stations under constant attack, sounds like guerilla war to me.
blanch152 wrote: » It was no Lebanon, neither was it anything like Afghanistan.
blanch152 wrote: » Thanks for that. It confirms that there was no civil war in Northern Ireland, as the terrorist campaign doesn't meet that definition. It was physically violent in the way that criminal thugs and mafioso are physically violent, but it fails the other criteria.
BonnieSituation wrote: » Just makes it easier for you to other your fellow citizens. Imagine a State murdering its own citizens in cold blood and in turn having to turn to guerilla warfare for a way out. I'm sure you'd think Ballymurphy was a kerfuffle, no smoke without fire etc.
blanch152 wrote: » The original claim was that it was a civil war, it wasn't. Neither was it a sustained guerilla war.
guy2231 wrote: » How was it not a sustained guerilla war? In 72\73 Belfast was known as one of the most dangerous places on earth.
blanch152 wrote: » In 1972, the IRA killed around 100 soldiers, the average year in Detroit (half the population of Northern Ireland) sees around 300 gun-deaths.
Markcheese wrote: » Sounds like mexico - sadly that's not even slightly funny ...
Whatcar212 wrote: » While I don't condone violence, the shear hypocriticalness of people who condemn the IRA of the 1970s but laud the other is laughable.
downcow wrote: » You couldn’t make this up. What planet are you living on. Most dangerous place on earth. You can’t be serious ?
Belfast suffered greatly during the violence that accompanied the partition of Ireland, and especially during the more recent conflict known as the Troubles: in the 1970s and 1980s it was one of the world's most dangerous cities, with a homicide rate around 31 per 100,000.
FrancieBrady wrote: » https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/belfast/m01l63?hl=en
downcow wrote: » ….and the current ones who carried out omagh and murdered Lyra McKee
Whatcar212 wrote: » What's you're question here? I don't condone any of the violence. I'm pointing out that we have people on here who call the PIRA terrorists but praise the IRA of the war of independence. I'm not praising one or the other (nor the new IRA for Lyra McKee), I'm just pointing out the obvious (oblivious?) hypocrisy of some posters.
Hamsterchops wrote: » Well the Provos and the latest newest crop of terrorists are within living memory, so let's condemn them unreservedly, before delving back into 100 year old history & the violent & bloody birth of the state. The Provos in particular committed their crimes in the very recent past! Not sure if all the disappeared have been found yet?
Junkyard Tom wrote: » British empire fetishist complains about violence.
Hamsterchops wrote: » No seriously, GB is not a threat even though you keep suggesting that it is,
Junkyard Tom wrote: » GB has for generations been the greatest threat to the Irish people and remains so in the 21st Century. Just last week the British platformed representatives of unionist paramilitaries with their dark threats. Ireland will always have the threat of the British state but we can minimise it, the first step being all-Ireland sovereignty. In the future we could form alliances with our European partners that will offset the threat of the British. We have a valuable strategic location in the north Atlantic that could be integrated into European defence structures.
Junkyard Tom wrote: » I didn't mention the EU. I also don't think your 'we' is the same as mine and the one in the constitution. I'm worried about my relatives in the north this Summer and worried about the future of our country in the long term You're worried about possibly having to forgo a 10 day holiday for 7 day one. I don't think we're operating at the same level here.
jh79 wrote: » You said "European Partners", how does ending partition make any difference to our relationship with them?
Your not worried about the future of our country
jh79 wrote: » You said "European Partners", how does ending partition make any difference to our relationship with them? Your not worried about the future of our country, sure you haven't been able to give a single valid reason as to why unification gives us a better future. It's all about reversing an historical wrong.
Junkyard Tom wrote: » There is little point in Ireland securing its strategic future before a UI. We don't have all-Ireland sovereignty and Britain retains a foothold in the north of our country. That needs to end. As we're seeing with Brexit the British state remains a threat to our stability due to its jurisdiction. I don't think my country and your country are the same thing. My country is Ireland, all of it, and I'd like to see out the vision for its unification like it says in the preamble of the constitution.