It has everything to do with hypocrisy.
I would advise you to have a healthy mistrust of what you are told.
They also condemned the 2014 invasion btw
Iraq
Dresden
Israel
India
Hiroshima
The moon landings...
Each and all will be used in due course in order to deflect from SF's very close relationship with autocrats and dictators.
Remember, they are the most anti-EU and anti-NATO political parties on the island of Ireland. More anti EU than the French National Front.
As good a friend as Putin could ever hope for on this island.
Are we expected there is not a quid pro quo?
These questions should be asked before the next election.
You even lied about what Lynn Boylan actually said which was the EU was 'overly confrontational'.
Are they facilitating Russian oligarchs to wash their money through Dublin? I don't think so.
Again, things aren't as simplistic as SF BAD, our boys and girls GOOD. But no doubt you will keep that mantra up.
No, I've seen the quote.
But you didn't respond to my over arching point. I guess SF don't have a leg to stand on anymore.
I expect the boys in West Belfast to send out the feelers to tell us all that they really were pro-EU and anti-Russia all time.
This thread is not about the IFSC.
Are you saying that SF have nothing to answer for here? Should they not hand their heads in shame given the way they have tried to undermine the EU and NATO. Always someone else to blame though.
ROFL!
Where did you see it Mark? On a meme 😁
Here it is:
Sinn Fein MEP says EU 'overly confrontational' towards Putin's Russia - Independent.ie
SF can answer for themselves. I am commenting on the political opportunism and selectivity here. So we can confidently say the EU/NATO/US/SF/FG/FF and many others have questions. You cannot seriously be saying given what has happened that they don't.
So in the SF thread, you don't think they have anything to answer for, but let's talk about the EU/NATIO/US/FG/FF....
If you want to talk about those, there are 2 or 3 threads dedicated to them.
This is the SF thread, so either debate SF or put your comments elsewhere.
This is the guy who a moment ago was typing into his computer a comparison to the centrist policies of FG FF LAbour and the SDLP.
Now he doesn't want comparisons made because he doesn't want to confront them.
This is not a thread about those parties though, it's a thread about SF, the most anti-EU, anti-NATO and pro-Putin party on this island.
You say SF can answer for themselves, yet all you do is try and deflect from these questions put at SF. You are their (SF and Putin's) biggest ally here.
I give my view Mark, nothing more. If you want SF to answer then you'll have to ask them.
If you cannot accept a comparison that is your issue, you seem happy enough to do it when it suits you.
This isn't political opportunism, not everything is about a chance to get a dig in.
It should be ambiguous.
The support they gave to russia/putin was reprehensible and misguided whether verbal, lack of condemnation, appearing on their state tv or voting against measures.
Accept that's the case, lobby accordingly and make sure they get on the side of peace in future votes and comments.
Making the statements they've been making while not accepting they are a (very very) small part of what allows the likes of putin to do what he does is completey hypocritical. Own the mistakes and be absolute in the future condemnation.
The indefensible does not warrant defending.
If you truly changed your mind to support SF due to their policies, this should be obvious.
Not one single person here believes that though.
Your view has a lot to say about NATO/EU/US/UK etc.... on an SF thread. Odd that!
Rarely if ever you condemn SF, in fact, you are usually their much staunchest Allie. Especially if anyone dares have a go at the murderous PIRA and their tactics of killing civilians, which were war crimes.
But sure let's talk about Dresden or NATO...
Getting back to point, SF have a lot to answer for. Their books should be opened up to see if they ever accepted Russian money.
It's not, a war is going on, people are dying, SF need to own up to what they have f*cked up on in the past, condemn maduro and his ongoing support of putin, kick out chris mcmanus and be absolutely unequivical going forward.
You repeating the same lines and lies ad nauseum is absolutely pathetic (and seems to be the usual go-to tactic when found out), there is no line to hold here, be a bigger person and get ahead of it.
Even Ming admitted his mistake and owned up to it.
SF would get a lot more respect if they put up their hands and owned up to their legacy support for dictators, war criminals and tyrants.
It would be a start at least...
Back to discussing SF. A number of posts are being deleted
Again, the sudden trample to the higher moral ground.
Wars have been going on all my life, people have been dying.
Back on topic, should the Irish electorate know where SF get their money from and if they get any money from Russia?
They have been very very cosy with Russia for years. The Irish electorate should be aware of this before the next European elections which are in 2024.
Yes, the Irish people should know what Russian money is doing. A SF TD has asked 3 times about about Russian billions flooding through the IFSC this term and has not been answered. So have Labour and Roisin Shorthall.
I most certainly would support an investigation but of where everyone's money comes from.
Condemn SF support for maduro, condemn mcmanus.
"what about other wars"
Absolutely pathetic.
I can't make the point on my position now without risk of ignoring the moderation.
I'm off to watch the rugby.
As I said, this is not a thread about the IFSC, it is about SF.
That is the second time you brought it up as a defence against SF.
You mean you have run out of road deflecting.....??
Glad to know.
Indeed. The Irish state has allowed PO box 'companies' use Ireland to funnel Putin money through on to elsewhere. This has been reported on for years. Also we've yet to expel the Russian diplomats. SF were dead wrong not to support sanctions re the build up. Whatever about SF and where they get money, we know the state allows Putin use Ireland and continues to. I'm sure there's a thread on that and all those concerned about Russian money can point me to it?
Strong opinion piece by Neale Richmond
In 2014 when Ukraine was invaded by Vladimir Putin’s "little green men", the response of Sinn Féin was deafening silence.
Apart from in the European Parliament, when after the EU agreed a new treaty with Ukraine, then MEP, Matt Carthy, tweeted: “In EP for votes on EU Ukraine association agreement; history being rewritten by Eurocrats failing to reflect EU’s role in causing conflict.”
Ouch!
I guess the Twitter scrubbers will be working overtime this weekend.
In 2018, in the wake of a nerve agent attack on a former Russian intelligence officer, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury, the Irish Government expelled a Russian diplomat suspected of being tied to this act of aggression.
At the time, the Sinn Féin Leader, Mary Lou McDonald, described this sensible move as having “a flagrant disregard for Irish neutrality”.
Yet this time around SF are calling for the expulsion of the Russian ambassador... I guess SF now know which way the wind is blowing.
Yet the government aren't expelling him. Think they are pro Putin?
This is a thread about SF....
Regarding oligarchs, Ireland would have been stupid acting unilaterally freezing assets
Thats something you do in concert with other countries when appropriate
It is obviously now appropriate
True. So if its only important because SF might be doing it, its obviously not that important at all.
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wc.vanillicon.com/v2/c50f1c871638bccbbf9aa952593dd0cd.svg)