Ireland

Ok... so, maybe I am stupid. Several posters have dismissed my analogy between Septamber 11th and the decades of IRA and INLA atttacks on mainland UK. Why?


BTW... I actually am very sympathetic of the aims of Republicism in Ireland. I only hate the way they have gone about achieving these aims.


Also, the peace process we are currently seeing proves absolutely that political and legal means are an effective way of dealing with terrorism.


Keith

because the British have raped and murdered an pillaged Ireland for centuries. They still militarily occupy the North,

I keep thinking that Bush will target the IRA one day soon as well.

"Ok... so, maybe I am stupid. Several posters have dismissed my analogy between Septamber 11th and the decades of IRA and INLA atttacks on mainland UK. Why?"


I think that England should go all out and arrest, capture, demolish the IRA--whatever it takes, as long as the IRA remains committed to practicing terrorism--even if a few innocents tragically catch a few stray bullets. Terrorism must be stopped.


"BTW... I actually am very sympathetic of the aims of Republicism in Ireland. I only hate the way they have gone about achieving these aims."


That's exactly it...it's the means terrorists choose to employ that I hate and cannot sympathize with, no matter what. Targeting innocent families is simply wrong and allowing these types of practices to continue has set a dangerous precedent.


"Also, the peace process we are currently seeing proves absolutely that political and legal means are an effective way of dealing with terrorism."


Well, Keith, here I think you are making a leap of logic which is not warranted. Just because a peace process works in one instance does not mean it will work in all instances or elsewhere in the world. For example, the IRA and Engish governments actually have a lot more in common with each other than do the USA and the Islamic extremists. The Catholics and Protestants are of the same country and background, albeit with significant differences and problems. The USA and the Islamic militants are truly worlds apart in many ways, geographically, historically, and ideologically. That's not to say that a peace process couldn't possibly work, but rather that just because it may work with terrorists in England doesn't necessarily mean it will work in the Middle East. Of course it is worth trying for. I just think we have to draw the line when we are attacked on a massive scale. Further I think the whole world should really draw the line against terrorism.

"BTW... I actually am very sympathetic of the aims of Republicism in Ireland. I only hate the way they have gone about achieving these aims."


Why are you sympathetic with at aims of a bunch of religious zealots?


"Also, the peace process we are currently seeing proves absolutely that political and legal means are an effective way of dealing with terrorism."


How many people have died since the IRA took up arms? how can you call your peace process successful. I don't think its been successful at all. I mean the IRA has been terrorizing the Brits for god know how many years. Nothing successful about it.

Boris,


You need to read some Irish history. 99% of people who want to return the counties to Ireland are not religious zealots. They are people who believe a terrible injustice was done when England took that land and systematically drove out the Catholics and gave their land to Protestants from elsewhere in the UK. Certainly there are zealots on both sides but it is my firm belief, as an Irish American and historian, that there are many good reasons for these counties to be returned. I also think they will be in my lifetime.


KJS

(who's Catholic relatives still live in a Northern County, don't go to church and want to die in their own homes in a united Ireland)

M,


Bloody Sunday's anniversary is coming up here soon. Perhaps you should read some articles on it. It might help you understand why some people (like me) see very little moral difference between those who murder for states and those who murder for political organizations.


KJS

Well, I see STOPPING those who murder for political organizations as a priority---with as little collateral damage as possible of course. If stopping them involves some taking of life I don't think you can automatically call that "murder" any more than you could call killing a knife-wielding crackhead who is attacking you "murder"---it's self-defense, and stopping terrorists isn't murder, it's defense of self and others. As for Bloody Sunday I know nothing about it--maybe some bounds were wrongly overstepped. Anyway STOPPING murderers is not itself murder.


Ask yourself, in these types of scenarios, who is the aggressor? It usually means quite a bit.

KJS,


Perhaps Ireland should be returned to the Irish...I don't know...and certainly the Irish have suffered oppression throughout much of history at the hands of the English...BUT that doesn't make terrorism right or a viable means of fighting. If they want a war because they can't arrive at a political solution, then that's one thing...but attacking innocent families on vacation and things like that is terrorism, plain and simple, and should not be tolerated anywhere in the world. The targets terrorists choose are MISPLACED and it's simply wrong.

"Maybe some bounds were overstepped."


Noxious understatement, to say the least. Spend, oh, 1.5 minutes of your life and look it up. Now imagine it happening in your country, perpetrated by an occupying enemy (think, oh, USSR back when it mattered). And think what you would do, when your son and daughter were shot in the back.


The troubles have nothing to do with religion.