I am mystified as to the apparent silence in Washington and London over this "War on International Terrorism" and the "Irish problem". Here we have wanted murderers being given haven within America for crimes committed in the UK. We have terrorists from another country (eg: international) coming into the United Kingdom, wantonly butchering innocent civilians and soldiers alike and either returning to Eire or hiding in the USA and yet not a word about what Bush or Blair is going to do about them? We have some Afghan or Afghan trained terrorists in custody here in England awaiting extradition to the USA and yet nobody is "moving". We have terrorism being funded from the USA, in the UK, by collections on the "street" namely the IRA. This has been happening for the past 30 years. Spurious organisations such as Noraid, collecting from the people of America, to buy guns and bullets to be used on British subjects. We are all on your side in this war America, but for heaven's sake, get your own house in order first!!:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I can see the word "terrorism" becoming a very conveniant label that can be placed on any group that is weaker than an established government to justify and gain public support for military actions regardless of moral validity or need. Suddenly, any group that opposes US foreign policy and has the courage to stick their head in the mouth of a lion are "terrorist".

I know for a fact that the Irish "Nationalist" movement does not oppose US foreign policy, in fact, they would not dare - as it the US citizens who provide a major part of their funds and it is those self same US citizens who have the blood of British soldiers on their hands. The same British Army now side by side with the USA (and others) in Afghanistan. You assume that any organisation (armed) that "opposes US foreign policy" is basically terrorist, nothing could be further from the truth. America itself, in the past, has supported "terrorist" groups or do you simply refer to them as "guerilla" or "freedom" fighters; a convenient turn of phrase. In Ireland, for example, these are neither "freedom" fighters nor "guerillas. They are simply people with guns who used the "occupation" of Northern Ireland and a historical hatred of the English to vent their venom on soldiers and Police who were protecting their own (nationalist) side! In reforendums in both the North and the South the population voted overwhelmingly AGAINST unification. Therefore the "Nationalists" only weapon just flew out of the window.:rolleyes:

It took a huge event to spur the war, the IRA hasn't killed 6,000 people in one whack. I think the situation in N. Ireland, and the UK at large will slow down, when the war is over and peace talks begin in the middle east, UK, Kashmir, and other places.

Red Devil,

The conflict in Northern Ireland is not on the radar screens of most Americans. I would bet that less than 10% have ever heard of the IRA. On the other hand, better than 90% know all about Princess Dianne.

Yes Brad, perfectly correct. I have spoken to many friends in the USA since "911" and asked several searching questions, all with the same answers. They just don't know! As stated earlier, it is the US dollar that has, by and large, been funding the deaths of British Soldiers in Ulster since 1969. It is US Courts that refuse to extradite Irish Nationals back to the UK to stand trail for murder, torture and other crimes. It is US politicians that are so scared of losing the Irish vote in the US that they play the "ostrich" and pretend they know nothing! I do not blame the public in general, they are just uneducated by the media or just "don't want to know". Since "911" it has really come home what it is like to be "terrorised" like Belfast, Manchester, the butchery in Omagh and Enniskillen, London, Birmingham, Warrington and others have been over the past 30 years in the UK.

Red,

If you are trying to drum up support for a British strike on America, I am afraid I can't agree with you. I am an american after all.

Originally posted by Brad Rules
Red,

If you are trying to drum up support for a British strike on America, I am afraid I can't agree with you. I am an american after all.

Not at all, Brad - just telling it like it is....................:rolleyes:

By the way, it is my understanding that if Northern Ireland breaks away from England and becomes part of Ireland..... the Ulster terrorists will take over where the IRA left off.

The point is that there are terrorists on both sides. I think the Northern Irish as a race like to kill innocent civillians. A possible solution might be to kill everybody living in Northern Ireland and repopulate the land with Irish men.... then make Northern Ireland part of Ireland. I don't know if the English are ready for good old fashioned ethnic cleansing..... but it is clearly needed.

I dont believe for one second you are serious, plus your geographical knowledge of Northern Ireland is a bit amiss. The people who live in Northern Ireland ARE IRISH! Northern Ireland does NOT WANT to break away from the UK; it is ill informed terrorists, using unity as an excuse, who want Northern Ireland to be part of Eire. The people do not want this. The last referendum on the subject threw up a score of over 90% AGAINST reunification. The terrorist on the "other side of the coin" grew out of the terrorist being there on the Nationalist side, take away the nationalist (PIRA) terrorist and the other side will fade away. I believe that you are American; this explains a lot as the average American is remarkably ill informed about Ireland and her problems - having only Irish Americans to "educate" you. Oh and of course it is the US$ that funds most of the nationalist terrorism - dont you ever forget that.

Hey at least I offered a solution. (My wife is 50% irish by the way).

What is your solution? You seem pretty adept at pointing out the problem.

Yes it's selective.

We weren't going after every single terrorist in the world. You have to read between the lines on this one. We are going after the terrorists which have attacked the US, and wish to do us further harm. Sorry but the IRA doesn't count.

People that say, "we didn't bomb Buffalo when McVeigh blew up the Murrah building!", are stupid.

The US government never backed or aided and abaded McVeigh. We were going after him, plus if he'd blown something up in Europe we would have extridited his but PDQ.

Yes I do have a solution but its expensive and pretty radical. Move all those who want to be part of Eire into Londonderry, move all those out of Londonderry who dont want to be part of Eire, then move the nearby border to encompass Londonderry so that it becomes a city in Eire. Just a thought!!
:rolleyes:

Sounds like it would be a whole lot cheaper all around (lives and cost) and quite logical.

But then, since when has our species operated on logic when there's blood to be shed?

Red,

In other words, reward the terrorists for their activities and send a message to the entire world that terrorism is a valid and effective method for getting your own way. Isn't your solution an invitation for more terrorism and more global instability?

No disrespect, but your last mail proves that you do not have the foggiest idea about what I am talking about - from personal experience in Ireland. This has nothing at all to do with terrorism. All I said was, if you read it again, MOVE those who wish to be part of the south, and move those who do not. I am not explaining it all again! :rolleyes:

Red you are spot on with what u say, the average american hasent a clue about the terroist's they have funded with the mighty $ around the world for the past 30 years.
Is america going to hand over all the irish terrorists hiding behind its "freedom".
Iv heard september the 11th refered to as a "wake up call" for america, never a more truthful expression, does the average american know the devistation forced onto the british people by the IRA, PIRA and other nationalist terrorists?

Brad said In other words, reward the terrorists for their activities and send a message to the entire world that terrorism is a valid and effective method for getting your own way

Well america has rewarded and funded terrorist campaighns the world over for the past 30-50 years, for the first time they know know what its like to lose friends and family in a terrorist attacks, welcome to the real world america hope ur strong enough to admit your mistakes as we have been forced to live with your ingonrance and arrogance to our "war on terrorism".
A wise man once said 'one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter' now u can see for yourselfs.

The american people learnt a harsh lesson on 9/11 but don't be too critical, it is their politicians and media that "control" their way of thinking. We in the UK have had this for 30 years - so someone has to learn the hard way, sometime. Lets just hope we (Us, NATO and the US) get it right this time.

You're being far too kind to the mass of 'all I need to know is on television' Americans. Particularly in this day and age where information is so readily available. It 'taint the politicians and media who 'control' their way of thinking - They just don't think.

History is bunk, someone once wrote. Also, so is the teaching of history. We are all taught history in the vein of the country of our birth/residence. In the case of the American people, their media and attitude to their nation is very influential. I have been able to watch CNN on a regular basis since getting satellite tv, along with Fox News, I have noticed the very strong slant on "America the Great" "god is on OUR side" media and political attitude prevalent there. Those of you living in the USA may not exactly agree with me, but don't forget I am looking upon it from the "outside", as a foreigner. Even your Presidential speeches end up with "god bless America", indicative of the god is only on our side attitude. I dont think I was being too kind to the masses, but several friends of mine in the states have had that "rude awakening" mentioning in an earlier mail and they admit that everything in the USA is not as rosy as they thought. This could be the beginning of a new world order, hopefully a dawn of a golden era of peace, but somehow, without the American nation coming clean over its apparent faults, this may not happen - yet! :rolleyes:

No more than a person is prone to reveal their 'warts', neither is a country. It all comes down to ego, individual or mass. But there is always the other side to the coin ... but you have to be willing to turn the coin over. Not too many do.

I wonder how many Americans (born, raised, and educated in the US) identify with refugee's crossing borders to escape an oppressive regime? Yet the Loyalists did it during and after the Revolutionary War, ended up in Canada. But if you don't look for it, you'd never know about it.

Recorded history is not bunk, but those who do not make an effort to check all the records, don't make an effort to turn the coin over, just accept the pablum fed to them, they are the ones who will remain ignorant. And in my cynical opinion, they are the majority