Ex-IRA commander Martin McGuinness WILL be a guest of the Queen at Windsor Castle

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This really does come into the 'you just couldn't make it up' category. Words fail me.

Former IRA commander Martin McGuinness will be a special guest of the Queen during a state banquet at Windsor Castle, it has been confirmed.
Northern Ireland's First Minister will also attend other events organised by Her Majesty in London during the historic official visit by Irish president Michael D Higgins to the UK next week.

The Sinn Fein politician, who refused to sit in the House of Commons as an MP because it required an oath of allegiance to the Queen, snubbed a gala banquet in her honour at Dublin Castle in 2011. Last month, it was reported he was considering whether to accept the offer, but in a statement, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams confirmed Mr McGuinness would be visiting Windsor Castle.

'While Martin McGuinness's involvement in President Higgins's state visit may not be welcome by opponents of change, it is yet another example of Sinn Fein's commitment to an inclusive future based on tolerance and equality,' he said. 'This decision may cause difficulty for some Irish republicans in light of ongoing difficulties in the north (of Ireland) but I would appeal to them to view this positively in the context of republican and democratic objectives and the interests of unity and peace on this island.'

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'There is a long-standing practice of not commenting in individual invitations.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...een-Windsor-Castle-banquet.html#ixzz2y6pMvTjA

 

[Taft2016]

There's a simple solution: John Bull, git yer nose outta Ireland.

 

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There's a simple solution: John Bull, git yer nose outta Ireland.

Point of information, both my parents were born in Ireland. It's funny how the IRA are freedom fighters to you 'Mericans but if the same happened in your country they would all be hauled off to Gitmo without any hesitation. You recommended a good book on the South so I will reciprocate. You could do a lot worse than read this book.

http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Provisional_Irish_Republican_Army_an.html?id=pBRhmBsVrHMC

 

[Rune]

Point of information, both my parents were born in Ireland. It's funny how the IRA are freedom fighters to you 'Mericans but if the same happened in your country they would all be hauled off to Gitmo without any hesitation.

Actually they are terrorists to us Americans, but you imperialist bastards are also in the wrong.

 

[Taft2016]

Point of information, both my parents were born in Ireland. It's funny how the IRA are freedom fighters to you 'Mericans but if the same happened in your country they would all be hauled off to Gitmo without any hesitation.

Yes, well what you blokes conveniently overlook in the case of Ireland is the UK's rank hypocrisy.

I was in London for those riots in 2012 (?), and stopped in Dublin on the way back. The Irish cabbie was afire because the Parliament said something to the effect that "rubber bullets will not be used against British citizens."

"The fookers!" said the Dublin cabbie. "They use rubber against us all the time up north!"

That sort of hypocrisy fires people up.

Like the UK not only sending its military to Northern Ireland, but then also supplying arms to the local paramilitary terrorists, who in turn carry out attacks against Catholics.

If the United States had troops in Israel gunning down unarmed Palestinian civil rights marchers, and at the same time was giving weapons to the Jewish Defense League to go around committing terrorist acts against Palestinians, your analogy might hold some water.

 

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Yes, well what you blokes conveniently overlook in the case of Ireland is the UK's rank hypocrisy.

I was in London for those riots in 2012 (?), and stopped in Dublin on the way back. The Irish cabbie was afire because the Parliament said something to the effect that "rubber bullets will not be used against British citizens."

"The fookers!" said the Dublin cabbie. "They use rubber against us all the time up north!"

That sort of hypocrisy fires people up.

Like the UK not only sending its military to Northern Ireland, but then also supplying arms to the local paramilitary terrorists, who in turn carry out attacks against Catholics.

If the United States had troops in Israel gunning down unarmed Palestinian civil rights marchers, and at the same time was giving weapons to the Jewish Defense League to go around committing terrorist acts against Palestinians, your analogy might hold some water.

I am afraid yours is a piss poor analogy, when was Israel ever a part of the USA? The IRA was a vicious terrorist organisation supported by fools in the USA and by Ghaddafi. It was US money, via Noraid, that paid for Semtex and weapons. The US has blood on its hands but steadfastedly refuses to acknowledge that fact.

I have been to every county in Ireland both north and south, I'll bet that is more than your Dublin cabbie can say. I am still amazed that Dublin was never seriously a target from Unionist terrorists maybe if it had been then the Troubles would have ended far more quickly.

 

[Taft2016]

I am afraid yours is a piss poor analogy, when was Israel ever a part of the USA?

*THAT* makes it a poor analogy? That's the whole friggin' point. But in a sense, you're right. So I'll precede my analogy with:

"Imagine if the USA had invaded, conquered, annexed, oppressed, and occupied the current state of Israel for 800 years and...."

The IRA was a vicious terrorist organisation supported by fools in the USA and by Ghaddafi.

As was the Ulster Defense Association, which had taxpayer support from Great Britain.

It was US money, via Noraid, that paid for Semtex and weapons. The US has blood on its hands but steadfastedly refuses to acknowledge that fact.

Privately donated money. Not taxpayer money, as was the case with the UDA. Applying your logic, every taxpaying citizen of Great Britain was a "fool."

I have been to every county in Ireland both north and south, I'll bet that is more than your Dublin cabbie can say. I am still amazed that Dublin was never seriously a target from Unionist terrorists maybe if it had been then the Troubles would have ended far more quickly.

Yeah, we'll I'm sure your aggressive tourism schedule makes you a more genuine Irishman that someone born, bred, and residing there their entire lives.

 

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*THAT* makes it a poor analogy? That's the whole friggin' point. But in a sense, you're right. So I'll precede my analogy with:

"Imagine if the USA had invaded, conquered, annexed, oppressed, and occupied the current state of Israel for 800 years and...."



As was the Ulster Defense Association, which had taxpayer support from Great Britain.



Privately donated money. Not taxpayer money, as was the case with the UDA. Applying your logic, every taxpaying citizen of Great Britain was a "fool."



Yeah, we'll I'm sure your aggressive tourism schedule makes you a more genuine Irishman that someone born, bred, and residing there their entire lives.

The Six Counties remained part of the UK because the majority of the population wanted it that way, that's called democracy. As I said before I recommend that book as it will clear up a few canards that you seem to believe in. I have heard the story that the UDA and UFF were funded by government, that was never an official policy, it might have happened on an ad hoc local basis though. If you really want to know about Northern Ireland you should read that book, it is even written by an American, and learn the truth. However you can always just listen to a friendly Dublin cabby instead.

 

[Taft2016]

The Six Counties remained part of the UK because the majority of the population wanted it that way, that's called democracy.

Ehhh, no it's not. I don't know what it's called but I'd go with "imperialistic gerrymandering."

It harkens back the unification "election" held in Vietnam, where Ho Chi Mihn's name was the only name allowed on ballots available to 55% of the population, an area in which he polled 140% of the vote. It allowed liberals everywhere to squeal with delight; "See? The Vietnamese people *want* communism."

And it mirrors what Putin did in Crimea and what Hitler did in the Sudetenland.

As I said before I recommend that book as it will clear up a few canards that you seem to believe in. I have heard the story that the UDA and UFF were funded by government, that was never an official policy, it might have happened on an ad hoc local basis though. If you really want to know about Northern Ireland you should read that book, it is even written by an American, and learn the truth. However you can always just listen to a friendly Dublin cabby instead.

Well, since you're interested in canards and "official" policies:

*Was the "OFFICIAL" account of the Bloody Sunday actions by the British military accurate? If so, why did Britain subsequently retract them?

*Was the "OFFICIAL" conviction of the Guildford Four accurate and free from government misconduct? If so, why did Britain subsequently clear the convicted and issue an apology?

*Was the "OFFICIAL" account of the McGurk's Pub bombing accurate in blaming the IRA? If so, why did the Ulster Volunteer Force confess to it years later?

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

Hopefully he does the Lord's work.

 

[Taft2016]

Hopefully he does the Lord's work.

Fail.

McGuinness is not a clergyman.

Although Ian Paisley is.

And the queen is the head of the Anglican church, ain't she?

 

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Ehhh, no it's not. I don't know what it's called but I'd go with "imperialistic gerrymandering."

It harkens back the unification "election" held in Vietnam, where Ho Chi Mihn's name was the only name allowed on ballots available to 55% of the population, an area in which he polled 140% of the vote. It allowed liberals everywhere to squeal with delight; "See? The Vietnamese people *want* communism."

And it mirrors what Putin did in Crimea and what Hitler did in the Sudetenland.



Well, since you're interested in canards and "official" policies:

*Was the "OFFICIAL" account of the Bloody Sunday actions by the British military accurate? If so, why did Britain subsequently retract them?

*Was the "OFFICIAL" conviction of the Guildford Four accurate and free from government misconduct? If so, why did Britain subsequently clear the convicted and issue an apology?

*Was the "OFFICIAL" account of the McGurk's Pub bombing accurate in blaming the IRA? If so, why did the Ulster Volunteer Force confess to it years later?

Blair spent over £200 million on the Bloody Sunday inquiry and many lawyers got fat on the proceeds. If I was a Protestant living in Northern Ireland in the 70s I wouldn't want to unify with the South either. It was a backwards country run by parish pump politicians and paedophile priests, unlike you I saw that at first hand. It had no industry and was mostly a dirt poor agrarian economy. Ironically one of the reasons it was lifted out of poverty was from the EU contributions of Germany and the UK. That American bastard de Valera even signed the commiserations book at the German Embassy when Hitler died, although he had the right idea later when he locked the IRA up.

One thing I do know for sure, if that happened in the US you would have had SWAT teams on every street corner and waterboarded all and sundry before packing them all off to Gitmo without trial. You only have to look at the Waco siege or the deliberate bombing of a block in Philadelphia in 1985 to see how the US treats people.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-05-11-philadelphia-bombing_x.htm

 

[Taft2016]

Duly noted you failed to address any of my questions and that your outrage over terrorism appears to be limited to privately sponsored terrorism as opposed to government sponsored terrorism.

 

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Duly noted you failed to address any of my questions and that your outrage over terrorism appears to be limited to privately sponsored terrorism as opposed to government sponsored terrorism.

I didn't answer them because they are red herrings, the British government had an exhaustive iinquiry into Bloody Sunday yet not once has Gerry Adams or McGuinness ever owned up to diddly shit. over 3,500 people died in Northern Ireland during the Troubles aided by stupid Americans who didn't know any better.

I just want to make sure you understand the conflict properly. The situation actually began in 1968 when militant Protestants attacked a civil rights march which had both Catholic and Protestant participants. Many of the Protestants in Northern Ireland took no side in the conflict, as many were moderate. The British Army actually arrived to protect the Catholics from Protestant violence, but then militant Catholics started retaliatory bombings and shooting, which brought down hate from the Ulster Unionists in general. The Official IRA disbanded in 1970 but the psychos took over and carried on as the Provisional IRA because they wanted an all-Ireland Marxist state.

 

[Rune]

I didn't answer them because they are red herrings, the British government had an exhaustive iinquiry into Bloody Sunday yet not once has Gerry Adams or McGuinness ever owned up to diddly shit. over 3,500 people died in Northern Ireland during the Troubles aided by stupid Americans who didn't know any better.

I just want to make sure you understand the conflict properly. The situation actually began in 1968 when militant Protestants attacked a civil rights march which had both Catholic and Protestant participants. Many of the Protestants in Northern Ireland took no side in the conflict, as many were moderate. The British Army actually arrived to protect the Catholics from Protestant violence, but then militant Catholics started retaliatory bombings and shooting, which brought down hate from the Ulster Unionist militants.

Good Lord Tom, ignore 900 preceding years of conflict.

Especially egregious being from County Tipperary and now a Brit, to blame Americans....as in all other things, go fuck yourself.

 

[Taft2016]

So where do we stand now? Are you acknowledging Britain's initial account of Bloody Sunday was a lie?

What about the Guildford Four? Another lie?

What about the McGurk's Pub bombing? Another lie?

The real history is that the Catholics initially welcomed the British troops, hoping they would restore order. Unfortunately, the Brits arrived help and arm the loyalist paramilitary groups.

It's also true the initial IRA bombings came with warnings to intermediaries to avoid innocent casualties. A practice which lost importance when the loyalist terrorists began bombing indiscriminately.

 

[Taft2016]

http://www.independent.ie/irish-new...n-unarmed-ira-suspects-in-north-29773083.html

Members of an Army unit dubbed Britain's secret terror force have admitted breaking the law by firing on unarmed IRA suspects in west Belfast.

The Military Reaction Force (MRF) also carried out drive-by shootings of nationalists 40 years ago, even though there was no independent evidence any of them were members of the republican group, a new television documentary has claimed.

The elite soldiers believed military regulations prohibiting firing unless their lives were in immediate danger did not apply to them.

One told the BBC's Panorama programme: "We were not there to act like an Army unit, we were there to act like a terror group.

"We were there in a position to go after IRA and kill them when we found them."

Northern Ireland's attorney general John Larkin QC, chief legal adviser to Stormont's powersharing ministerial executive, has faced criticism after floating the possibility of ending prosecutions for Troubles-related killings.

More than 3,000 deaths are being investigated by detectives from the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) as part of the peace process.

The most notorious unjustified Army killings happened at Bloody Sunday in Derry in 1972, when soldiers opened fire on innocent civil rights protesters.

The reaction force had around 40 hand-picked men from across the British Army who addressed each other by first name and dispensed with ranks and identification tags.

They operated at the height of the Northern Ireland conflict early in the 1970s, when bombings and shootings by paramilitaries happened almost daily.

Another ex-member said it was part of his mission to draw out the IRA and minimise its activities.

"If they needed shooting they'd be shot," he said.

The Army has a series of rules known as the Yellow Card, which guides when a soldier can open fire lawfully.

Generally, lethal force was only lawful when the lives of members of the security forces or others were in immediate danger.

 

[Taft2016]

http://digitaljournal.com/article/362957

In November, the IRA began hijacking motor vehicles, planting a bomb on the vehicle, and ordering the driver to take the vehicle to a specific location. This method allows the kidnapped driver to warn those in the intended blast area, and limit or eliminate loss of human life while still garnering media attention and headlines. Security chiefs have referred to these bombings as “failed” because of the lack of injuries. This demonstrates a systemic misunderstanding of the IRA’s intentions and tactics on their part. Historically, the IRA has attempted to avoid civilian casualties.

 

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So where do we stand now? Are you acknowledging Britain's initial account of Bloody Sunday was a lie?

What about the Guildford Four? Another lie?

What about the McGurk's Pub bombing? Another lie?

The real history is that the Catholics initially welcomed the British troops, hoping they would restore order. Unfortunately, the Brits arrived help and arm the loyalist paramilitary groups.

It's also true the initial IRA bombings came with warnings to intermediaries to avoid innocent casualties. A practice which ended when the loyalist terrorists began bombing indiscriminately.

Unlike you I have been to many of the places where the IRA perpetuated their atrocities. Inniskillen, South Armagh and Omagh where 29 people were killed including a pregnant woman when the Real IRA detonated a bomb without any warning. I would suggest that you really ought to go there and find out first hand what happened.

 

[Taft2016]

I fail to see the relevance of visiting the locations.

I've been to Gettysburg, Bataan, Corregidor, Tianneman Square, Normandy, Dresden... lots of places around the world. Putting one's foot down on a piece of ground does not substitute for putting one's eyes on actual historical accounts. Particularly when one refuses to acknowledge contradictory evidence.

Also, of what relevance is the amount of money the British spent to uncover their own lies? Are you saying the truth has a price that may not be worth pursuing? That sir, is very poor history.