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Edited on Tue Aug-05-03 01:36 AM by Pert_UK
Firstly - you may not have noticed, but Scotland has been ruled from LONDON for quite some time. Yep, we're devolving power to Scotland (and it is about time) but your arguments about the Scots having kicked England's influence out are completely bizarre.
Secondly - you are critical of the IRA for not kicking the English out??? Look - there was justifiable rebellion in Ireland against the English invasion and rule....however, the IRA is NOT the common voice of the Irish people, neither does it command the overwhelming support of the Irish people. The majority of Irish people seek a peaceful and democratic end to the troubles in Ireland and Northern Ireland, not an armed uprising and massacre, and a proportion of the IRA has accordingly put down its weapons to embrace peaceful negotiation. A proportion, namely the "Real" IRA and Continuity IRA have continued to attempt and commit atrocities - your comments suggest that you hold them in higher regard. You are praising people who commit mass murder and suggesting that more violence would have been the solution.
Thirdly - in case you hadn't noticed, Tony Blair didn't invade Ireland....neither did John Major, Margaret Thatcher, etc. etc. etc. Your marvellous solution that Blair should "Get out go home and go pursue your bullshit denominations in England" is fantastic. You are clearly a Kofi Annan in the making....The situation in Northern Ireland is incredibly complex and has been compounded by decades (if not longer) of rivalry, infighting, feuds, religious and political arguments etc. For years UK politicians have been trying to defuse this timebomb and untangle the problems, whilst minimising violence. To withdraw overnight would lead to turmoil and massacre.
Fourthly - focusing on the problems of Northern Ireland means that you ignore the 99.9% of the country that lives in peace on a daily basis. Like it or not, the vast majority of NI live with each other in harmony on a daily basis. You are painting NI as if it were a war zone, which it clearly isn't. Great progress has been made towards peace, and to talk about NI as if the whole place is like the Shankhill Road, with a bullet or bomb around every corner, is to do it a great disservice. It's a beautiful country, and although it has more than its fair share of problems, you shouldn't paint it like the West Bank.
(ON EDIT) - just to clarify a few things. I do have some awareness of Irish / British history and the struggle against the British invasion. I thoroughly agree that the British have repeatedly behaved in an appalling manner in Ireland / Northern Ireland. I'm not excusing the behaviour of my government in Ireland in THE PAST. I even believe that Ireland should (probably) be reunited into one. However, it can't be done overnight and without considering the lives and opinions of the people who live there. To suggest otherwise is madness. We have to deal with the situation NOW, and not purely examine the rights / wrongs of past invasion.
I've seldom read such ill-informed and bizarre comments on DU....to criticise the "weakness" of the IRA and then offer trite and patronising solutions to the complex problems of NI, whilst writing off the country as a no-go war zone is just frightening.
Peace.
P.
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