[setanta]

Originally Posted by Shasown

Yeah some would say the british showed a certain bias, siding with the general population of the Province and trying to stop acts of terror being commited by both sides. Yes we know all about the claims of siding and collaberating with the loyalists etc... But what were the aims of the loyalists, what were the aims of the IRA?

Bobby Sands and co. starved themselves, whether or not that was on orders from the High Command of the IRA is open to debate. Thats for people to decide themselves.

Its a legitimate military tactic, its actually called an ambush. Funny old thing that. But its not as if the PIRA didnt use it themselves now is it? In fact in this instance werent they the ones started shooting at the troops, as opposed to the troops shooting at them? Werent they the ones planting bombs?

Or another good tactic was to take control of a house, holding the occupants at gunpoint, snipe at the passing military patrol then out the backdoor, dropping off the weapon to someone else, then attempt to escape.

Point being if you call yourself an army then attempt to engage a larger and better force at playing soldiers with real bullets, you will be amazed to find yourself taking casualties? Thats what happens when people play with guns.

You see regardless of the rights and wrongs created by history, Northern Ireland is part of the UK, the majority of the population want it to stay that way. Almost the entire population were against violence being used by either side. At times during the wee shinnanigans various people in the south also wanted it to stay that way too.

Wee shinnanigans kinda highlights exactly where you're coming from in this whole thing. Very dismissive tone for a people who were initially trampled on and not protected when they had the audacity to make a peaceful protest... how dare they want some say in a land that they've lived in for generations. The IRA was a necessary evil at a time when the loyalists had already armed themselves and Nationalists were getting no support from the State.

The SAS executed many of the IRA. Just took them out in ambushes. Would they do the same to loyalists? Would it have reached that stage had they been more inclined to listen to the problems of the people of Northern Ireland? And again, you never answered about the atrocities committed by British troops in Iraq.