[Angus]

Originally Posted by MojoNixon

Sadly some of young as*holes forget these things. They believe that UK & US soldiers are nazis, and everyone else are just "peace loving freedom fighters".

True enough - but why do some idiots slag off those in the armed forces who are only doing their jobs and following official orders? Who do these morons think preserve our freedoms and defend us against our enemies? I guess I get more het up about this issue because of my personal experiences, but it isn't ancient history.

The enemy might have changed but we are still in the middle of a terrorist war in this country, and living in a major city like London, a prime target for terrorists, we are always watching our backs. It's not that long ago we had 7/7 and its never far from my mind whenever I get on the tube or a bus.

[setanta]

Originally Posted by angus58

I lived in London during the worst periods of IRA terrorism when everyone was being searched in and out of the department stores, stations, theatres etc, and post boxes and rubbish bins were sealed to prevent bombs being planted. I was working in central London at a time of high terrorist alert, and we lived in a permanent state of fear all the time. There were many bombing incidents in London as well as the rest of the country in which innocent men, women, children and babies were killed or maimed.

Specifically, on 17 December 1983 my worst nightmare came true when I was caught up in the Harrods bombing, and whilst not injured myself, saw people killed and injured in front of me, which traumatised me for some time. So yes, I will use "emotive" language, it's a part of my life that is still very vivid in my mind, and I don't require telling as to how to express myself.

I have no beef with the Irish people in general , but I do with the IRA whose terrorist activities were not just directed towards government targets like the poor buggers in the army, but towards innocent civilians who had no say in the conflict at all, so in my book they will always remain murdering cowards, and I have no intention of apologising for my opinion.

And don't start thinking that I'm in any way condoning the atrocities that did happen , but I'm merely suggesting that strongly worded comments don't really help matters, especially since both sides have their own particularly horrific memories to share during that period, and it's foolish and misguided to be comparing the Taliban to the Provos in N.I.