UN Troops For Northern Ireland?

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With the two main 'extremist' parties winning the most votes within the recent elections in Northern Ireland, what does the future hold for the province. Concern has been expressed in some quarters that a return to all out violence is imminent.

Considering the current Western attitude towards terrorism, could we see UN troops in Ulster?

Umm, doubtful, but if they do arrive....be warned, at the first sight of a bombing or shots fired, you will have to mail them their "blue helmets" cause it will be the only thing remaining!

Then the UN will tell those requesting them that they will not go back till it is safe........


regards
seekerof

Why is England still in Ireland?

Have they not raped that country enough over hundreds of years?

The UN will have to interfere because the english will not leave.

Despite what many believe the Catholics will not oppress the Protestants. The Protestants fear loss of their control over others IMHO.

Hmmm, it is a very complex situation, and I don't pretend to know a great deal about it. I do know that the root cause is less about religion and more about who rules the province. Unionists want to remain part of the United Kingdom, and be ruled from London, and Republicans want to see a united Ireland, with rule coming from Dublin.

Strangely though, the Irish government changed it's constiution a few years ago, and relinquished any claim it had to Ulster, so it seems that a united Ireland may be harder to come by than a lot of people think.

I was also suprised to find out that the Irish tricolor was designed to represent all sides - Orange (protestants) White (Peace) Green (Catholic). It seems that the fundamental aims are for harmony regardless of creed, but that has been lost in history, as so often happens.

So if I understand what you are saying here,

the English invaders remnants which reside in Northern Ireland are really still English and do not consider themselves Irish?

Thus that is why they cling to London.

Since the English raped (or I mean invaded), Ireland so many times over hundreds of years,

the transplanted English in Ireland rightly fear for their futures,

as loyalist Irish may be inclined to exact revenge,

but those days may be mostly past as Ireland does better as an independent country and only desires full re-unification and ability to heal its wounds and move on as a country.

you can't win with the English sometimes no matter how hard you try.

Strangely enough, if my memory serves me correct, the Protestants originally shipped over to Ulster by the British government were actually Scottish. You don't think that shrewd political operators like the English would actually put their own into the firing line if they could help it. I imagine this is the reason why a second centre for sectarian divisions exists in Scotland today.

You are quite correct, Neo, regarding a backlash against perceived invaders, however it seems to run deeper than just what we would regard as historical injustices. There is a distinctly modern face to the struggle in Ireland now as a result of the mismanagement of basic public services by the authorities begininning in the 1970's. Issues such as housing and the educational curriculum seem to have caused the troubles as we know them today, which is just something else to throw into the melting pot.

There still seems to be a very long way to go.

Thanks for your insights some of which I forgot.

Lets add to the list the Welsh (my father's ancestors), and French (Normans), and I believe even Danes that were enlisted for invasions. Excuse me if I missed some (possibly Spaniards too?), of the soldiers for hire.

Truly it is sad to see what goes on in Ireland, a country shafted so many times in its history yet produced one of the most talented people on the earth. I for one am not iterested in justice or revenge but to prove to the world that effort and heart and talent with a wee bit o' luck can make miracles happen.

Here's what U2 had to say and I think they say it best:

"I'm tired of Irish Americans coming up to me and talking to me about the resistance, the revolution back home. And the glory of dying for the revolution. # the revolution. They don't talk about the glory of killing for the revolution. What's the glory in taking a man out of his bed and gunning him down. Where's the glory in bombing a parade of old age pensioners, their medals taken out and polished for the day. Where's the glory to leave them dying, or crippled for life, or dead, in the wake of the revolution that the majority of the people in my country don't want."

I think that UN troops would be best for the country. I'd like to see them there.

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by mig12]

The majority of people in England would probably agree with those sentiments, but the government cannot just pull out and leave them to their own devices as that would be seen to be a betrayal and would probably lead to more deaths.

Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Originally posted by THENEO
Why is England still in Ireland?

Have they not raped that country enough over hundreds of years?

The UN will have to interfere because the english will not leave.

Despite what many believe the Catholics will not oppress the Protestants. The Protestants fear loss of their control over others IMHO.

Your ignorance shines brightly. Half the IRISH population of the North are loyal to the Crown and wish to remain British.

Your statement about Catholics not opressing Protestants poves how out of touch you are. What the hell do you think has been going on for the last God knows how many years? One side attempting to opress the other, be it catholics over protestants or vice versa.

The Army are there as peacekeepers. When they first arrived in Belfast in the 60's the CATHOLICS welcomed them with open arms.

Raping Ireland? There's nothing there to 'rape'. It has no natural resources, no exportable Industry, nothing.
And who do you think pays for all the civil infrastructure, schools, hospitals, emergency services etc in Northern Ireland? The BRITISH taxpayer.

The simple fact of the matter is that it AIN'T a simple situation. If the British were to leave the country tomorrow it'd collapse into virtual civil war as Protestants and Catholics start tearing each other apart with no military middleman to attack.

And let's assume the wildest case scenario, that no violence arises upon a British exit. The economy will collapse without British taxpayers money to keep all their vital services afloat and subsidise the various employment and development initatives.

There's nothing truly historical about this fight anymore anyhow. The only people the 'troubles' are of benefit to are the men sitting at the top of the terror organisations who've got rich on donations and organised crime. Peace will give those people too much too lose from a Bank account, nothing more, nothing less.

The average Irishman couldn't care less about who's in charge, just so long as they can have peace - which will never now happen even if the British leave.

Originally posted by THENEO
Why is England still in Ireland?

Have they not raped that country enough over hundreds of years?

The UN will have to interfere because the english will not leave.

Despite what many believe the Catholics will not oppress the Protestants. The Protestants fear loss of their control over others IMHO.

its no wonder the ira were able to get so much money from halfwit americans to fund their campaign of terror.for a start england is not still in ireland,the soldiers that have died trying to keep the peace in ireland have been from english scottish welsh and believe it or not irish regiments.

they went there in the first place because of a civil rights issue to protect catholics from protestants attacking their civil rights marches.far from catholics oppressing protestants if you knew anything about the country you would know theres nearly 3 times as many protestants than catholics and they are better armed.

it became political when the defunct ira gained popularity and funds from halfwit americans with no sense who used uniting ireland as an excuse to bomb and maim its way across britain and ireland for 30 years.if you asked for a vote in the south to see if they want to be united with the north they would laugh at you.

these people are terrorists who trained side by side in the same camps as the men who flew aeroplanes into some buildings in america.

Hasn't Norther Ireland more or less settled down?

My ignorance?

excuse me englishmen.

were not the English invaders and colonizers of many places around the world? and no less the country my good Irish ancestors emmigrated to, called Canada?

I do not criticize you for that and happily those days are over but Ireland was never a part of England other than being close by that is all they have in common. Much of its history that can be discerned shows that the peoples there were for the most part different than those in England. I still refer to the Roman times when the Romans inhabited much of England but did not control one square foot of Ireland.

Do not accuse others of that which you are so obviously endowed.

I cannot see the UN coming over to Northern Ireland with peacekeeping troops, it would look a terribe embarrassement to the british people, and a mockery of the army which for the most part keeps the peace quite well.