RE: I dont know what to say read this

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-08-02 AT 11:47 AM (GMT)]Whatever the rights and wrongs of Bush’s actions (and in “allowing” this, he is encouraging it and therefore wrong, in my opinion) it is still only one side of the story.

I struggle to think of one single muslim country which is credible! None of them, that I can think of, are anything other than dictatorships with zero human rights. Maybe Singapore is an exception??

The notion that Islam is a “bad” religion does, on this basis, have some grounding in fact. If it’s so good, why are the regimes of muslim countries so bloody awful?

RE: British withdrawal from Northern Ireland

“imfed up with the millions 9billions?) it costs us to subsidise, polics, keep troops, et covre ther e – all for jsut 1.6 million people (that the same as kent for example)”

Rabie, the money is irrelevant. How much did we expend on 3,000 people on the Falklands? That was not about money, but about principle and decency. So is NI.

RE: British withdrawal from Northern Ireland

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-08-02 AT 11:39 AM (GMT)]In general terms, republican = catholic and loyalist = protestant.

The republicans have always been more organised than the loyalists. The IRA was their main body, although this has splintered in recent years into separate (but still kind of affiliated) groups like the Real IRA. If you read any of the SAS books, the “PIRA” is the “Provisional IRA”, ie. the “official” IRA and not one of the framgemented parts. Sinn Fein is the political wing of the IRA and is an actual political party. They have even won seats at Westminster in the elections. They also have fund raising offices. I’ve seen at least 2 on my travels – Dublin and Washington DC.

The thing which tends to get to people is that Sinn Fein politicians tend to be former IRA terrorists – it is as if old terrorists join Sinn Fein and stand for election. Both Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness (who used to be (is?) actually NI’s education minister!!) can be categorised as such.

There again, some of the Unionist parties (Unionist = Loyalist) are run the same way. But they attract less media attention. Some politicians, like Rev. Paisley, are just the loyalist version of their Sinn Fein counterparts.

One of the (many) reasons that the conflict is divided along religious lines is that due to Papal teachings, the minority Catholics have a much higher birth rate than the protestants (ie. thou shalt not use a condom). This generates a feeling of gradual displacement amongs the protestants

RE: Trilander

Why do you need to buy an “approved” coffee pot? Engine fan blades, I can understand. But coffee pot?? Nothing like a bit of profiteering!

RE: Airline colour schemes

GD

I suppose a lot of Brits did dislike the “world” image of BA.

But imagine if Air France did the same? Reaction = the same or worse.

Was a bold idea!

RE: Australia’s refugee problem

We went away to Hobart for the weekend when I was down under. I loved it; thoroughly nice place. Especially the drive over the bridge into Hobart coming from the airport!

RE: British withdrawal from Northern Ireland

It doesn’t matter whether they are loyalist or republican, protestant or catholic.

The salient point is that both sides are as bad as each other!

The reason we often seem to be bashing the IRA more than say, the UDA or UDF is twofold:

1. The IRA have, and I think will, conducted terrorist acts on the UK mainland, eg. England. The loyalists do similar things, but only I think within NI.

2. The IRA’s aim is to change the status quo, which we don’t want.

My point is that in terms of objectives, the IRA are worse. But in terms of their effect in NI, both sides are equally bad. Their acts outside of NI are the primary reason the republicans are perceived as more heavily targeted than loyalists.