Antrim Shooting thread.

[Tony Baloney]

Every generation there's a new chapter to our woefully bloody history.

Whether you like it or not, ultimately the same motive drives it. I have no doubt that those behind these recent attacks harbour the same ambitions as those from 69-94 whether it's foolish now or whatever. The difference now is that those 25 years were sustained and deadly and has wearied us so much that there's extremely muted support for such a campaign.

Wearied from the bad times O'Neill, but probably the good times of the past few years have made this seem even more incongruous.

[Doogie Browser]

This is an absolute disaster, I really would struggle to think of anyone that would support this kind of bullshit.

There are pockets of support in some areas across the North but intelligence suggests their actual numbers are around the 100 mark, small in the scheme of things but large enough to cause havoc and danger.

Regards speculation of the dead officers religion i would daresay they are actually hoping he was a catholic so they can send out a 'warning' to others thinking of following the same career path.

My prayers will be with the dead mans family tonight.

[winsamsoon]

Yeah it wouldn't matter what religion the lad was he would be seen as a legitimate target because of collusion with the crown forces.

I can't get my head around the emotions of this. Years back i would have sort of hid away from shootings of this nature almost accepting them because i would have supported this certain political agenda. Whilst i wouldn't have supported murder i wouldn't have had the same feelings as i am having about this now. I know circumstances have changed but i am asking myself now why did i "support" this kind of stuff in the first place. It is totally wrong and i am actually ashamed now that i sort of accepted these acts the first time around. I actually find it difficult when i see Adams and Mc Guinness talk about this on tv because i now feel they are being very hypocritical as they were inadvertedly involved in behaviour like this. Kind of like saying it was ok then but it is not now. I knwo things have moved on politically and things are far different but this is very hard to fathom.Guess i thought this stuff was dead and buried for good

[RedandGreenSniper]

Every generation there's a new chapter to our woefully bloody history.

Whether you like it or not, ultimately the same motive drives it. I have no doubt that those behind these recent attacks harbour the same ambitions as those from 69-94 whether it's foolish now or whatever. The difference now is that those 25 years were sustained and deadly and has wearied us so much that there's extremely muted support for such a campaign.

Whatever about people's aims ONeill, has there ever been a period in the history of this island when so many people have been against the use of violence to attempt to further these aims? That is why I find it impossible to know what these so called patriots are trying to achieve.

[Tony Baloney]

Yeah it wouldn't matter what religion the lad was he would be seen as a legitimate target because of collusion with the crown forces.

I can't get my head around the emotions of this. Years back i would have sort of hid away from shootings of this nature almost accepting them because i would have supported this certain political agenda. Whilst i wouldn't have supported murder i wouldn't have had the same feelings as i am having about this now. I know circumstances have changed but i am asking myself now why did i "support" this kind of stuff in the first place. It is totally wrong and i am actually ashamed now that i sort of accepted these acts the first time around. I actually find it difficult when i see Adams and Mc Guinness talk about this on tv because i now feel they are being very hypocritical as they were inadvertedly involved in behaviour like this. Kind of like saying it was ok then but it is not now. I knwo things have moved on politically and things are far different but this is very hard to fathom.Guess i thought this stuff was dead and buried for good

It's called growing up. I've children of my own now so this takes on a different perspective to ten or fifteen years ago. Show me anyone of any ilk who thinks the past five years in particular have not been the best years this place has seen in generations even under the yoke of British Imperialism!

[bailestil]

But surely even this small number of people in the short-term could do enough to wreck the whole show.
The 2 ministers are supposed to be goin to the states for a trade conference tomorrow.
You can imagine N.Ireland will prob make the pages of most major newspapers around the world tomorrow. They will have some explaining to do to potential investors thats N.Ireland is a stable as they say it is.
Considering Craigavon is heading up the posts on twitter.com this i big international news!

But i suppose the idiots who do it won't care. They are probably happy enough with no jobs and collecting all the Crown pennies they can get their hands on in benefits.

[winsamsoon]

I would agree with you Tony but i am not that old i think it is jus the fact that life is more important than anything really.

[fitzroyalty]

Can hear sirens in Lurgan. Hopefully unrelated...

[new devil]

Anyone i know involved in these scumbags are the biggest lowlifes you could meet...never worked a day in there lifes and driving round in BMW'S

[ONeill]

Every generation there's a new chapter to our woefully bloody history.

Whether you like it or not, ultimately the same motive drives it. I have no doubt that those behind these recent attacks harbour the same ambitions as those from 69-94 whether it's foolish now or whatever. The difference now is that those 25 years were sustained and deadly and has wearied us so much that there's extremely muted support for such a campaign.

Whatever about people's aims ONeill, has there ever been a period in the history of this island when so many people have been against the use of violence to attempt to further these aims? That is why I find it impossible to know what these so called patriots are trying to achieve.

Probably not. I don't know to what extent it's true but the 1916 boys were reportedly abused after their surrender. I'm not sure how popular the 50s campaign was. The difference now is that anyone with an ounce of sense knows the progress being made through peaceful means.

[winsamsoon]

Can hear sirens in Lurgan. Hopefully unrelated...

Not unrelated they are now going nuts around the town. North street cordoned off, the Kilwilkie scum element will now probably advance on the police and as for that Craigavon place i would wipe it off the map. The good people are being held ransom by drug dealers and scumbags. These people should be shunned from society and put to the sword if needed. Society needs cleaned up this cannot be accepted by the decent law abiding society

[Lar Naparka]

Yes indeed they were abused by the people of Dublin as they were marched along the streets down to the quays. Here, they were shipped across to Wales to be held in Frangoch concentration camp.
The oul wans pelted them with rotten fruit and vegetables; Public sentiment was against them to an overwhelming degree.
However, the heavy handed way in which the Brits carried out the courts martial and execution of the leaders brought about a major shift in public opinion and when the Volunteers returned about 2 years later they were welcomed with open arms.

I'm reliably informed that the IRA campaign in the 50s was called off due to a lack of interest and backing from the republican communities in the North and inadequate support from sympathisers down South..

[Evil Genius]

Yes indeed they were abused by the people of Dublin as they were marched along the streets down to the quays. Here, they were shipped across to Wales to be held in Frangoch concentration camp.
The oul wans pelted them with rotten fruit and vegetables; Public sentiment was against them to an overwhelming degree.
However, the heavy handed way in which the Brits carried out the courts martial and execution of the leaders brought about a major shift in public opinion and when the Volunteers returned about 2 years later they were welcomed with open arms.

Absolutely correct.

I'm reliably informed that the IRA campaign in the 50s was called off due to a lack of interest and backing from the republican communities in the North and inadequate support from sympathisers down South..

Generally correct, but imo there were three other significant elements which caused it to fail miserably.
First, the reaction by De Valera's Government, including Internment, severely curtailed the IRA's ability to operate on a cross-border basis.
Second, the IRA never managed to build up the expertise in terrorism etc which the Provos later developed during 30-odd years of the Troubles etc. For example, they blew up nearly as many of their own members as they did of the Police etc; they organised around "Flying Columns" with mass attacks etc, rather than on a cellular basis; they were not able to raise funds so successfully, nor receive overseas aid from e.g. Libya and the USA etc.
Finally, whatever one thinks about the "B" Specials etc, they were then considerably more effective in countering what was essentially a rural, cross border insurgency than e.g. the British Army was, when confronted by (mostly) urban guerilla warfare during the Troubles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Campaign_(IRA)

[lynchbhoy]

Finally, whatever one thinks about the "B" Specials etc, they were then considerably more effective in countering what was essentially a rural, cross border insurgency than e.g. the British Army was, when confronted by (mostly) urban guerilla warfare during the Troubles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Campaign_(IRA)

'effective'    fecks sake these guys were the biggest CAUSE of what happened next !

who needed recruiters when you had the b specials embarking on their violent attacks on innocent and quiet nationalists and enforcing the establishments apartheid-esque (keeping nationalists in their place) regieme.

[Aerlik]

who needed recruiters when you had the b specials embarking on their violent attacks on innocent and quiet nationalists and enforcing the establishments apartheid-esque (keeping nationalists in their place) regieme.

Didn't Hendrik Verwoerd the first president of Apartheid South Africa actually model Apartheid on the system of "government" in the Six Counties after the split in the country?

One of our neighbours at home was a B-'man' who once stopped his next door neighbour, asked him to identify himself, and when responded to by his first name, categorically denied knowing him.  He then left somewhat unceremoniously in 1972 for...ahem...Australia.  'Tis a big country.