Irish mercenaries, unionist coat trailers and the Bard of Dunclug

[Evil Genius]

Clearly the death of an Irish guy against the french 100 years ago is justification for the invasion of Iraq. There was no need to make up the weapons of mass destruction story at all.

Not for me it isn't. But my gripe over Iraq is with the politicians - chiefly Blair and Bush - who led us into this unnecessary and cruel war. Consequently, it is they whom anti-War protestors should be demonstrating against, not the "poor bloody infantry" who are sent in to clear up the politicians' mess. 

[Evil Genius]

Rather, it is an opportunity for the families, friends and loved ones of these servicemen and women to welcome them home safe and sound from the battlefield.

And rally more young men and women to the call of Britan in their next invasion.

The young men and women of Britain are (or should be) quite capable of making their up own minds on whether to join up or not. And if they should, they need only go to their nearest recruiting office, or recruitment display, of which there are any number open every day of the week throughout the UK, including NI.

Parades such as Sunday's might "inspire" some individuals to pursue an interest in the military which they might not otherwise have had. But any professional volunteer army worth its salt will not want recruits who are motivated solely by pipes and drums and banners etc. The business of war is much more serious than all that.

[full back]

The young men and women of Britain are (or should be) quite capable of making their up own minds on whether to join up or not.

So why the concern for the "poor bloody infantry" evil genius?
Everyone knows why you sign up

[Evil Genius]

The young men and women of Britain are (or should be) quite capable of making their up own minds on whether to join up or not.

So why the concern for the "poor bloody infantry" evil genius?
Everyone knows why you sign up

They sign up to serve their country, in the knowledge that they may be asked to give their lives in battle.

They do not sign up to serve politicians who seek only to further their own selfish interests, even when these are contrary to the interests of the country as a whole.

Consequently, whilst I feel enormous personal sympathy for any soldier who falls in Afghanistan, I would agree that it "goes with the territory" of being a professional soldier.

Whereas in Iraq, my sympathy for the fallen individual is reinforced by my anger at the charlatans who sent him there in the first place.

[Main Street]

Operation Ending Freedom (whatever was left of it) in Afghanistan has been acclaimed by Heroin traders/dealers/importers/users all around the world as a resounding success.
The Opium production must be close to hitting 9,000 tons a year compared to 185 tons before the invasion.
God bless the B Specials/UDR/RIR for their professional services rendered in helping to establish the circumstances for restoring Afghanistan's dominance and thereby ending the severe drought of heroin that hit the world market in 2001.

[delboy]

Operation Ending Freedom (whatever was left of it) in Afghanistan has been acclaimed by Heroin traders/dealers/importers/users all around the world as a resounding success.
The Opium production must be close to hitting 9,000 tons a year compared to 185 tons before the invasion.
God bless the B Specials/UDR/RIR for their professional services rendered in helping to establish the circumstances for restoring Afghanistan's dominance and thereby ending the severe drought of heroin that hit the world market in 2001.

If thats the case it should reduce costs to the user meaning they don't have to mug/rob as much, meaning we get to live in a safer society 

[Evil Genius]

Operation Ending Freedom (whatever was left of it) in Afghanistan has been acclaimed by Heroin traders/dealers/importers/users all around the world as a resounding success.
The Opium production must be close to hitting 9,000 tons a year compared to 185 tons before the invasion.
God bless the B Specials/UDR/RIR for their professional services rendered in helping to establish the circumstances for restoring Afghanistan's dominance and thereby ending the severe drought of heroin that hit the world market in 2001.

Al Quaida launched a vicious terrorist attack on 9/11. Their leadership was in Afghanistan as guests of the ruling (but unelected) Taliban. The (democratically elected) US Government requested the Taliban to give them up. When they refused to do so, the US led an invasion to try to get Al Quaida for themselves. They did so with the full and unconditional backing of the United Nations. I am pleased that the UK agreed to join this operation. During the course of this invasion, the Taliban chose to ally itself with Al Quaida and so became part of the enemy faced by the Coalition forces. As such, I have no sympathy whatever for the Taliban, since they are medieval barbarians who, for instance, execute small girls for committing the "offence" of being able to read.

I greatly regret, however, that other Western nations, whose interests are equally threatened by Al Quaida, have declined to join the coalition in Afghanistan, since this means that the battle is so much harder to win. And one of the worst consequences of the present military stalemate is that it has allowed the heroin trade to flourish, thereby poisoning (mostly young) people throughout the world with addiction etc.

Of course, I don't expect people like Main Street, who are so clearly blinded by anti-British hatred, to see it that way. After all, such hatred is no different from e.g. that which saw other Irish people side with the Nazis against the Allies during the Second World War, two generations ago.

But just as the Nazis used anti-Semitism to further their cause, then the Taliban is using Heroin to further theirs. Or would Main Street deny that it is this latter who are controlling the heroin trade in Afghanistan and by extension, throughout the rest of the world?

[bennydorano]

Without wading through the previous pages my own opinion is that I dont agree with the parade. Leaving aside morality arguments about the validity of the campaigns, I think Soldiers should be paid a helluva lot more for the job they do, parades et al are a nonsense way to 'compensate' soldiers IMO.

[red hander]

'Al Quaida launched a vicious terrorist attack on 9/11.'

So, that was year zero?  Nothing happened before that date involving America or American foreign policy?  It was bin Laden who started it?  The Israelis aren't c***ts?  It's those nasty Arabs?

[his holiness nb]

I find it interesting that huge amounts of northern Unionists support the war in Iraq, while proportionately far far less people in England, Scotland and Wales do.

I dont have stats or links to back this up, it's purely from experience, but it seems quite clearly the case.

I think this is because supporting the war (even when you know its wrong) equals showing your "Britishness"

Thats a sad state of affairs in my mind.

[Evil Genius]

'Al Quaida launched a vicious terrorist attack on 9/11.'

So, that was year zero?  Nothing happened before that date involving America or American foreign policy?  It was bin Laden who started it?  The Israelis aren't c***ts?  It's those nasty Arabs?

Bin Laden launched a murderous attack on the USA, killing over 3,000 innocent people, of every race and creed, from every part of the world.

Do you consider that he was justified in doing so, on account of US foreign policy?

Do you not accept the US had the right to pursue him for this?

Do you consider that the Taliban was justified in protecting him?

These are simple questions, which may be answered by a simple "Yes" or "No" and without recourse to idiotic and abhorrent "whataboutery"...

[Evil Genius]

I find it interesting that huge amounts of northern Unionists support the war in Iraq, while proportionately far far less people in England, Scotland and Wales do.

I dont have stats or links to back this up, it's purely from experience, but it seems quite clearly the case.

I think this is because supporting the war (even when you know its wrong) equals showing your "Britishness"

Thats a sad state of affairs in my mind.

What is "your experience"?

[his holiness nb]

EG, due to whats happened in the past I've decided to refrain from any interaction with you from this post on, which includes posting to you directly, commenting on your posts or replying to your posts directed to me.

Its for the best.

[mylestheslasher]

Evil Genius. Your understanding of the events leading up to and after Sep 11th are not clear enough for me. Firstly, it is not so simple to talk about "US Foreign Policy" without defining exactly what it was up to this point. US policy included the backing of Israel in their illegal incursions into Palestine, Syria and Lebanon. These brutal attacks resulted in the murder of 1000's of innocent muslim in these countries. Indeed, the Israelis watched on as Christian militias butchered all around them in refugee camps in lebanon. Most of Israels weapons and support and funding comes from the USA. Extreme muslims make the link that the US is equally responsible for their plight as israel are. The US helps dictators to susceed in countries like Iraq and saudi because the play ball. The dictator gets rich, the people stay poor. It is these people that Bin Laden fights for - muslims that are hard done by. I am not excusing the horrendous attacks of 9/11 but these are the reasons that they happened.
The Taliban are no more than a smattering of tribal war lords that couldn't have done anything about Bin Laden even if they wanted to. Afghanistan was already a wasteland destroyed by Saudi sponsored wars most recently and by Russian invasions before that (where the good old US trained Bin Laden holy warriors - knowing full well what his end objectives were). So the US, who forced the UN to obey by the way by threatening to go it alone anyway, blow the crap out of the wasteland that is Afghanistan dropping Cluster bombs on villages, torturing civilians - all the usual stuff they claim never happened. Of course Bin Laden is never caught.
Then suddenly, Bin Laden leaves the TV screen to be replaced by Sadam. Osama Bin Laden is on record as stating his total hatred for Sadam - the puppet of the west. Yet George W and Tony Blair ILLEGALLY invade Iraq, make up LIES about weapons of mass destruction and the rest is a bloody mess. BTW, both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have been lost by the allies. Both countries are totally out of control. If you want evidence I suggest you read the last couple of chapters of Robert Fisks - The Great War for Civilisation and there you will find exactly what your british and US governments are. Murdering scum, just like Bin Laden.

[Evil Genius]

EG, due to whats happened in the past I've decided to refrain from any interaction with you from this post on, which includes posting to you directly, commenting on your posts or replying to your posts directed to me.

Its for the best.

It was a simple, unperjorative question, entirely objectively phrased. Perhaps if someone else asks the same question, you will feel able to answer it?