The former self confessed IRA member Martin McGuinness is standing for the post of Prime Minister of Ireland (Southern), if elected (and he has a good chance) will Britain take the same course over having a former terrorist and member of a terrorist organization leading a Country as it did over Libya, Iraq and many other Countries around the World.
Will we invade Ireland ?
Will we ask the United Nations to provide aircraft to carry out bombing missions in Ireland ?
If not, why not ? what makes it ok for one Country to be led by a terrorist or by someone the UN, UK or USA deem to be "unfit for office" or a "threat to world or national security" ?
Personally I believe that the UK owes a great debt to the people of Ireland who have fought beside us in every war we have ever fought, but I do wonder what the consequences of his election might be and what this country should and will do about it.
Martin McGuinness to run for Irish presidency
Sinn Féin to announce deputy first minister of Northern Ireland and former IRA chief of staff Martin McGuinness' bid to become head of state in Irish Republic
Does the title make a lot of difference ? Head of state by any name (Prime Minister, President, Fuhrer, Dictator) will he or will he not be able to influence the actions of the Irish Parliament ?
Will his position if elected allow him to continue his war on the United Kingdom ?
wll...Nelson Mandela is a hero where ever he goes ....yest he was jailed orginally for terrorist offences. Its just that we feel there the cause he was fighting was just !! It does seem people can be a terorist one day and a politician the next.
To be honest, if he now truely believes in the ballot box, and it keeps the peace in Ireland, then I for one would not make an issue of it.
dean is of course right.
Nissan Maindealer was an enemy of the SA State and now hailed as a hero in our time.
The jury is still out as to whether such acclaim is just in the case of MM, GA and Irish freedom.
But one thing is absolutely certain; Eire has properly run elections and the British Government will do well to steer way clear of any interference from Westminster or north of the Border.
There are many, many instances of "Terrorists" going on to lead a Country and then become "Allies" of the Country they were terrorising against. Most notably, Israel, the activities of the Stern Gang against the British in 1945 / 1946 were very similar to the PIRA 30 years later. Yet members of the Stern Gang went on to be high officals in Israel.
Robert Mugabe, not so well liked now, but back in the day he was a "freedom fighter" well liked by many people in the West.
Still, be nice to see McGuinness sorting out Irelands financial problems without borrowing any dosh from the hated Brits !! A case of "be carefull what you wish for, it might just come true !!"
John
I think if you brush up on your history that southern ireland was on the side of and aided Germany during the war. It was the North that was on our side.
I don`t think that the Government will get involved in the politics of whether Mcguiness gets elected or not........there`s no oil in Ireland......therefore nothing to be gained unlike Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya etc.....
I don`t think that the Government will get involved in the politics of whether Mcguiness gets elected or not........there`s no oil in Ireland......therefore nothing to be gained unlike Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya etc.....
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AKAIK, McGuinness was not a bomb maker, he preferred kneecapping people to make them suffer. Blowing people to bits was way too easy.
McGuinees indeed did not make bombs, that is thier bomb (technical departments) job, he did not to our knowledge plant bombs, but as Commander of the North Belfast Brigade and member of the Council he did decide which targets those bombs were to be used against, he did order knee cappings (an internal punishment used by PIRA against those they thought were not doing as ordered or assisting the enemy or dealing in drugs) he did order killings and these are facts to which he admits.
Adolf Hitler never killed a single jew with his own hands .........