en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/7977282 Comments by Condition http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/article29837016.ece#IDComment767249764 These fcuking empty heads wouldn't know what to do with a united Ireland. They'd just start blowing stuff up for another reason. Any reason. Scummy filth. Fri, 13 Dec 2013 22:17:14 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/article29837016.ece#IDComment767249764 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/article29837016.ece#IDComment767246789 What sort of school of stupid do you have to attend to carry out a bomb attack like this? How does bombing Belfast city centre at Christmas time, full with people enjoying life, further any cause? Ohh that's right it doesn't. Maybe it's time we stopped calling these fools dissident Republicans and start labeling them just horrible criminal scum. That way at least tit for tat is less likely. Belfast is so full of great people who just want to enjoy their days, bombs and fleggers not needed. Asreholes the lot of them. Fri, 13 Dec 2013 22:08:44 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/article29837016.ece#IDComment767246789 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/baggott-we-value-garda-friendship-29813465.html#IDComment762643827 What damning revelations of collusion? The Smithwick Tribunal found nothing of the sort! It found on the "balance of probability" there may have been collusion. Typical political whataboutery and angling for success. Glad to hear the PSNI chief constable is so positive about cross border policing and co=operation. Pity the politicians can't be more pragmatic. Thu, 5 Dec 2013 21:35:28 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/baggott-we-value-garda-friendship-29813465.html#IDComment762643827 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/smithwick-tribunal-police-in-the-republic-colluded-in-ira-murders-of-senior-ruc-officers-29806401.html#IDComment761722453 It's OK kids, I'm trying to avoid getting on anyone's bandwagon! You clearly want to push me as a Provo apologist, which I am anything but. Lovey to see now how so many people feel the actions of either the British or Irish policing bodies or individuals within them vindicate collusion on "their" side! I'm not a Republican nor do I want money wasted on enquirers! I like to think of myself as a failry well educated and informed realist! I don't think I ever said Bin Laden was blamed wrongly, I do however know that he and "Al'Qaeda" was used as scapegoats to invade Afghanistan for the forth time in British Military History. The Smithwick report said collusion of members of the Gardai with the pIRA was probable but there was not enough evidence to say definitively. Nothing that would ever hold up in a court of law was found. Just like I think prosecuting the Para's who murdered on Bloody Sunday would be a waste of money, I think prosecuting anyone for collusion is a waste of money. Victims and family's need clarity and honesty. But I believe a line needs to be drawn, crossed and never returned on if Northern Ireland's working class wish to move on. You can believe what you want, believe the BBC have nothing but reporting the news in a fair and impartial manner at heart. Believe that because Smithwick found a probability of collusion with members of the Gardai that this means their "side" was bad as "ours". Believe that war and military intervention world wide is about the spread of Democracy and freedom. Be wee lambs all you want!! Wed, 4 Dec 2013 09:52:08 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/smithwick-tribunal-police-in-the-republic-colluded-in-ira-murders-of-senior-ruc-officers-29806401.html#IDComment761722453 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/smithwick-tribunal-police-in-the-republic-colluded-in-ira-murders-of-senior-ruc-officers-29806401.html#IDComment761431665 Mr Justice Smithwick said that "on the balance of probabilities" collusion did occur! But there was not enough evidence to name suspects. He also said, It is also right today to acknowledge that during the course of the troubles on this island An Garda Síochána in co-operation with their colleagues in Northern Ireland played a vital role in safeguarding the institutions of the state and protecting the people of these islands, sometimes at great cost to individual members. Nothing in the report should detract from that. Your tone of belittlement of the Irish Defence Forces is unnecessary. Smithwick has not found that the Irish State colluded in anyway. Moles in the Gardaí is not state collusion. Dark times on this island, it will take 2 more generations before any concrete advancement is made for Northern Ireland! Until then the "ours" vs. "yours" bull will continue! Tue, 3 Dec 2013 21:18:31 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/smithwick-tribunal-police-in-the-republic-colluded-in-ira-murders-of-senior-ruc-officers-29806401.html#IDComment761431665 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/smithwick-tribunal-police-in-the-republic-colluded-in-ira-murders-of-senior-ruc-officers-29806401.html#IDComment761418050 Lovely to see everyone jumping to massive conclusions and trying to take this as a victory for their side! "Oh yeah so our boys colluded so did yours, your worse". Like a massive bunch of screaming kids. Disgusting! We are all humans and humans on both sides of the Irish conflict since the 16th century to now are guilty of murder, hate, destruction and the typical human qualities that are exploited by the few to get monetary, personal or political gain. Let's not all jump on our respective collusion bandwagon, take it as what it is. The darkness and horror of war. Move on and live, like ohh so many folk on both sides of the Irish divide do each day. P.S. Lovely to see the BBC jump on this story with gusto in stark comparison to their reports on collusion from the British side.....stoking fires and pandering to agendas, as usual. Filth Tue, 3 Dec 2013 20:42:50 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/smithwick-tribunal-police-in-the-republic-colluded-in-ira-murders-of-senior-ruc-officers-29806401.html#IDComment761418050 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/debateni/blogs/scottish-independence-why-northern-ireland-should-be-fearful-if-the-proposal-to-fly-solo-succeeds-29787682.html#IDComment757806685 Fleg, Flegs, Flegs! Northern Ireland will be just fine if the Scottish electorate vote Oui! The North is already very "foreign" to most people in the UK and sadly for some in Éire also. That's one of the challenges Northern Ireland faces; developing business, trade and openness with the rest of the island it shares, as-well as with it's big uncle across the sea! A good, honest, capable government in Stormont would be able to do meaningful trade and cooperate with an independent Scotland if need be and make progress for all, that's the North's real worry. Good, honest, un-bigoted governance. Not the blue in some fleg that one part of the population don't care for and some of the others would smash and destroy their own home for. Fcuk the flegs, Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:45:04 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/debateni/blogs/scottish-independence-why-northern-ireland-should-be-fearful-if-the-proposal-to-fly-solo-succeeds-29787682.html#IDComment757806685 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/public-mood-in-northern-ireland-is-for-an-end-to-segregation-in-schools-29372424.html#IDComment755929801 It's a sad thing that you and your children must live in such a way. Another clear sign that many parts of Northern Ireland as a "statelet" was doomed to failure since its inception! Major change is needed. I hope you and your kids stay safe and they learn to respect the world and their home! Sun, 24 Nov 2013 17:00:52 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/public-mood-in-northern-ireland-is-for-an-end-to-segregation-in-schools-29372424.html#IDComment755929801 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/irish-visit-typifies-our-painfully-slow-pace-of-progress-29768540.html#IDComment753220699 Maurice you are a strange fella, it has not taken nearly 100 years for a state visit. As until 1937 the British monarch was still technically if not in reality the Head of state of the Irish free state. Our past President (the Northern born Mary McAlesse) made many visits to Britain in official capacity but never for a state visit, likewise for Mary Robsinson. I'm not sure why you think the lack of a state visit since the setting up of Éire in 1937 is some sort of blight on our nation. It's not, maybe past presidents had more relevant work to be dealing with and the time never came up in either HOS's calendar for such a visit. Maybe a genuinely poor colonial relationship between the two islands takes time to patch up, maybe this is the perfect time, dictated by nature and history for such a visit. We've not suffered in anyway because of no state visits in the past from our elected head of state to the non-elected, privileged monarch in Britain. Trying to dig to find some deep foundations of the lack of state visit based on the "Troubles" is not necessary. Although the Irish constitution laying claim to the entire island until 1999 may have actually been a genuine barrier to official state visits to Britain by an Irish President. The on-going reality of Northern Ireland is yeas of neglect and whataboutery from both Éire and Britain, a state visit would not have changed that one bit! Wed, 20 Nov 2013 10:34:08 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/irish-visit-typifies-our-painfully-slow-pace-of-progress-29768540.html#IDComment753220699 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/article29758295.ece#IDComment751275714 Soo because the North has a team of it's own the Belfast Telegraph must have a total embargo/blackout on any reporting of the success or failure of the Irish Team? Surely even the most staunchly loyalist sash loving supporter of the Norn Iron team would have some interest in the result of the match of their closest neighbours team on their first outing with a whole new (and legendary) management? Surely that result was news-worthy enough for a newspaper? (ohh and in-case you don't now the Irish manager is from Kilrea, Co Londonderry) Sat, 16 Nov 2013 16:29:22 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/article29758295.ece#IDComment751275714 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/article29758295.ece#IDComment751113225 It's one small island in the atlantic ocean and it's just a sporting event! Build a bridge then start the long walk over it buddy. Bigotry, sectarianism, hatred and who knows maybe partition are on their way out! Get with the times and don't be so hate ridden. Sat, 16 Nov 2013 09:12:03 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/article29758295.ece#IDComment751113225 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/didnt-obama-disappear-bin-ladens-body-29749310.html#IDComment749640847 Emm who said Osama Bin Laden was an internationally wanted criminal....the American Government? Why? Concrete evidence? Right to a trial, extradition to the USA to face real charges, habeas corpus? Not detracting from the suffering of Jean McConville and family but the murder in a foreign, sovereign nation of a person no matter how huge their alleged crimes is disgusting, disappeared he was, is he dead? Who knows. Who cares? Does it matter, no. A scapegoat if ever there was! The letter is valid. Wed, 13 Nov 2013 21:06:43 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/didnt-obama-disappear-bin-ladens-body-29749310.html#IDComment749640847 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/robert-fisk/poppycock-or-why-remembrance-rituals-make-me-see-red-29738434.html#IDComment748093970 One full stop will do, a comma is more appropriate then three consecutive full stops in most cases. Maybe the extreme Islamists are against European nations, Russia and America constantly interfering, invading and "stirring the pot" in their lands. Pick up a history book and you'll see what I'm on about. Helping arm one nation against another, invading Iran during WW2 to take their oil. Passing colonies around like the people in them were sub-human after WW1. It's obvious why some people are easy radicalize. It's not justifiable but the facts of history are clear to see! Christian nations have done far more radical murdering and invasions world-wide then any Islamist. Get over your self-righteous bull! How about you read all about freedom and democracy during America's occupation of the Philippines The poppy has become a fashion symbol for some and a subversive emblem of the government to keep the public on the side of war-mongering. Great "victories" of the past....there never was any, WW2 aside. It's sad for the people who truly have something to remember, the soldiers who were there whatever their motives in the last two world wars, their families and loved ones, but every chump and yuppies wearing a poppy to remember sacrifice of others for their freedoms is just bull! Mon, 11 Nov 2013 07:52:41 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/robert-fisk/poppycock-or-why-remembrance-rituals-make-me-see-red-29738434.html#IDComment748093970 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/robert-fisk/poppycock-or-why-remembrance-rituals-make-me-see-red-29738434.html#IDComment747868622 Good man, my debate has nothing to do with Islam, you've obviously got a serious issue with that religion. Lovely how you tar all believers of Islam with the same brush! What was the last Islamic country you've visited? You bigotry is avoiding the simple point of discussion here, that the poppy is now a symbol of military supremacy for many and no longer about remembering dead. Sun, 10 Nov 2013 21:51:34 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/robert-fisk/poppycock-or-why-remembrance-rituals-make-me-see-red-29738434.html#IDComment747868622 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/robert-fisk/poppycock-or-why-remembrance-rituals-make-me-see-red-29738434.html#IDComment747763130 Not sure why you insist on capital letters for entire words, not particularly good use of your language! Your/Our culture isn't under attack, that's what your government will lead you to believe so it can war monger and invade nations for monetary reasons! You values and the rule of law is surely worthless if it only applies to your own nation and your government is willing to over-through other fragile governments in order to maintain their control on oil production in that nation! British concentration camps in the late 1890's are somehow less evil and more liberal and democratic institutions then the Nazi concentration camps in the 1940's? Ohh what a difference 50 years makes then! The only thing under attack here is commonsense and humanity, killing others in defense of "freedom" is the just killing, nothing more nothing less and that's what the poppy stands for today and that's why it is disliked by many. Sun, 10 Nov 2013 16:53:40 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/robert-fisk/poppycock-or-why-remembrance-rituals-make-me-see-red-29738434.html#IDComment747763130 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/robert-fisk/poppycock-or-why-remembrance-rituals-make-me-see-red-29738434.html#IDComment747745397 You see it's your way of thinking that makes those of us with more critical thoughts to dislike the "ideals" of the poppy. This idea of defending freedom is a new and very dangerous nationalistic way of thinking pushed on the public since WW2 to justify war, murder and colonialism! There was so much more to WW2 then what you learn in the class-room. Likewise WW1 was the most horrific conflict in modern history and shouldn't have happened at all, a real sad battle between imperialist powers who's monarch heads of state were related! There's nothing wrong with the poppy to remember the needless deaths of country men. But to think that at all times in all conflicts since the creation of Britain that you have always been on the morally just side is crazy. The Nazi concentration camps wern't much differnt from the British concentraion camps during the Boer Wars. Likewise European colonial settlers wiped out nearly the entire population of natives in North America, but somehow that was long enough ago that you wash that from the history books and just focus on the wars you've won! War has nothing to do with freedoms, it's all about power, money, land and greed. Always has been and always will be. Governments will just spin you whatever necessary line to get you to follow along and march to death or the death of others! Britain is full of tolerant, intelligent and kind people but your armed forces sadly have seldom carried that abroad. Remembering victory and sacrifice for victory over fellow colonial powers who were cutting in on your supremacy is the real background to the poppy. IT's just never sold as such (for obvious reason). It's funny this word freedom pops up all the time as does democracy as if Britain and America are the models of both. Funny when the CIA and MI5 conspired to over-through a democratically elected government in Iran as it was going to nationalise the oil fields. Freedom had nothing to do with invasion of nations like Iraq, freedom had nothing to do with colonial suppression in Kenya. Freedom wasn't very prevalent when shipping slaves across the Atlantic to British Caribbean islands. Ohh but that's right that was long enough ago that it's not relevant, all that is relevant is wearing to poppy to remember how you smashed the Germans........twice! Freedom...yep, freedom! Sun, 10 Nov 2013 16:04:14 +0000 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/robert-fisk/poppycock-or-why-remembrance-rituals-make-me-see-red-29738434.html#IDComment747745397