Armed extremists 'were shooting to kill' (N. Ireland)

The Scotsman ^ | 9/12/2005 | GETHIN CHAMBERLAIN

[kingu]

This is just plain insane. Police standing there while people throw gasoline bombs? Replying with water cannons and plastic bullets?

The reports coming out of N. Ireland remind me of the insanity of when I was growing up.

[English Nationalist]

Dammit, I thought we had shoot to kill now.

[kingu]

Sir Hugh Orde, Northern Ireland's chief constable, said the clashes posed "one of the most dangerous riot situations in the history of policing in the United Kingdom," especially because Protestant paramilitary groups attacked the police with automatic weapons. One policeman was shot in the eye and partly blinded.

"It is unique to Northern Ireland for officers to come under live fire in what was a public order situation," Sir Hugh said.

In Bangor, rioters hijacked a bus, robbed and ejected its passengers, drove it to Belfast and set it on fire; in another town, they used a stolen backhoe to knock down streetlights and tear an A.T.M. from a wall. In Belfast, they rammed a police station's gates with a stolen car. The police arrested at least 10 people.

From NY Times.

[konaice]

More than 50 live rounds were fired at police and soldiers, who returned fire with plastic bullets.

Hmmmm, I think I see the problem here.....

[konaice]

"It is unique to Northern Ireland for officers to come under live fire in what was a public order situation,"

So sir, it isn't. You might take a clue what was done in New Orleans.

[Betaille]

I feel like 99% of the time I hear about violence it's the Irish republican side that's doing it. In fact this is the first incident I've heard of "Orange" violence. Am I correct or is that a misperception?

[English Nationalist]

Misperception. There's plenty of attacks on Catholics by Protestants. It's true, however, that the majority of attacks on security forces are by Catholics, and the IRA murdered far more people than any of the loyalists ever did.

[kingu]

This source... might give us a clue here...

The UDA and UVF are both supposed to be observing cease-fires and disarming in support of Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord, just like the outlawed Irish Republican Army rooted in militant Catholic areas.

But while the IRA has built a major base of support through its Sinn Fein party and has grown central to ongoing negotiations on Northern Ireland's future, the Protestant paramilitary groups have dismally failed to win electoral support and barely register in political talks. Instead they wield power through criminal graft backed by occasional intimidating shows of force.

Apparently this is their method of being heard? Geeze, not all that long after the London bombings and on the anniversary of 9/11..

[taxesareforever]

Sure doesn't sound like the cease fire that has been espoused lately in the news.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Tne rioters were their own kind.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

The police have always sided with the Orange against the Catholic population, now they are having to battle their own.

[1066AD]

Could this be a reaction to Blair's (and predecessors'since Thatcher) continual appeasement of Adams & co, ignited by a parade dispute or am I attributing "depth" to something more basic ?

[1066AD]

The IRA is not lily white, it has morphed into a highly successful criminal enterprise but it's not "PC" to say that it's still tied to good ol' peaceful Sinn Fein, cuddly Gerry et al.

[SevenDaysInMay]

The British should leave Ireland, all of it, resettling their Crown's pawns in Dover for instance, if only as partial payment for their genocide policy during The Famine.

[chuckles]

This can't be true. I wouldn't believe it without separate conformation.

Everybody knows the guns were all taken up in England!(/sarcasm)

[babygene]

"the IRA murdered far more people than any of the loyalists ever did"

I guess that's what we would expect to hear from a English Nationalist....

[English Nationalist]

With a few exceptions, the fenians have been appeased and treated with kid gloves since the late 60s. If this is a reaction to that, they've left it a bit late. While I'm no expert on the area, I think anger over the disbanding of the regiments may be playing a part.

BTW, why Hastings?

[Starwolf]

I don't recall the UVF or Orange Order ever conducting a bombing campaign in Ireland or attempting to kill Irish politicians

I do recall the IRA and Sinn Fein's abject refusal to consider a plebiscite in the 6 counties.

While the English are far from saints, and the Orangemen have a fair amount of blood on their hands, both are considerably cleaner than the terrorists of the IRA.

[English Nationalist]

http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/troubles/troubles_stats.html

Bottom chart.

[ukman]

Thanks for this spectacularly ignorant remark! Try reading some background information before posting in future.