First homecoming parade
The first homecoming parade took place in Ballymena this evening. The RIR will be granted the freedom of Larne tomorrow and then the Belfast parade will take place on Sunday. I heard earlier today that of the 280 or so Armed Forces personnel parading on Sunday 23% (approximately 65) will be from the Republic of Ireland.
In fact Afghanistan DID in law declare war on Northern Ireland. NATO passed 9/11 as an asault on a member country, triggering the mutual defence pact.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nato#After_the_September_11_attacks
So I presume nato you can prove beyond reasonable doubt that the perpetrators of 9/11 were Afghan and did so at the will of and with the express consent of the Afghan government and people?
In fact Afghanistan DID in law declare war on Northern Ireland. NATO passed 9/11 as an asault on a member country, triggering the mutual defence pact.
If I call correctly only three countries actually recognised the Taliban regime at the time of 9/11: Pakistan; Saudia Arabia; and the United Arab Emirates.
Whether it was a war against “Afghanistan” or a war against “the Taliban” article 5 of the NATO charter was fulfilled regardless.
The Taleban in Afghanistan sheltered Bin Laden and Al Quaeda in the aftermath of 9/11. Many people died in the twin towers that day including plenty of British and Irish citizens. If it hadn’t have been for the invasion of Afghanistan there is no doubt Al Quaeda would have been stronger and would have conducted many more attacks than they have managed up to now.
WindsorRocker
If it hadn’t been for the criminal invasion of Iraq then perhaps the Afgan war could have been won. The Taliban should be rooted out as should the Saudis. Iraq was and remains a waste of time and a crime against humanity. The west supported these criminals when it suited them.
In fact Afghanistan DID in law declare war on Northern Ireland. NATO passed 9/11 as an asault on a member country, triggering the mutual defence pact.
nato
I don’t believe any of the criminals on 9/11 were afgans. Most were Bush’s mates the Saudis. Having said that I support destroying the Taliban. Mob of right wing reactionaries that they are. Would fit in well in Alabama or Ballymena
I went to the parade in Ballymena on Friday and there were thousands if not tens of thousands there – the whole route was packed 3-4 deep and there were no loyalist symbols on display that I saw and the atmosphere was one of relief not triumph.
Having said that I would like someone to explain why Sinn Fein (and Relatives for Justice etc) are protesting about the deaths of civilians at the hands of the Army during the Troubles (160 according to Table 18 in Lost Lives) when PIRA killed 636 civilans or four times as many (Table 20 – and at the risk of repeating myself from other threads none of their other killings were acts of war justifiable under any International Treaty – which is why the lily is not the equivalent of the poppy)?
And finally can someone also explain why Gerry Kelly a man convicted of offences in relation to the killing of a civilian in a bomb explosion is the keynote speaker at their rally? Is it intentional irony or unbelieveable hypocrisy?
“a heroine related crime?”
Does Gina Adair deal?
Driftwood is right!