Dammit .. and here's me thinkin these posts were gettin good .. takin me ages to play catch up :P and by the way .. Eliza and Charisma are nice :) why is it when it gets good and people let their hair down that someone has to go and turn it political again .. a just wanna cry :( lol anno peeps .. am the last one that should preach bout no turnin things political :wacko: but a can't help it :P anno a said it once before .. but a just gotta say it again ... DAMN good to be back ;) and am switchin back to my original identity :) always preferred to be a bit of a devil ;)

Well, you know me Patrick ... rants are my specialty :)

They did downsize, and as a said before ... some of the troops have been taken out of NI and some are even placed in Iraq. The thing is ... they removed some of the military presence but with whats left gets concentrated in certain areas. Belfast and Derry havn't seen any of the benefits that were to be gained from the GFA. Even with the removal of those troops .... the outline in the GFA states, as Tom so kindaly pointed out ...

(i) the reduction of the numbers and role of the Armed Forces deployed in Northern Ireland to levels compatible with a normal peaceful society;

I'm currently visiting the states. Here, I've very rarely seen any kind of military presence on the streets. It clearly states they would reduce the number to levels compatible with a 'normal peaceful society,' and yet NI still doesn't look so peaceful. If the 'normal peaceful societies,' such as Americans come to Belfast and there's so many militant types about that they think there's still a war on .. how has that reached the level compatible with their own definitions. It hasn't been reached.

I had planned on going through those points which you listed, but then realised one wee fact ... I'm tired :) I don't want to go over the same oul shit again and again, when each person's going to have their own opinion. I dunno if you actually live in Ireland, as yer profile says Scotland (nice wee accent ye had there also ;) ) You could be in NI ... or you could have been here before ... or perhaps lived here at some point ... but only those who have lived in it, actually know what I'm on about and how much of a military presence there still is. It does me no good to point out the failures of the brits to fulfill their part of the GFA ... nor does it do anyone else any good to point out the failures of the SF/IRA to me. I'm not, by any means, claiming that the IRA are good fair men .... nor am a claiming that the SF aren't involved with the IRA .... all I'm saying is that it doesn't, at the end of the day, matter. None of them were/are living up to their end of the bargain, but I can't condemn the IRA for all they have done or will continue to do. I dunno bout others, but when someone walks into my house, beats my family, takes my land, and then makes me pay to live on the land that was mine ... refuse to let me pratice my religion ... I fight back .. I don't give up and will always fight to defend my home, my country, and my family (what's left of them :huh: ) No other person has the right to enter my house, my peoples houses and take from them what is rightfully theirs. If the Brits think that people should lay down and die .. accept their involvement ... it isn't going to happen. This was Ireland before and will be Ireland, even if a wee bit different, once again. If the Brits invaded America, walked into their homes and started taking their land, beating their families, wrongfully imprisoning people because they're nationalist, republicans, catholic ... a bet the citizens would no give up .. they'd take up arms and fight to the bitter end also. People call the IRA terrorists .... or any other group tryin to unify our country terrorists also. I bet they wouldn't be so quick to call themselves that if they were faced with the occupation of another country on their land .. as a matter of fact ... Americans didn't let it happen and fought to gain their freedom. More than once they took on the crown and kicked ass ... so tell me .. why is it that the IRA is considered to be any different than some of the rebels of the Americans, which were/are glorified for having done, some say even worse than our people, to win their freedom?

It is rather confusing ... in war there's casualties... the innocent die as well as 'soldiers' of either army. You seem to be in favour of the GFA, Tom .... tell me .. in your opinion .. should we stay the course, even though is a rocky and stormy one and one in which neither side wants ... or would you say we should explore other options? Do you even think Ireland should be unified? Do you think it should be 'A Nation Once Again?' If you do think so ... if you think the Brits should and want to be out of NI ... then pray tell ... how do you think our freedom .. the Brits withdrawal should be, for lack of a better word, negotiated? Has violence worked .. no ... has peaceful means worked ... no ... tell me Tom, because I'd really like to hear your opinions on this matter, how would you go about a peaceful solution?

lol why thanks Patrick .... but the thing is .. Calloway isn't me lol you were thinkin Callaway ... but the surname is a Mc E surname actually :) soon to be changing again lol :P but thanks for the nomination :wub:

I'd hate to think wa ma blood alcohol level would be ... but it's gotta be a damn sight betta than t'was :P Anyhoo, Patrick, mate .... a wouldn't wanna see ya change ;) a only changed cause a had ta :( all it's done is make me more aggressive :) amen :) a was funny before and had a wee bit of a temper ... now ... erm ... no so funny and even worse temper lol mates do a runner when they see me comin :P lol anyhoo ... I'll leave ye to yer non - sobriety :) Sl�inte ;)

Well, Tom, God bless ye also and pleasure meeting ya ... now back to biz :) ...

You say the Brits havn't breached the GFA and that the troops are no longer in NI but in Iraq ... there is some truth to the fact some of em are in Iraq .. but there's still quite a military presence in NI. They have indeed failed to fulfill its own demilitarisation obligations. They havn't actually provided a detailed demilitarisation plan, which not only calls for the removal of troops from the streets, but also the abolition of all the high-tech spyposts-fortresses, and the low-level helicopter flights. If you don't think there's many of the flights .. just ask mates what it's like to yakk at the phone and can't hear because those fuckers are so damn close you can't even hear yerself think. Also, what about the building that has been going on and witnessed for several months at the army forts? Isn't that a clear breach of the GFA contract? People visiting the north often have commented, even in recent months, the policing situation and the military presence made them believe the war was still in fact on. If they've all been called out and sent to Iraq, then tell my why so many people only visiting .. both sides of the equation and none are affiliated with the IRA or the Brits ... say it appears as if there's still a war on? You act as if the republicans, nationalists and such are the only ones not in favour of the GFA .. but in truth, the unionists are just as much against it .. mebbe even more so. Why? If the IRA are the ones acting like mafia ... tell me .. why is it that the unionist beat our people and rarely does it ever get invesitigated, and the ones that do .. well ... they rarely are ever seen before the courts for their crimes. Who is the mafia? not the IRA. You may not understand where I'm coming from, but after having been born Derry and lived in Belfast ... I've seen enough ... am only just now getting a much deserved break away, sorta ... even though am away am still doing my part :) but when a go back in Oct .... for some reason I feel things will only be worsened by then. People I've known to stay out of all the sheeit are now considering joining groups they never would have before. The GFA has become nothing more than a mere joke and the only ones that truly pay are the common people. Peace would be nice, and in the immortalised words of John Lennon, 'Give Peace a Chace,' we tried. It failed.

Jesus ... a need to shuddup for a wee bit .. see all yous monday :)

K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid ... that's the plan stan :P ave gotta keep it simple. Or so a thought lol am tryin God forigve me :wacko: and honestly .. can't see you or Patrick sayin you'd only drank twice in six months lol

ooooo ... here a go again .. afterthoughts :) been a while since a said that ... but a spose this forum does it to me :P Anyhoo .. is it not true that people have to give to get a little in return? Does one respect another without first having been given respect? The IRA might not have lived up to all their part of the bargain (TFG) but would you blame them when the Brits weren't living up to theirs. Anno we aren't to live by the Old Testament, but unfortunately ... coul hard facts are that we do in fact live in that kinda world ... eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth .... so a must agree with you in the fact the IRA/SF didn't live up to their end, but with damn good reason.

If you had an enemy and you couldn't beat them, least no at the time, you would decide to form some kind of peace treaty with them. You know it's a stale mate, but wa if the enemy of yers didn't back off and continued to do things against the treaty ... say they even went so far as to not bide by it? Would you break the treaty in return and show them no respect, such as the lack of respect they've shown you? or ... would you actually bow down and kiss the proverbial ass in hopes that eventually they do bide by the treaty? Sorry ... but this is the real world .. you make a deal, you better be prepared to bide by it .. and if you don't ... then sorry to say the agreements doomed. The brits gave a little at the beginning, and then the IRA actually gave a little also .. tit for tat .... is a give and take relationship .. but then got to a point where it was more the IRA that was giving and the Brits taking ... and now you see where that gets us ... no closer to peace, and even closer to all the same oul shit that happened before.

I wonder wa the brits would have thought if the IRA had demanded the same humiliating tactics as they asked of the IRA? Would they have been willing to do as asked? Think not!!! Think they would have been just as pissed off as the IRA is. Who wouldn't be?

Ha Ha Ha Patrick ... spose am slippin in me oul age :P but thanks for the other ... is damn good to be back ;)

In response to yer question Tom ... there's several ways they didn't live up to their end of things .. perhaps the number one being the pulling out of their troops in certain areas ... they were way behind their quota of troops they 'claimed' they would pull out. Need any other examples? I'd be happy to oblige :)

I've a comment bout the beginning of this post ...

I agree with Noel ... the GFA has stood in the way for quite some time. See, Tom, the way things went, as in the British not living up to their end of things is the whole reason the GFA isn't going to work. It wasn't on the part of the Oirish that this didn't work .. was nothing but the brits fault in that respect. Then, the brits and such no only wanted the IRA disbanded, and decommissioned ... but they also wanted humiliation. That to me does not sound like they wanted peace. The GFA was just a piece of paper, which in the end, has meant nothing. It wasn't worth the time nor the paper it was typed upon. It bought the british time, and as far as I see, that has done the Oirish no good. Now that the GFA will more than likely not be a factor again ... mebbe people can try concentrating on the real issue, reunification, by whatever means necessary. I of all people wish there was a non - violent solution, but can you honestly say that we're any better off with the GFA? If so, then please tell me why so many lives were still lost while the GFA was in effect? Tell that to some of my family that has been burried since the GFA. Anyhoo .. rant over :)

Should a or shouldn't a say summit here bout this ... erm ... lemme see ... spose am here so a might as well do so :)

People can accuse others of pariticipation, leadership, or anything else, even if true, is only to make sure that they discredit certain people's reputation. In their accusations, some will believe and others will be outraged. Then again .. there'll be some that believe and are still outraged. Personally ... who cares if they are or aren't .. that truly isn't the issue. The GFA was nothing more than a few politicians that came together to kinda, sorta appear to want peace. The truth is both sides have always been searchin for any reason they could find to turn it against the other, but the IRA have been more than patient. The Brits never did follow the letter of the laws in which they stated in the GFA ... they failed to hold up to their end of a rather, erm, ummmmm, dodgy bargain. I think the IRA had been more than patient and willing to try a peaceful solution, but now ... there's been quite a renewed sense of obligation on the part of people in the north. There's many who had stayed out of this, but because of all the recent events, accusations and such, they have now decided they want to join what was to be disbanded. I find this whole thing quite interesting. You've got people on both sides instigating more war, and yet so many claim to want peace. Truthfully .. the north will prolley never see peace, but will become more peaceful once the British remove themselves and stop occupying the North. There will still be fighting, most assuredly, but will be at the Oirish own expense. If the cost is more than the crown can bear ... why no leave now?

As for the south ... ave never seen so much ignorance on the part of the youth. Once, Dublin way, there was a 17 year old boy that a seen .. he asked me a question bout where a was from ... to which a replied the north ... he asked IF they were still fightin up there ... a was no only stunned, but was quite angry at the youth .... a toul him the battle still wages on and prolley always will. He asked me then wa a thought bout the situation ... so a toul him :) and to my surprise ... the next words outta his mouth shocked me .. horrified me actually ... he claimed he didn't even know there was any more catholics in the north.

I don't think that the south is against reunification per se ... but a do think that they are more or less ignorant of whats been goin on in the north. How can people make an informed decision when they don't even know the facts? I'm no sayin that everyone in the south is like that ... there's many that support either side and know what's goin on ... but truth be told .. a think the greater majority knows fu** all about the political situation in the north. The amount of info they get is in the media, and lets face facts peeps .. the media has never been kind towards the catholics, nationalists, republicans, or anyone that doesn't want British occupation in the north .... we're all considered terrorist and the south, for the most part, believes it.

I think that if more people started seeing things the way that Michael Collins seen it, we might actually have won freedom for the north, but they want to continue in a nonsensical way, then so be it. A just hope that if a don't see reunification, or at the least our freedom from British Occupation, before a die, that our future generations will.

Thankey Thankey Thankey :) Very nice welcome back :wub: :) and oh how I've missed the lot of yous :( Hope everyone had a grand St. Paddy's Day :) A sat in Illinois, sippin red wine from a cuppa with shamrocks on it lol was a bad bad bad me ... am no supposed to be drinkin, but tis a grand holiday to be sure to be sure :P Just isn't the same if ye can't get a wee bit pi**ed :P Besides ... ave been such a good wee girlie .. have only drank twice in the last six months :) Betta mark the date because you'll prolley never hear that again lol As far as the simple and sedate ... kinda gotta keep it simple ... K.I.S.S. method :) As long as am like this .. a can stay .. least a hope ;) wouldn't want anyone to read questionable material of mine :) lol Anyhoo ... thanks again for the welcome back and is grand to back amongst friends.

Your Oirish Angel ... a Wee Irish Devil ... amongst other things :ph34r: ;) lol

Hiya everyone,

Been ages since a was in here last and missed the lot of you. Some of you a sent personal messages and hope that, even if not deserved, I'll receive a warm welcome back into the family. A promise to keep my posts simple and sedate. I'm gonna be a wee Oirish angel ;) It's good to be back :) Take care all yous and hope you're all doing well.