The Political Thread

[Modern Panther]

"war is when two armies are fighting" as American philosopher Bill Hicks once said.

The Taliban, to all intents and purposes, were the government of Afghanistan - in so far as Afghanistan was actually a nation, rather than just the bit between neighbouring countries which nobody was able to control. 

Shake hands with the enemy?  It seems to be working in Ireland.  Even if we don't, that doesn't mean we have to engage them on their terms.  We don't have to kill civilians and torture people to get what we want - in facts, its completely counter productive.
The Taliban, the IRA, as with any other extremist group, might pretend to be about fighting an ideological battle, but the foot soldiers just want to be safe, to feed their families, and feel like their simplistic view of the world isn't under threat.

Al Queda, the boogie men, are nothing special or new.  They don't have any real structure or purpose.  They only thing they have going for them is the constant supply of new recruits and money which will seek them out to give some purpose to sad little lives.  New recruits and money are much easier to find if rather than coming up with a cohesive goal you can just point to the westerners who kill whole villages and call them the common enemy.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

We don't need to imagine that, as that is the sort of tactic the IRA did. Bombs in pubs, cars, shopping centres, etc... killing the innocent and not their enemy. I won't bother with all the kneecappings, punishment beatings, etc...
As for the ability to take out all the leaders of the terrorist groups in one night, they were all known and the resources were on the ground. If the order was given, it would've happened but Maggie, bless her didn't want to go that way.

By the way, it is nice to see there's no trouble in Northern Ireland nowadays. I hear Belfast is lovely, especially over the last month. Sadly some people will always find a cause to fight for.

[Zarjazzer]

I think there's some Loyalist riots in Belfast this evening. Ultimately I'd have to swallow and shake hands with scumbies cos that's the world we live in. (i'd have something horrible on mine-more horrible than normal though not polonium 210 since the russkies spoiled that trick) .

Tempting it must have been to send the Harriers south and blast Dublin and historically we will not know if it would have worked.And Obama is striking at the taleban leadership though America seems to have a strange propensity for hitting weddings and British tanks.  
Terrorists/insurgents have been defeated militarily even the IRA had a ceasefire due to horrendous losses in the mid seventies, but it is politics that ultimately determines these things. Not  just might. Those who live in such areas will ultimately determine what happens for good or ill.

[Professor Bear]

By the way, it is nice to see there's no trouble in Northern Ireland nowadays. I hear Belfast is lovely, especially over the last month. Sadly some people will always find a cause to fight for.

The current unrest in Belfast isn't coming from Republicans, it's from the upstanding British citizens who would have been left to their own devices after the blitzkrieg you suggested on the last couple of pages.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

I do follow the news (on the radio mainly) and do know who is doing the attacks on the police and property. Pity the news don't show what's happening on the tv, perhaps they don't want to stop potential investment.

As for me suggesting a blitzkrieg, can you quote me where I said I wanted that (unless you are not saying I want it but that I just pointed a fact out). I think I said something along the lines of Maggie not wanting that. I don't think I've ever typed on this forum that I want to wipe someone out or a group of people. On the other hand many people on here have wished certain political people dead.

[Richmond Clements]

I do follow the news (on the radio mainly)

Pity the news don't show what's happening on the tv

Maybe if you did watch the news, you'd see that they are.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

As you quote I said I mainly listen to the radio news and that gives a much broader coverage over the whole night, with first hand accounts from all sides. This is something the tv news can never compete with. One of the best blokes doing this is an Irish bloke on Radio5 called Stephen Nolan, who sees things from all perspectives.

I do watch the evening news before work and try to catch a bit from the news channels when I can. I prefer the ITV news as they aren't showing a left wing slant on everything like the BBC TV news does. I actually like to see all sides of everything and not just what I want to hear.

By the way, what do you labour lot think of the news about Labour's idea that I mentioned earlier about stopping benefits. I have yet to see anything on tv about this yet but I may have missed something, as I can't watch the tv all the time, as I have have to work to pay my taxes to help keep paying for Labour's war effort.

[Richmond Clements]

One of the best blokes doing this is an Irish bloke on Radio5 called Stephen Nolan

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! Nolan... best... HAAAHHAAAHAHAHAAAA!

I prefer the ITV news as they aren't showing a left wing slant on everything like the BBC TV news does

HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAHAA! Stop it, my sides...

By the way, what do you labour lot

See, this is something you do all the time, and it sort of bugs the shit out of me. I have never, and will never vote Labour. Being left wing doesn't mean you vote Labour, you know.
It's like assuming someone Right Wing would vote for a shower of twats like UKIP.


Oh...

[JOE SOAP]

In fairness to old Burdis he never said he wanted the night of the long knives, only that it was a plausible action if decided by those in power. -Joe Soap whose only affiliation is to himself.

[Buttonman]

One of the best blokes doing this is an Irish bloke on Radio5 called Stephen Nolan

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! Nolan... best... HAAAHHAAAHAHAHAAAA!

I prefer the ITV news as they aren't showing a left wing slant on everything like the BBC TV news does

HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAHAA! Stop it, my sides...

Can't argue with informed debate like that.

[Richmond Clements]

Can't argue with informed debate like that.

Have you ever heard Nolan?
he is an utter imbecile. His entire 'act' is to try and create conflict by trying to wind up whoever calls in. He is tiresome and embarrassing. And also, it should be pointed out, on the 'left wing' BBC.
Speaking of which - I'd love some examples of their left wing bias.


There, does that meet with your approval?

[Buttonman]

No. You haven't justified your childish ejaculation regarding ITV news. I doubt you can because if you watch it you are basically saying 'I watch a programme that I deem laughable' and if you don't watch it your comment regarding its content is worthless.

[Jim_Campbell]

Can't argue with informed debate like that.

To be fair, if you're going to dismiss one of the most respected and trusted news organisations in the world in favour of the shallow, tabloid, sound-bite rubbish peddled by ITV,* then I think you deserve all the ridicule you get.

Cheers

Jim

*I prefer Channel 4 News myself -- the channel's insistence on devoting an hour of prime-time TV to a news programme of this quality justifies its existence in and of itself, IMO. Feeble-minded interviews with Bryan and Mary Talbot notwithstanding.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Thank you Joe, that is what I said.

As for Richmond (seeing as you say I do some things all the time), I do love the way you think its hilarious, that's nearly as hilarious as starting a sexist thread about wanting to look at women's underwear. An excellent thread in these enlightened times when women should be treated equally to men. I await you thread on men in their underwear as a witty retort.

A while ago you said that a few sketches of female comic characters scantily drawn was everything that is wrong with comics today, yet you started that thread!

By the way the BBC admitted they were left leaning in their news not long ago, in fact it was on the news!

[Richmond Clements]

No. You haven't justified your childish ejaculation regarding ITV news. I doubt you can because if you watch it you are basically saying 'I watch a programme that I deem laughable' and if you don't watch it your comment regarding its content is worthless.

No, I was laughing at the assertion that the BBC is Left Wing. ITV news, is, as Jim said, tabloid shite. And please, don't tell me what I was saying - I know what I was saying and it wasn't that. You see?