A bit two faced of the Americans?

[friedgreentomato]

They have provided weapons and safe havens to the dissident republicans for generations and now the Americans decide to state how wrong it is!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...hern-ireland-20190667

[Gromit]

To be fair, the US played a big part in the Peace Process and NORAID was banned from collecting funds. They also stopped harbouring on the run Republicans.

Also, I think 911 changed the Ameticans thinking as regard to terrorist attacks on home soul. When it was happening in Northern Ireland, London, Birmingham and Manchester, it was a long way away. When it happened in New York their whole thinking changed.

[Gromit]

Think my iPad keybord is p*ssed. Should have read:

* changed the Americans thinking as regard to terrorist attacks on home soil. *

[Brenden]

Absolutely right gromit - nothing wrong in changing our way of thinking when we realise our views were wanting.

[friedgreentomato]

I wondering how many weapons out there in terrorists hands are from the Americans!

[Svejk]

Who cares what the Ameticans think?

[jno]

I think there's a difference between America and Americans. America has always deplored terrorist violence, but individual Americans, especially sentimental ones of Irish extraction, were free to donate to the IRA. As Gromit says, after 9/11 they cracked down on individual donations.

[sandyRoe]

The Contras in Nicaragua were armed and finances by the Americans during Reagan's 'watch'.
America never supported the Irish Republicans. Some Senators, with an eye to the Irish voters in their constituencies, interested themselves in our affairs. Senator King of New York comes to mind.

[friedgreentomato]

Interesting sandy thank you

[anotheoldgit]

Get your facts correct before accusing anyone.

/// The IRA's main gun runner in the USA was George Harrison, an IRA veteran, resident in New York since 1938. Harrison bought guns for the IRA from a Corsican arms dealer named George de Meo, who had connections in organised crime. Joe Cahill acted as the contact between NORAID and Harrison. In 1971, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) had already seized 700 modern weapons from the IRA, including 2 tonnes of high explosive and 157,000 rounds of ammunition, most of which were US made ///

The FBI also tipped off the Irish Government of a shipload of weaponry heading for Ireland,

/// n 1984, the FBI warned Ireland that a major IRA arms shipment was underway from the US, and that the weaponry would be transferred to an Irish fishing trawler in the Atlantic. Subsequently, Irish authorities discovered that arms ship was a vessel named Marita Ann, allegedly after a tip off Sean O'Callaghan, an IRA informant for the Garda Síochána (police of the Republic of Ireland). Three Irish Naval Service ships confronted the vessel off the coast of County Kerry, and prevented its escape by firing warning shots. A team of naval personnel and Garda officers boarded the ship, arresting the crew of five and confiscating seven tons of military equipment, as well as medications, training manuals, and communications equipment. ///

[friedgreentomato]

Aog do you get your facts right?

[Duncer]

When I was in New York the year after 9/11 an American in a Noo Joisey pub tried to tell me how I/we "would never understand the feeling/effect of a terrorist attack". I took great delight in putting him right, especially on the subject of American money funding ongoing violence in Northern Ireland, something he at first tried to deny.

[friedgreentomato]

Aog you have given two examples. It is a well known fact that Americans for many years had sympathy for the ira and provided them with weapons.

[friedgreentomato]

Dancer I have had similar experiences including barren who think its funny serving up a drink called a Belfast car bomb!!!!

[Duncer]

Was that in America?

[friedgreentomato]

Yes San Francisco it should have course read barman

[Duncer]

I'd guessed as much. I am well used to black humour surrounding the troubles, but it was the American's sanctimonious response to 9/11 that got to me, as if they were the first nation to suffer a terrorist outrage, albeit a particularly bad one.

[friedgreentomato]

I know I have had some interesting debates

[anotheoldgit]

friedgreentomato

/// Aog you have given two examples. It is a well known fact that Americans for many years had sympathy for the ira and provided them with weapons. ///

They may have been American citizens but they wasn't acting on the American Government's behalf.

You might as well say that if some British Muslims were providing some manpower and weaponry to carry our terrorists attacks in the Middle East, one could accuse the British government of being involved in those terrorist attacks.

[NOX]

It's also a fact that the American Govt has such love for Republican 'terrorists' that if you have a conviction for anything involving that then your chance of getting a visa to visit the US is absolutely nil, so I would agree that it has never been govt official policy to aid anyone- what individuals do, in many cases high placed individuals, is neihter here nor there.

[anotheoldgit]

friedgreentomato

/// Aog do you get your facts right? ///

I admit I have been known to make a mistake, but then others are quick to point the fact out.

So why should you be any different?