[Cmmah]

Couldn't find a thread about this on the UK or International boards, so I thought I'd post it here now.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18568711

Thoughts? Personally I think it would have more repercussions for unionists rather than republicans, as the Queen is shaking hands, showing respect for someone who murdered her cousin. I don't see what the republicans have to lose from this, or why republicans would be upset.

[AnythingButChardonnay]

He's an evil ****.

[Mr Einstein]

It shows we are moving on. Forgiving past wrongs in the hope for future peace.


Sounds ****ing cheesy but it's true, and necessary.

[Steezy]

I don't think the Queen knows what she's doing or who she's shaking hands with most the time...

The only person in the world who could outshake the shaky hand man.

[AnythingButChardonnay]

(Original post by Steezy)
I don't think the Queen knows what she's doing or who she's shaking hands with most the time...

The only person in the world who could outshake the shaky hand man.

I think she knows only too well who she's shaking hands with. She's extremely well briefed and has to deal with complete dickheads every day of the week.

[ForensicShoe]

I'd much rather see her punch him in the face.

But yeah it's good to give the 'appearance' that things are moving on.

[moonkatt]

Is Phillip going to be there?

[Carter78]

I think this is a bigger deal for the IRA and Sinn Fein than it is for the British. It shows that they are able to (peacefully) reconcile themselves with the British State - if not the idea of Northern Ireland remaining within the UK for ever and ever.

[Snagprophet]

Republicans are so up themselves.

[gladders]

Perhaps the next step is their swearing an Oath to the Queen and sitting in Parliament?

[@Sam]

I have very little respect for McGuiness but the fact that he is willing to do this shows some decency, especially considering the apparent threats of late with the IRA’s modern groups and the Olympics. Anyone that pretends this can make up from the years of hate would obviously be kidding themselves but at least it means that some progress can continue to be made and hopefully this generation can keep things calm until the new, post-Troubles generation, is ready to really finish the job as only they will be able to.

[bahjat93]

The Queens shouldn't be doing that!
We should rule Northern Ireland with an Iron fist along with Scotland. Shaking his hand gives the impression that the English have become weak!

[L i b]

(Original post by Carter78)
I think this is a bigger deal for the IRA and Sinn Fein than it is for the British. It shows that they are able to (peacefully) reconcile themselves with the British State - if not the idea of Northern Ireland remaining within the UK for ever and ever.

I'd like it if they could do that. If they could fully accept Northern Ireland as a part of the UK, even thought they seek to change that, and recognise the Queen as the legitimate constitutional sovereign until such times as they can legitimate change that through political channels.

There's been a major change. Once where you'd hear of 'occupied six counties', if you go to Sinn Fein's website now and search for 'occupied', the results are about things like under-occupied buildings, occupied plots and Palestine.

[strwman5]

March and F-ing Die! I will never support the damn Queen!

[sorafdfs]

Why not high five?

[toddman10]

People need to realise that the British army and loyalist terrorist organisations murdered innocent Irishmen as well. I have just watched a unionist person say on the news 'our country, our queen, he shouldn't even be here, they can all go down south where they belong' this person needs taught that the Irish in the north (including Martin McGuinness' ansectors) were here centuries before the Ulster Plantation.

[Foo.mp3]

I'm not as familiar with the history of the troubles as perhaps I should be (but it's fair to say a lot more familiar with it than most of my counterparts in mainland Britain). For reference I am of mixed heritage, my mum hails from a Catholic (Irish-English) background and my old man from Scottish-English/protestantism

My own view is that the crown should've conducted itself better in Ireland to begin with, then Ireland might perhaps have remained within the UK, for a while longer at least; being as we didn't and we faced a very determined separatist movement and had to grant independence to the Republic of Ireland, we should then have released Northern Ireland too, in time, to the care of the Republic - post WWII would've been an opportune moment. They're not savages and I don't think the Protestant community would've suffered too much/as much as they ended up suffering had we taken this tack

That said, I'm not keen on terrorists, particularly those who take up arms when the alternative is hardly extremely brutal oppression! I think politicians should get involved with the peace process but I'm not keen on royalty shaking hands with a former terrorist commander, and can't believe that the Duke was talked into it after what the bastards did to Lord Mountbatten and his family

[L i b]

(Original post by Foo.mp3)
My own view is that the crown should've conducted itself better in Ireland to begin with, then Ireland might perhaps have remained within the UK, for a while longer at least

I'd argue with that point. As much as many will suggest that the Northern Ireland conflict is not about religion, that is certainly the genesis of it. Catholics were oppressed. But they were oppressed in England and Scotland too - often far more harshly than in Ireland.

So what was the difference? The number of them, the sheer percentage of the population in Ireland. This wasn't by any quirk of fate, but simply because when the state and the established churches were making genuine efforts to convert people to Protestantism in Great Britain, the Crown simply showed a lack of urgency in doing the same over in Ireland.

Had they in fact been more oppressive and a tad more bloodthirsty then I have few doubts that Ireland would be a normal part of the United Kingdom, converted to Protestant worship and with the old abuses long-forgotten - possibly more so than Scotland where Calvinism took hold early on.

In general, if you want to build national unity, you do it by the sword.

being as we didn't and we faced a very determined separatist movement and had to grant independence to the Republic of Ireland, we should then have released Northern Ireland too, in time, to the care of the Republic - post WWII would've been an opportune moment. They're not savages and I don't think the Protestant community would've suffered too much/as much as they ended up suffering had we taken this tack

Oh, I'm not to worried about the Protestant community. I'd be more worried about any Southern Irishman who tried to claim Northern Ireland under such circumstances. It'd have been an absolute bloodbath, and the south would not have the resources to fight against that.

This is why there was partition in the first place. Had it been otherwise, the Unionist population were perfectly prepared to set up their own state in Northern Ireland, independent of the UK and Eire - and they were also armed to the teeth.