. I was listening to the news headlines on BBC Radio 5 live this morning and caught the surreal headline that “Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister and former IRA commander Martin McGuinness is visiting Iraq on a peace mission.” Three thoughts;
Why does the BBC not enquire when Mr McGuinness LEFT the IRA?
Why does the BBC not enquire what atrocities the IRA committed when McGuinness was directly involved in commanding terrorism?”
Why does the BBC choose at times to highlight the terrorist pedigree f McGuinness and then at other times to demurely cover this up?>
It seems to me that the BBC gets a kick out of fawning of terrorists, be they Islamic or Irish.
Big response on this one I see.
Clearly you have an axe to grind with McGuinness, but that’s got nothing to do with the BBC.
‘Why does the BBC not enquire what atrocities the IRA committed when McGuinness was directly involved in commanding terrorism?”‘
What? in a headline about his visit to Iraq?
I’d love to see the BBC you’d run.
Joel.
1. I’m not too keen on murderers in government, perhaps you have no such moral qualms.
2. The BBC I would run would be one with a stake throught its black heart.
I had to work a bit to find the attempted double bombing in Belarus on independence day on the beeb website.
The bbc seems to think someone attacking an adolf hitler waxwork is more important.
joke of a news site. total joke.
Perhaps it’s a tribute to old friends?
This 2005 story (OK From the Independent – not the most credible source) says that the IRA transferred bomb making technology to ‘insurgents’ in Iraq.
Revealed: IRA bombs killed eight British soldiers in Iraq
David Vance
I heard it too and was mildly surprised.
I liked the comment from McGuinness when he said it really important to keep talk to your enemies.
Oddly he inexplicably left out the bit where it’s ok to unilaterally end a ceasefire with without warning killing innocents in the process if you think it is to you’re advantage.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/10/newsid_2539000/2539265.stm
Just Slightly worried what adviced he will be giving out and to whom it will be giving it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4528109.stm
sorry
talk read talking
Caught the news item on slugger.
David Vance,
The BBC thinks they did enough investigating of IRA atrocities years ago, back when they were active “militants”. Once they became politicians, they were rehabilitated in the hearts and minds of the BBC. Not much anyone can do about that.
But this really appears to be a new development in the Narrative I noticed a couple of weeks ago: the situation in Afghanistan is analogous to Northern Ireland during The Troubles. The BBC had Col. Bob Stewart on Mayo’s show recently making just that case, and Mayo shouted down an opposing view from the United Statesian guest.
Everyone already knows about McGuinness’s past – that’s why the BBC dopes thinks this gives him credibility to bring peace to Afghanistan. In their own way, they’re actually calling McGuinness a former terrorist.
Watch for other stories pushing this angle. I know it does feel like fawning over terrorists, but they just see a Story to tell. They have decided on their Narrative for the region, and that’s it. They are advocating for bringing current Taliban leaders into the government, and ceding territory to their control.
It’s a classic writer’s trick. Depict a new and difficult situation in a context familiar to the audience.
Afghanistan = Northern Ireland during The Troubles. Quite simple, really.
Considering the IRA were funded and trained by Islamists (on behalf of the USSR) it’s hardly suprising one of the vermin is keen to ‘talk’ to his old buddies.
Wouldn’t it be poetic justice if he was taken hostage and had his head chopped off. Not going to happen though, the Arabs are reknown for their hospitality to their friends 🙁
I thought Sinn Feinn were out of favour now that they had opposed the Lisbon Treaty ?
In their own way, they’re actually calling McGuinness a former terrorist…..David Preiser (USA) | 05.07.08 – 4:15 pm | #
I noticed that when I heard McGuiness on Toady this am.
It’s only recently that the Beeb have started admitting that he was an IRA commander.
The fact always used to be airbrushed with a few “allegedly”‘s or “some people believe that”‘s.
I suppose it’s progress of a kind.
I often wonder what will happen if somebody comes forward with cast iron evidence of murder or torture against Adams or McGuiness.
If it’s strong enough – I can’t see how a police investigatio and ultimate trial could be avoided.
Ah well! – live in hope.
John Reith,
The evidence is there – but the will to prosecute is missing. Sadly the preference is to let killers prevail.
Anyone remember all that American outrage when those IRA tewwowists blew up the Brighton Hotel with pretty much the entire British Government in it?
No?
Neither do I.
Yup.
There’s tewwowists and then there’s tewwowists.
It’s funny nobody mentioned Saint Mandela.
Millie Tant
They did on The Now Show on Friday evening.
John Reith spins in his grave: ‘It’s only recently that the Beeb have started admitting that he was an IRA commander.’
That would be because he admitted that he was. Before this he hadn’t. I don’t know these news broadcasters and their rules about reporting things that are supported by evidence.
Re poetic justice for Martin McGuinness, surely nothing could match the poetic justice of the West funding and arming Iraq and the Taliban to the back teeth in the 70s and 80s, only to later start wars against both. I guess it kept the arms industry ticking over at least…
Callum | 11.07.08 – 7:57 pm |
Hello, most of Sadaam’s weaponry was old Soviet stuff. The French gave him the chemical weapons, and the Germans built his bunkers. No poetic justice there, I’m afraid.
How many Taliban have US weapons (aside from those stingers, etc., bought on the black market), and how many of them have Kalashnikovs that are as old as they are, if not older?
Myths live on, I guess.