British Army admits not defeating the IRA

2007-07-06 03:10:50

#1

CameronPoe: Member; +2,925|6999

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/nort … 276416.stm

The IRA did a LOT of very, very bad and despicable things but you gotta hand it to them: they weren't beaten by one of the primary military powers on the surface of planet earth - according to the Brits themselves.

Last edited by CameronPoe (2007-07-06 03:11:11)

2007-07-06 03:12:12

#2

david363: Crotch fires and you: the untold story; +314|7183|Comber, Northern Ireland

maybe they will realise now they cant win the battle in iraq or afghanistan....

2007-07-06 03:15:47

#3

Adams_BJ: Russian warship, go fuck yourself; +2,055|7066|Little Bentcock

What do they mean by '...but only in the we they deployed their vehicles"?

2007-07-06 03:31:50

#4

CameronPoe: Member; +2,925|6999

Adams_BJ wrote:
What do they mean by '...but only in the we they deployed their vehicles"?

That should read 'we shot 13 civilians dead, some in the back, one in the armpit as he had his arms raised'.

2007-07-06 03:34:20

#5

JahManRed: wank; +646|7071|IRELAND

It describes the IRA as "a professional, dedicated, highly skilled and resilient force", while loyalist paramilitaries and other republican groups are described as "little more than a collection of gangsters".

They could never beat the IRA, specially in South Armagh which was a virtual no go area for the Army during the troubles. They couldn't travel by road for over 15 years. Even their excrement had to be removed by helicopter from bases. They were getting good at taking down helicopter too. With a couple of Americans helping build guided rockets to take them down towards the end of the troubles the army was on the brink of defeat in south Armagh.
I just finished reading a book about South Armagh which was full of interviews by past serving Solders and they had nothing but respect, along with contempt for the IRA in south Armagh. Describes how an IRA sniper took a purposely wild shot with a light 50 at the army at a particular patrol point. Watched for were their training would instinctively make them go for cover. They waited 3 years, planted a bomb, blew up a patrol at the same place. The clean up battalion arrived by helicopters and the solders went instinctively to the same positions for cover the patrol had 3 years later. All the best places for cover were booby trapped and a second bomb was set in the adjacent field were solders off loading from the helicopters would be. Think they killed 15 solders in the first attack and 11 in the follow ups.
The problem for the Army was that in predominately republican areas they were in a hostile environment. The SAS set up 10 Cover OP's at 3am around an arms dump with orders to kill anyone who went near it. A local spotted one of Covert OP's and told a local IRA man. The next night the OP was assaulted and all the SAS men killed instantly.
When the IRA stood up and fought the army, I supported them. When they started bombing civilian areas my support wained.

2007-07-06 03:38:17

#6

david363: Crotch fires and you: the untold story; +314|7183|Comber, Northern Ireland

yeah i watched that on tv, they hid the bombs in milk containers?

2007-07-06 03:54:09

#7

daddyofdeath: A REAL Combat Engineer in the house; +187|6697|UK Bradford W,Yorks. Age 27

The Real Ira were a good military outfit, all the breakaway elements and factions were not so good. Just thugs in ski masks. The real fighting was between the people that really wanted a free Ireland. I myself never understood why we have fought for all these years and for what? Most of the Brit soldiers stationed there didnt want to be there just as mush as the Irish people wanted us there. At the end of the day the Army is sent to do a job and we do it. However, you can never win against a resistance, and thats been showed throughout the ages. Hand it back is what I say and lets all live like civilised people together, that we like to think we are.

2007-07-06 04:05:24

#8

JahManRed: wank; +646|7071|IRELAND

david363 wrote:
yeah i watched that on TV, they hid the bombs in milk containers?

Yeah it was the Narrow Water Massacre outside warnpoint. My old boss was ex RUC and he was tasked with grouping the various body parts together in plastic bags at the scene. Looking through their pockets finding letters photos. Most of the solders were vapourised. His recollection of that day still makes me feel ill. I do feel for the solders who lost their lives and I am angry that the British government put them in the situation were they would be targeted.
David, were you a solder at a time, or am I think of someone else?

2007-07-06 04:34:34

#9

IG-Calibre: comhalta; +226|7186|Tír Eoghan, Tuaisceart Éireann

Personally I could never condone the actions of the IRA, I don't care what accolades the British Crown forces heaps upon them. I still firmly believe the peaceful, Civil Rights movement, could of moved us much sooner to where we are now after thirty years of Chaos and, murder, & violence. While I can never condone the IRA, I can certainly understand why they acted as they did, They are a total reflection of the failed British State. The sooner the British State recognises that it massively & undeniably failed it's Catholic citizens, actively & openly conducted sectarian murder of Men, women, and children at the hands of its Crown forces, and, in collusion with Loyalist paramilitaries - for no other reason than the church they worshiped the same God in, There can never be any Justice for victims & families of the atrocity that was the North of Ireland.

Last edited by IG-Calibre (2007-07-06 04:35:36)

2007-07-06 04:45:53

#10

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7025|SE London

Just goes to show, you can't beat terrorists through military means. You have to address the causes of terrorism.

2007-07-06 05:00:37

#11

PHILIPS: Ur mom in a tub; +2|6588|Ireland

IRA has gotten their asses kicked by the Brits a few times.
Has anyone read Mike (or is it Chris?, cant remember, its so many years since i read the book) Ryans book?

where he describes how the SAS was waiting for IRA to blow up a police station, and when the IRA guys entered the compound they got slaughtered.

2007-07-06 06:12:14

#12

david363: Crotch fires and you: the untold story; +314|7183|Comber, Northern Ireland

yeah i was in the Royal marines for 6 years,

2007-07-06 06:13:09

#13

oug: Calmer than you are.; +380|6963|Πάϊ

Bertster7 wrote:
Just goes to show, you can't beat terrorists through military means. You have to address the causes of terrorism.

qft

_ƒ³

2007-07-06 06:23:26

#14

Braddock: Agitator; +916|6734|Éire

daddyofdeath wrote:
The Real Ira were a good military outfit, all the breakaway elements and factions were not so good. Just thugs in ski masks. The real fighting was between the people that really wanted a free Ireland. I myself never understood why we have fought for all these years and for what? Most of the Brit soldiers stationed there didnt want to be there just as mush as the Irish people wanted us there. At the end of the day the Army is sent to do a job and we do it. However, you can never win against a resistance, and thats been showed throughout the ages. Hand it back is what I say and lets all live like civilised people together, that we like to think we are.

The term 'Real IRA' is actually used for one of the modern day splinter groups (the group considered responsible for the Omagh bombing), this splinter group is not looked on fondly in Ireland and are considered an extremist element, out of touch with the desires of the Irish people ...I presume you mean the original IRA of the 70's and 80's?

2007-07-06 06:46:38

#15

ATG: Banned; +5,233|6973|Global Command

Bertster7 wrote:
Just goes to show, you can't beat terrorists through military means. You have to address the causes of terrorism.

Large scale bombing was never used. They should have considered that if they wanted to win.

2007-07-06 06:51:43

#16

sergeriver: Cowboy from Hell; +1,928|7201|Argentina

ATG wrote:
Bertster7 wrote:
Just goes to show, you can't beat terrorists through military means. You have to address the causes of terrorism.
Large scale bombing was never used. They should have considered that if they wanted to win.

Large scale bombing, lol. What about innocent civilians? Any decent country would consider them.

2007-07-06 07:01:54

#17

ATG: Banned; +5,233|6973|Global Command

When the combatants are civilians there are no innocents, except children.

2007-07-06 07:05:56

#18

sergeriver: Cowboy from Hell; +1,928|7201|Argentina

ATG wrote:
When the combatants are civilians there are no innocents, except children.

That would be assuming all the civilians are combatants, which is not the case here. Maybe all the combatants are civilians, but that doesn't give you the right to be happy trigger and kill all the civilians.

2007-07-06 07:55:43

#19

CameronPoe: Member; +2,925|6999

ATG wrote:
Bertster7 wrote:
Just goes to show, you can't beat terrorists through military means. You have to address the causes of terrorism.
Large scale bombing was never used. They should have considered that if they wanted to win.

lol. Large scale bombing. You do realise that that would have killed thousands of British people as well....? That's like suggesting the feds should have bombed Oklohama to catch Timothy McVeigh.

Last edited by CameronPoe (2007-07-06 08:01:14)

2007-07-06 08:24:17

#20

ATG: Banned; +5,233|6973|Global Command

CameronPoe wrote:
ATG wrote:
Bertster7 wrote:
Just goes to show, you can't beat terrorists through military means. You have to address the causes of terrorism.
Large scale bombing was never used. They should have considered that if they wanted to win.
lol. Large scale bombing. You do realise that that would have killed thousands of British people as well....? That's like suggesting the feds should have bombed Oklohama to catch Timothy McVeigh.

Didn't they?

2007-07-06 08:30:17

#21

sergeriver: Cowboy from Hell; +1,928|7201|Argentina

ATG wrote:
CameronPoe wrote:
ATG wrote:

Large scale bombing was never used. They should have considered that if they wanted to win.
lol. Large scale bombing. You do realise that that would have killed thousands of British people as well....? That's like suggesting the feds should have bombed Oklohama to catch Timothy McVeigh.
Didn't they?

Did they? He was caught an hour later of the bombing, if I'm not wrong.

2007-07-06 09:08:02

#22

Jepeto87: Member; +38|7129|Dublin

Braddock wrote:
daddyofdeath wrote:
The Real Ira were a good military outfit, all the breakaway elements and factions were not so good. Just thugs in ski masks. The real fighting was between the people that really wanted a free Ireland. I myself never understood why we have fought for all these years and for what? Most of the Brit soldiers stationed there didnt want to be there just as mush as the Irish people wanted us there. At the end of the day the Army is sent to do a job and we do it. However, you can never win against a resistance, and thats been showed throughout the ages. Hand it back is what I say and lets all live like civilised people together, that we like to think we are.
The term 'Real IRA' is actually used for one of the modern day splinter groups (the group considered responsible for the Omagh bombing), this splinter group is not looked on fondly in Ireland and are considered an extremist element, out of touch with the desires of the Irish people ...I presume you mean the original IRA of the 70's and 80's?

You mean the Provisional IRA, which broke away from the Original IRA bit confusing!

PIRA certainly cant say they defeated the British Forces in Northern Ireland...

2007-07-06 09:29:18

#23

paranoid101: Ambitious but Rubbish; +540|7183

Jepeto87 wrote:
Braddock wrote:
daddyofdeath wrote:
The Real Ira were a good military outfit, all the breakaway elements and factions were not so good. Just thugs in ski masks. The real fighting was between the people that really wanted a free Ireland. I myself never understood why we have fought for all these years and for what? Most of the Brit soldiers stationed there didnt want to be there just as mush as the Irish people wanted us there. At the end of the day the Army is sent to do a job and we do it. However, you can never win against a resistance, and thats been showed throughout the ages. Hand it back is what I say and lets all live like civilised people together, that we like to think we are.
The term 'Real IRA' is actually used for one of the modern day splinter groups (the group considered responsible for the Omagh bombing), this splinter group is not looked on fondly in Ireland and are considered an extremist element, out of touch with the desires of the Irish people ...I presume you mean the original IRA of the 70's and 80's?
You mean the Provisional IRA, which broke away from the Original IRA bit confusing!

PIRA certainly cant say they defeated the British Forces in Northern Ireland...

Yep your right there nether side defeated each other, just glad the came to peace round a table, rather than the barrel of a gun.

Now I know and won't say it time to forget all the Troubles, but it can't be brought up all the time what both sides did or there will never be peace.

2007-07-06 09:40:53

#24

Jepeto87: Member; +38|7129|Dublin

Id agree with you there! +1

2007-07-06 09:47:03

#25

Elamdri: The New Johnnie Cochran; +134|7090|Peoria

Jepeto87 wrote:
You mean the Provisional IRA, which broke away from the Original IRA bit confusing!

PIRA certainly cant say they defeated the British Forces in Northern Ireland...

Of course they mean the PIRA. No one actually uses the term "IRA" to refer to the actual Irish army. Cept, i don't know why people just don't use PIRA, like their's some great time saved by dropping the P and confusing some poor people who aren't politically savvy.

BF2S Forums British Army admits not defeating the IRA

Adams_BJ wrote:

david363 wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

daddyofdeath wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

ATG wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

ATG wrote:

ATG wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

CameronPoe wrote:

ATG wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

ATG wrote:

CameronPoe wrote:

ATG wrote:

Braddock wrote:

daddyofdeath wrote:

Jepeto87 wrote:

Braddock wrote:

daddyofdeath wrote:

Jepeto87 wrote:

Board footer