I think the operative word here is "suspected". Whether we may think the Marine was justified or not, and none of us will ever know or fully appreciate the mental stresses those guys are under and how they deal or cope with them or how it affects them thank goodness. But thanks to his buddies there was conclusive evidence to convict. Perhaps if it hadn't gone viral, what happened on tour might have stayed on tour. Don't get me wrong I'd love to see the IRA's .. "operatives" finally get locked away, but there will always need to be proof.
The suspected IRA bloke being free is just a case of realpolitik. It's not fair or just but it's probably wise. This is the sort of price you pay for peace in NI but it's worth it. The alternative is to have more justice but put up with decades more atrocities. I'm amazed everyone has been so shrill about this - it seems obvious enough. Building peace is hard. You can't fix the past but you try to fix the future.
The issue in NI hasn't gone away, it just doesn't make the news anymore. Do you really believe that all those criminal gangs touting themselves as political groups would down tools overnight. They still need to make a living, and for some it's made them very wealthy, and even politically powerful. I still have a problem with sweeping a cold blooded, indiscriminate, multiple murder under the carpet.
By the same token then the soldiers involved on Bloody Sunday should not be sought after or have the fear of prosecution hanging over them. http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/46...r-of-being-jailed-while-IRA-bombers-walk-free
Sure. But it's a lot better than it was. This is just one if the things you have to swallow for peace. It's not great having to treat people like Martin McGuinness as a reasonable human being either but that's the way it is.
You have to wipe all the slates clean. How else can they possibly move on. I think this may be the beginning of a realisation on all sides that this is how we must all act. For the greater good of Ireland as a whole. Whether Ireland likes it or not, we are all brothers on these islands. Move on. Otherwise I might as well give that jacobite fin a good twatting for old times sakes.
Tell that to every general in history...not sure but don't think all those bombed in Berlin and died were armed soldiers...
the trouble is the slate is only being cleaned on one side. ira/sinn fein still want inquiries and prosecutions when it suits their agenda ie bloody sunday, but not against any of their supporters or terrorists. as someone who has lived through the "troubles" I (and its only my opinion ) think EVERYONE needs to stand up and admit what they have done and to whom ,and then they can expect no prosecution. if they don't and they are then caught then they serve the full prison term. ( s Africa ? )
And that's why indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets would now be considered a war crime and is not something we do.
