Comments on The Pensive Quill: The Politics Of Policing

Dave cant argue with that a cara.

2011-08-08T14:06:01.399+01:00

Dave cant argue with that a cara.

if there was a utd Ireland, it wouldn't look m...

2011-08-08T11:54:06.688+01:00

if there was a utd Ireland, it wouldn't look much different.Tesco, Man Utd, Vodafone The Sun and Dunnes stores would still be the biggest players.The south is a German province for the forseeable future.Shame.

Alfie you as well are talking as if the north east...

2011-08-06T20:33:16.290+01:00

Alfie you as well are talking as if the north eastern counties of this island were some sort of branch of some multi national bank or something,whether norn iorn is a viable economic unit or not really doesnt matter Ireland is an island consisting of 4 provinces and 32 counties,this part of Ireland is not a prodical son who left the family home but rather a stolen land by thugs aided and abetted by the English goverment and now the quislings in Leinster house and psf, have we not had enough of being bought and sold as Burns so rightly declared by a parcel of rouges in a nation.economics have nothing to do with the reality that this nation has been torn asunder for nothing more than the selfish whims of a few bigoted hu-ra Henry unionst landlords and until and only until the injustice of partition is resolved,ie, reunification then mo cara Ireland unfree shall never really be at peace.

Ryan, How can the republic afford the six countie...

2011-08-06T18:44:25.338+01:00

Ryan,

How can the republic afford the six counties if over half the people in the North depend on government jobs or some form of social welfare? The North would have to be booming before we could take it on.

Dave- Have you ever been it Ireland? The north is ...

2011-08-06T16:46:34.583+01:00

Dave-
Have you ever been it Ireland? The north is a basket case just as much as the south. Over half depend on gov't jobs or assistance.the Free State can absolutely afford the six. It makes no sense to have two currencies and economic systems on a tiny island of 6 million people.
But sadly they are both better off than our nation my fellow countryman. Because of a wasteful useless congress no more AAA rating hope you have extra $$ to pay that rising mortgage credit card and car payment interest.

Dave I spend a lot of my time in lovely Leitrim s...

2011-08-06T13:57:05.472+01:00

Dave I spend a lot of my time in lovely Leitrim so cant say anything bad about the place,true asda in Kathleens island (Enniskillen)is one busy place and its mostly southern cars you see about the place, but economics is no justification for keeping a nation and its people divided,if things seem to run better up north as you say,well a cara its southern dosh and brit handout that keeps this place afloat.

Dave- Al Qaeda must not think you much of a targe...

2011-08-06T13:10:25.567+01:00

Dave-

Al Qaeda must not think you much of a target- you have lived a charmed life- did you pay them off-
bullshit works both ways old hand-

How come Slab led a charmed life for so long ? Ye...

2011-08-06T11:50:30.533+01:00

How come Slab led a charmed life for so long ? Yeah, I come from Lincoln Nebraska, the economy is ok, California and NYC are in a mess, same for most of the south.2 grandparents came from Leitrim, WAL MART/ASDA Enniskillen is their fifth busiest store on the planet , up north things seem to run better, the republic couldn't afford the 6 counties.

Dave, aren't you American? WE ARE BUST! 14 tri...

2011-08-05T22:50:54.485+01:00

Dave,
aren't you American?
WE ARE BUST! 14 trillion in debt and no jobs.

Michaelhenry, haven't read it.

2011-08-05T14:29:46.877+01:00

Michaelhenry,

haven't read it.

AM- Egregios- had to look that one up in the old...

2011-08-05T14:25:14.336+01:00

AM-

Egregios- had to look that one up
in the old dictionary- you are as bad as Stephen fry with those odd big words- im reading his autobiography at the momment-
The fry chronicles
a great book so far-

Dixie, ‘The thing about Marty is; he himself seem...

2011-08-05T13:28:07.364+01:00

Dixie,

‘The thing about Marty is; he himself seemed to be immune from the old political policing.’

A feature of counter insurgency strategy would seem to be the moulding of a leadership that can be worked with. I think you sum it up well: ‘it seems the Brits have the right man for the job. And they seemed to know he was for a hell of a long time.’

I always found it telling that he was not taken out by the supergrass strategy. We know now that supergrasses were managed to implicate certain people not others. It would be great if Bobby Lean would open up about his experience in that regard. I suppose with family commitments and wanting the past to be the past he might never do so.

Alec,

‘I think MMcG was forced to criticise the police operation after two local SF representatives spoke out, one of the being a former prisoner himself.’

That is probable right. Although I wonder if Peter Bateson has been pulled over the coals for it by McGuinness.

I agree with you on the question of the problems it causes for SF when political policing people like your mother. She opposed political policing all her days and is now the victim of the very policing SF claimed it had got rid of.

Michaelhenry, ‘It sometimes helps to read the odd...

2011-08-05T12:36:28.773+01:00

Michaelhenry,

‘It sometimes helps to read the odd statement in the papers or see it on the TV News - these told me that one of those who were arrested last week was in America working when yer cop kerr was killed - so this meant that the p.s.n.i lied about that arrest in public.’

Not so. What the news didn’t tell you is the role they suspected the guy of playing. Being abroad at the time would not absolve someone of complicity. In this case the PSNI might well be lying. Few would doubt their penchant for lying. But SF supports it in its political policing role which involves quite alot of lying.

None of this suggests that the man in question is guilty of anything. He might well be as pure as the driven snow. Point is you don’t really know anything about the investigation. Nor do I. But it must cause you some problems when you feel the force your party supports is guilty of such egregious behaviour.

Dave all Europe is looking bust. Bet Germany + Fr...

2011-08-04T16:16:38.591+01:00

Dave

all Europe is looking bust. Bet Germany + France regret playing Napoleon and wish they'd left well alone.

mind you how the USA can owe China and Saudi zillions and just survive defaulting and RETAIN tripple A credit rating makes one ponder just a tad.

26 counties are bust.

2011-08-04T12:52:27.012+01:00

26 counties are bust.

mcguinness never needed a horse, he was the horse ...

2011-08-03T22:49:14.305+01:00

mcguinness never needed a horse, he was the horse the brits had their money invested in.

Dixie it sometimes helps to be a cynical bastard ...

2011-08-03T22:24:15.755+01:00

Dixie it sometimes helps to be a cynical bastard and in Mc Guinness,s case I believe he had a fast horse to carry him Dick Turpin like across the border,

It sometimes helps to read the odd statement in th...

2011-08-03T21:39:58.357+01:00

It sometimes helps to read the odd
statement in the papers or see it on the T.v
news- these told me that one of those who were arrested last week
was in america working when yer cop
kerr was killed- so this meant that the p.s.n.i lied about that arrest in public- some here seem to
Hate McGuinness more for making this public than they hate the lies
of the p.s.n.i-

The thing about Marty is; he himself seemed to be ...

2011-08-03T20:54:18.858+01:00

The thing about Marty is; he himself seemed to be immune from the old political policing.

Even back in the old days of the early 70s when he was still a leader of the IRA he avoided the Internment swoops.

And when he was no longer a member of the IRA at all [cough-choke-choke!!]but still willing to encourage others to fight and kill in the name of Republicanism, the Brits didn't seek to remove him by any of the supergrasses.

Now call me a cynical bastard if you want but it seems the Brits have the right man for the job. And they seemed to know he was for a hell of a long time.

PS sorry for the fit of choking but I am getting old and crabbit!

Haughey Lynch Lemass De Valera It’s amazing how ...

2011-08-03T19:41:49.263+01:00

Haughey Lynch Lemass De Valera
It’s amazing how history shows that reformed Militant republicans all wanted internment not long now before our recent hero’s opt for same
Adams and McGunniness it’s your turn lads and with all ye have done to keep the Union I am sure the next step is easy bring on Internment !!!!! I really feel after reading this myself

A.M. not so sure, very selective 'internment/...

2011-08-03T16:13:40.298+01:00

A.M.

not so sure, very selective 'internment/political policing' is proving extremely effective against the limited republican resistance today.

Along with the McKevit, Duffy and other 'fit-ups' the withrawal of lisenced prisoners freedom is serving purpose very well. Not to mention sending out a very powerful signal.

Dave may I dare say norn iorn is the problem,well ...

2011-08-03T14:41:40.256+01:00

Dave may I dare say norn iorn is the problem,well the six north eastern counties of the nine counties of Ulster are!artificially seperated from the rest of the country and now we have suspect republicans most probably agents of hmg acting as micro ministers and servants of unionism, while the castle catholics and queen loving lackeys in the southern states have long since abandoned any aspiration or pretence to a unified Ireland, as fought and died for by Tone,Emmet, Connolly, Sands and many many more, the solution is as stated by Emmet,s epitaph that Ireland as a nation takes its place among the nations of the earth, I suspect you already know this but want to have a mix? Martin Galvin from his words and actions is a true friend of this country ,can you say the same?.

Good piece, Mackers. I think MMcG was forced to c...

2011-08-03T13:42:06.699+01:00

Good piece, Mackers. I think MMcG was forced to critise the police operation after two local SF representatives spoke out, one of the being a former prisoner himself. Of course, you are right to point out that SF have less of a problem with political policing as long as it is directed at the 'usual suspects'. The problem is that the state fails to make such a distincition at times. For example, both my mother and brother have had their homes raided as part and parcel of an arrest operation directed against myself. Such actions are viewd by the local communities as excessive and punitive by nature. Sinn Fein are uncomfortable with the fall out of political policing which is not finely tuned to requirements.

What is your solution to the problems in NI ? Wha...

2011-08-03T11:48:51.945+01:00

What is your solution to the problems in NI ? What has galvin got to contribute ?

Larry, in a limited sense. Internment would need ...

2011-08-03T10:12:01.953+01:00

Larry,

in a limited sense. Internment would need to be much wider to work any way efficiently for the state. If internment was in at present there would be many more interned than just the two mentioned here.