Plans for new military parade in Belfast halted

[Mr Crowley]

Plans for another military parade through Belfast have been halted following the murders of the two soldiers in Antrim, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal today.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph at a coalition military base in Basra, Lieutenant Justin Kennedy-Lunde said: “We were contemplating having a homecoming parade in each of our three recruiting areas, Sussex, Birmingham and Belfast. To my knowledge we have never marched in Belfast and it would have been fantastic.

“The regiment was contemplating doing it but obviously the situation — with protests against the Royal Irish march and the recent shootings in Antrim of the two Royal Engineer soldiers — has affected our decision and it is now extremely unlikely.

“It's a shame. It would be absolutely amazing to march through Belfast."

The 29-year-old from Donegal added: “We are an Irish regiment and for a lot of our guys we have had to maintain a low profile throughout the Troubles but with normalisation we were hoping to have been able to have come out of the shadows and let the community know who were are and that we are part of the community.”

The front line soldiers serving in Iraq have also expressed shock and revulsion at the recent dissident republican targeting of security forces.

Added Lt Kennedy-Lunde: “I think it is an absolute tragedy for the families involved and also for the regiment, for the Royal Engineers. I have friends in that regiment and I know that the regiment itself is in shock.

“People over here are just in a state of disbelief. They can't |believe that there is still an element within the community that wants to return to violence and disrupt the peace process that has been so successful. There have been so many leaps and bounds. In particular, it was only last year that we had the memorial service for the end of Operation Banner.

“Soldiers expect to put their lives on the line in their duty but I think the tragedy was that these guys were about to go to Afghanistan where perhaps something like that would be expected — and not the day before they were due to get on the plane to go, in Antrim.”

Captain Richard Fraser (29) from Enniskillen added: “When I was home on my ‘R&R' in mid February I went home in uniform.

“I was proud to step off the plane in Belfast airport in my desert combats and know that I didn't have to keep my head down and didn't have to watch my back. Now if I go back I will constantly feel like I have got to hide.

“I think in general a shooting like that doesn't just affect boys from back home.

“All of the guys are gutted and like me they think it just a real shame that all the problems in Northern Ireland could resurface again.”

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ne...-14228595.html


It's a shame that those two young soldiers had to die for the Brits to see sense over shameful, triumphalist parades in Ireland. Ah well, at least now they didn't die in vain.

[JCSkinner]

Good.

(Not enough characters? Fair enough.)

Still good.

[5intheface]

How sad, a parade would have helped bring the three communities (Catholic, Protestant and those with sufficient mental capacity to discount the possibility of a higher power) closer together and drawn a line etc. respect, blah blah and now thw weather. North, black, South, green, East is east, West coast cooler.

[centauro]

It's a shame that those two young soldiers had to die for the Brits to see sense over shameful, triumphalist parades in Ireland. Ah well, at least now they didn't die in vain.

I visited Dublin, Easter 2006, it was disgusting to see a triumphalist coat trailing exercise by the Irish Republics jack booted storm troopers, glorying in their failed effort to stab Britain in the back in 1916. Sickening and shameful. I pity any unionists who live in the Republic and are forced to endure Irish boots marching all over them.

[st333ve]

Excellent! the self styled 'heroes' wont get to march their invading blood ridden boots all over Irish soil once more.
No doubt the braindead imperialist Brits will be dissapointed that they cant grovell to their militariy pawns.

I completely oppose the glorification of military, showing young kids that firing a gun or bombing some under developed country with high tech weaponary somehow makes you a hero - will only encourage more war loving teenagers into their ranks.

The British military kills British people by sending them to these places, why thank them for it?
Look at Iraq, one big bloodbath and one destroyed country.
Death everywhere, no infastructure people struggling to get food water and electric...

..But point this out to the warlords and you'll be called an extremist! lol.

The military lovers prefer to live sheltered lives away from the realities of war, that way they can imagine that Britains costly wars( billions of pounds drain on the economy) is like some kind of superhero film.

Who needs a dozen new hospitals when you can level Iraq?

[markeys]

Wouldn't it be gas to see an attempt by the CIRA/RIRA to march?

The amount of stonings and spit they'd get would be funny. Oh hang on, I forgot for a second they were too afraid to stand before the people. Sil me.

[st333ve]

I visited Dublin, Easter 2006, it was disgusting to see a triumphalist coat trailing exercise by the Irish Republics jack booted storm troopers, glorying in their failed effort to stab Britain in the back in 1916. Sickening and shameful. I pity any unionists who live in the Republic and are forced to endure Irish boots marching all over them.

I think youre in the wrong thread, take your imperialistic Britain grovelling to a relevent thread.

You pity people who have to watch Irish boots march in Ireland... where do i start with sych a mad statement?

[greasytrucker]

Plans for another military parade through Belfast have been halted following the murders of the two soldiers in Antrim, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal today.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph at a coalition military base in Basra, Lieutenant Justin Kennedy-Lunde said: “We were contemplating having a homecoming parade in each of our three recruiting areas, Sussex, Birmingham and Belfast. To my knowledge we have never marched in Belfast and it would have been fantastic.

“The regiment was contemplating doing it but obviously the situation — with protests against the Royal Irish march and the recent shootings in Antrim of the two Royal Engineer soldiers — has affected our decision and it is now extremely unlikely.

“It's a shame. It would be absolutely amazing to march through Belfast."

The 29-year-old from Donegal added: “We are an Irish regiment and for a lot of our guys we have had to maintain a low profile throughout the Troubles but with normalisation we were hoping to have been able to have come out of the shadows and let the community know who were are and that we are part of the community.”

The front line soldiers serving in Iraq have also expressed shock and revulsion at the recent dissident republican targeting of security forces.

Added Lt Kennedy-Lunde: “I think it is an absolute tragedy for the families involved and also for the regiment, for the Royal Engineers. I have friends in that regiment and I know that the regiment itself is in shock.

“People over here are just in a state of disbelief. They can't |believe that there is still an element within the community that wants to return to violence and disrupt the peace process that has been so successful. There have been so many leaps and bounds. In particular, it was only last year that we had the memorial service for the end of Operation Banner.

“Soldiers expect to put their lives on the line in their duty but I think the tragedy was that these guys were about to go to Afghanistan where perhaps something like that would be expected — and not the day before they were due to get on the plane to go, in Antrim.”

Captain Richard Fraser (29) from Enniskillen added: “When I was home on my ‘R&R' in mid February I went home in uniform.

“I was proud to step off the plane in Belfast airport in my desert combats and know that I didn't have to keep my head down and didn't have to watch my back. Now if I go back I will constantly feel like I have got to hide.

“I think in general a shooting like that doesn't just affect boys from back home.

“All of the guys are gutted and like me they think it just a real shame that all the problems in Northern Ireland could resurface again.”

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ne...-14228595.html


It's a shame that those two young soldiers had to die for the Brits to see sense over shameful, triumphalist parades in Ireland. Ah well, at least now they didn't die in vain.

British soldiers have every right to march on British soil. But the politicians dont want to cause a political storm at the moment.

[diy01]

The British will be withdrawing any day now.

[Mr Crowley]

Wouldn't it be gas to see an attempt by the CIRA/RIRA to march?

The amount of stonings and spit they'd get would be funny. Oh hang on, I forgot for a second they were too afraid to stand before the people. Sil me.

Sil you indeed, have you not heard of Easter Sunday? You should come up and see. I would advise against the stoning and spitting though; somebody's granny might knock yer shyte in.