Thursday, April 17, 2008

I know just the woman...

'Ireland should show some initiative by helping to secure the release of Farc hostage Ingrid Betancourt'

How could "Ireland" best do that?

We need to send someone with a bit of experience in the area, someone who can speak the FARC's language (in more ways than one).
Someone who wouldn't be missed at home for however long it takes to get the job done (let's say, hmmm, several...years or so?).

8 comments:

JD said...

'Ireland'... again.... jeez.

Look it's very, very simple. My passport says "Ireland" - the EU, UN, WEU, CE, WTO etc, etc, recognise the name of this state as Ireland and despite a history of ignoring our constitution the UK has finally copped on also:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_Irish_state

So one more time: 'Ireland' is the name of this state, the Republic of Ireland it's description, you may not like this, it may not fit your particular world view or political ambitions, it may give you and your ilk some juvenile pleasure in continually utilizing inverted commas to fuel your out-dated perspective on relations between Ireland and the UK but when even your own government wises up, it makes Neo-Unionists like yourself who hang onto 'ROI' Republic of Southern Ireland/Eire/Southern Ireland etc, look a little bit crazy. Stop it or I'll start jammering senselessly about 'deh nort'

O'Neill said...

FFS are you having a bad day there or what??!!

Go and grab yourself a beer and calm down!!!

O'Neill said...

If we're going off topic we might as well do it in style...

Along with your beer (and bearing in mind your fixation with the better halves of European Heads of States) you might want to have a look at Mr Putin's latest:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/17/wputin117.xml&CMP=ILC-mostviewedbox

Seamus said...

While, as a supporter of Sinn Féin, I wish we could put Caitríona Ruane somewhere where she won't continue embarissing the party, I believe while the Columbians want three of our citizens extradited for crimes that they weren't found guilty of in a proper trial, then we should be doing fuck all squared to help the Columbians.

O'Neill said...

While, as a supporter of Sinn Féin, I wish we could put Caitríona Ruane somewhere where she won't continue embarissing the party

Point taken, let's keep her here where she can do most damage;)

More seriously, you should check the background of this case, it's a purely humanitarian concern, not helping the Columbian government. Since FARC and the provos are two sides of the same coin, it is more likely they would listen to a Sinn Feiner rather than anyone else.

Seamus said...

I would also worry though that the only person who has had any success with the releasing of hostages, that is President Chavez, is being completely vilified by the Columbian government and the wider Western world, that it may actually damage Sinn Féin rather than do any good for the party.

O'Neill said...

Seamus
I think there is zero chance of SF getting involved- FARC, especially in the US, are no longer a sexy enough liberation movement in the same way as the Palestinians or Basques are.

Owen Polley said...

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1016/42/362209.htm

Seems that the story about Putin had no basis in fact.