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Your lack of a response to a direct question is clear. Your position is that of the Palestinians, in simple terms.

"Your lack of a response to a direct question is clear."

I've asked you loads of direct questions which are never answered and have only got stuff about how its all down to Henry VIII and the Spud famine. My last post #177 ends with a direct question that YOU avoid. Your previous post #176 does not have a direct question or any question! Anywhere. I've read and read read it. Where is the question?

Perhaps, your idea of a direct question is your sly musing at the end that you can't see why I cannot accept that your (very) simple summary of history means that the Israeli's and 'Irish' are to be supported and the Northern Irish Protestant's and Palestinians should be equated. If that was the direct question then I will answer: I just don't accept your analysis - your simplicity is just not valid or meaningful (see my response question in #177 to see why!) - to me:

Irish-American (Catholic) position – The whole Ireland of Ireland would look like a tidy state on a map. Having watched the movie Braveheart we know the Brits were nasty to all Celtic peoples. Let's right the crimes of hundreds of years ago! Never mind that the majority of the general population of Ulster has never wanted to be part of the Irish state, for neatness on the map they should unite it. It would make the Paddy's day parades more fun.

Most actual Irish peoples position: Stop the killing. It is the year 2006 both Eire and the UK are mature democratic states and both members of the European Union. We have full freedom of passage between the states, nigh on completely integrated trade relations, and fair judicial systems. Can we get the idiots who are harking back to history out of the way and just leave it to self determination of those who are here now however they wound up here through a democratic process that isn't influenced by the gun.

British position – Ulster wants to remain part of the UK. It's citizens are our citizens so we will respect that desire to fall under our sovereignty and support their rights. We will particularly strive to protect our citizens from people whose idea of justice and policing is firing bullets into peoples kneecaps. We have and will continue to facilitate dialogue on all sides - even if it means sitting down with terrorist monsters.

IRA position (no longer explicit but still there): My daddy's daddy daddy lived under tyranny of the Brits. I want to set up a Marxist catholic state and drive the Irish Protestants out. We lived here. We still live here. But we don't recognise UK sovereignty. We want that not to exist. We will use terrorist means to make that so.

Palestinian position - We lived here. We still live here. But we don't recognise Israel. We want them not to exist. We will use terrorist means to make that so.

Israeli position – We faced genocide. We survived. Never again. We're here in Israel and are a legitimate state as recognised by just about the whole world bar the Arabs. We are a sovereign nation. We have democratic process. We will not tolerate those who threaten our existence and fail to recognise our legitimacy especially those who use the tactics of terror.

"Your position is that of the Palestinians, in simple terms"

There are two positions that are similar above. Palestinians and the IRA that's why they are such good friends.

Now - are you going to answer the direct question in #177 that shows why your simple view of history is invalid as an 'argument'? I repeat:

Native American position - we were here first the land is ours.

Immigrant American Position - we were here last the land is ours.

Do you think that given the above 'simple view' you would support a hypothetical native American uprising or the handback of power to them and you would live under their jurisdiction without any reference to you under a democratic process?

I see you are still defending Sinn Fein/IRA.

It's incredible that you use an unintentional famine 160 years ago to justify the intentional actions of a modern terrorist group.

I am so sick of this crap, sick of people who cannot see through the IRA!!