Bloody Sunday killings to be ruled unlawful

[shaunbhoy]

It was the laugh smiley. Inappropriate IMO being in mind the number of people killed over the years.

FWIW, the Paras are meant for killing, not for policing. Wrong troops unless you believe the government intended to kill it's subjects.

Fair enough. I was directing the laughing smiley solely in the direction of the Paras, who, as you may have guessed, I have little respect for. But I can see how the use of it could be misconstrued.

The offending smiley has now been removed................though I still find the overhyped Paras to be figures of ridicule.

[Moscow Mule]

Fair enough. I was directing the laughing smiley solely in the direction of the Paras, who, as you may have guessed, I have little respect for. But I can see how the use of it could be misconstrued.

The offending smiley has now been removed................though I still find the overhyped Paras to be figures of ridicule.

Ok. Thanks

[Drewster]

Glad thats settled.... allows me to say

......... Most Paras could not be trusted to sit the right way round on a toilet, an inability that exists to this very day on their mandatory requirement list.

A mate of mine (for unknown reasons) was pretty desperate to get into the Paras.... he was a weekend warrior and all sorts..... but every time he went through the entry process, they gave him an intelligence test which he passed.... therefore he never got in!!

[shaunbhoy]

Glad thats settled.... allows me to say


A mate of mine (for unknown reasons) was pretty desperate to get into the Paras.... he was a weekend warrior and all sorts..... but every time he went through the entry process, they gave him an intelligence test which he passed.... therefore he never got in!!

I had some dealings with them whilst I was serving. Over-inflated egos, and as you point out, not terribly bright for the most part. They are capable of doing very little that the average Infantry soldier cannot achieve quite comfortably and with a great deal less bragging. So they can jump out of perfectly serviceable aircraft. Whoop-de-doo! Many of my mates did that as a hobby. And when did they last actually do that in anger to any great effect? WWII as far as I recall FFS.
And even then, despite it being a valiant attempt, it was largely a tactical failure.
No, they are not all they imagine themselves to be, despite the image they are all so keen to promote.

[Drewster]

I had some dealings with them whilst I was serving. Over-inflated egos, and as you point out, not terribly bright for the most part. They are capable of doing very little that the average Infantry soldier cannot achieve quite comfortably and with a great deal less bragging. So they can jump out of perfectly serviceable aircraft. Whoop-de-doo! Many of my mates did that as a hobby. And when did they last actually do that in anger to any great effect? WWII as far as I recall FFS.
And even then, despite it being a valiant attempt, it was largely a tactical failure.
No, they are not all they imagine themselves to be, despite the image they are all so keen to promote.

I think to be fair they are (or were originally) intended as "Cannon Fodder" ie When they are thrown at a "problem" it was expected to be "do or die" (literally) ala Bridge to Far.

They were never intended to be remotely subtle or even reusable so to speak.... Just point them at a target and shout "GO GET IT!!!!" and as long as one or two of them kept going that was job done..... a sort of modern day "Folorn Hope"

The SAS and special services are obviously the total opposite...... their job is often to "Do it and get out (preferably without being seen/caught)"

back to the OP - Bloody Sunday/NI Exactly the situation that the Paras AREN'T designed for - but I think there might have been a fair bit of (possibly counter productive) psychology in the initial deployment... or possibly just a cock up because of lack of money etc

[shaunbhoy]

back to the OP - Bloody Sunday/NI Exactly the situation that the Paras AREN'T designed for - but I think there might have been a fair bit of (possibly counter productive) psychology in the initial deployment... or possibly just a cock up because of lack of money etc

You may be right there. It may well have been that somebody thought that the "short, sharp, shock" aspect that the Paras might have brought would have been just what was needed. They could not have been more wrong.
If the British authorities had learned anything from the long troubled history of Ireland, they would have realised that, for all their faults, the Irish are not fazed or intimidated by bullying tactics.

[Troll]

don't put troops in as policemen

[shaunbhoy]

It's a shame Cromwell never got to finish the job - would have been better in the long run

And which job might that have been then jellyhead?

[Cliphead]

It's a shame Cromwell never got to finish the job - would have been better in the long run

Racist and condoning ethnic cleansing? Can't get much lower than that. I seriously doubt you'd be brave enough to say such things in public, even team handed (take that as an invitation).

[suityou01]

It's a shame Cromwell never got to finish the job - would have been better in the long run

I'm stunned. This is beyone low, and is a completely disgraceful thing to say. You must have a dark soul, and nothing in this life to be thankful for. I pity you.