Madam, – The provision of a platform for a British squaddie (Weekend Review, July 31st) to denigrate the Defence Forces as “fat” and “lazy” suggests that a significant part of The Irish Times’s recent heritage may have been mislaid in the move to Tara Street. To paraphrase Yeats: The ghost of Douglas Gageby is beating on the door. – Yours, etc,
Madam, — I am outraged at the attitude displayed by the Irishmen who talked to Mark Hennessy. They seem to forget that those who wear the British army uniform are endorsing the history of Britain’s shameful occupation of half of the world’s countries.
Likewise, those who vote for Sinn Féin are effectively saying they forgive the Provisional IRA for murdering and maiming their fellow citizens over the past four decades. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – So, you publish another relatively uncritical portrait of Irishmen in the British armed forces. The most interesting comment came near the end when it is stated that, for these soldiers, “Afghanistan’s politics are for others”. You missed giving the health warning that if you want to be cannon fodder for whatever war or wars Britain happens to be fighting at the moment, join the British army.
Depending on your definition of “war”, Britain is assuredly the European country most likely to be at war at any given time. The Afghan war is lazy (use of drones and other high tech weapons with resultant civilian casualties), hazy (on aims) and crazy (Britain has tried to defeat the Afghans before).
Next time you are tempted to have another feature on Irish people fighting militarily in whatever army, perhaps you could consider a series on Irish people working for peace at home and peace and sustainable development worldwide. This includes those working for peace in the North where enduring peace is far from certain, and those trying to use the experience of the war in the North to help peace processes elsewhere. – Yours, etc,