The massive progress towards normality in Northern Ireland means the longest campaign in British military history officially ends tonight.
As the Army operation ends after 38 years, Sir Hugh Orde police chief of the Province, says soldiers have not been needed on the streets for many months and he is confident police can cope long-term without Army back-up.
So for the first time in almost four decades, troops are not needed to provide security in Northern Ireland. From tonight, there will be a maximum 5,000 troops garrisoned there - but not for use in the Province. Instead, they will be on the same basis as troops everywhere else in the UK.
It's a far cry from the height of The Troubles when 30,000 British troops were based in Northern Ireland.
Since the troops were first deployed in 1969 - as a temporary measure to protect the Catholic community - more than 300,000 have served in Northern Ireland (one of them being my brother!).
Seven hundred and sixty three of the 300,000 were killed and over 6,000 maimed by paramilitaries in year after year of sectarian bloodshed and bombings which many thought would never end...
Thank goodness it has.
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7 comments:
Your post seems to have left out mentioning "thank you" for the work they did, and the sacrifice they made on behalf of the Union. A shame. But then Labour have never supported our armed forces have they?
Anyway, let me be the first to thank them for their efforts and sacrifice. They protected a lot of decent people over there, and ultimately defeated the IRA and averted the disaster of a United Ireland. Their victory is our victory.
Same old inaccurate nonsense we've come to expect from the boy oakeshott.
But still he refuses to answer the simple question:
have you served, or not (and i'm not talking about cubs...)
a straight yes or no would be fine.
Quality Phil. I answered that one yesterday. But obviously in one ear, out the other...
sorry missed it old boy, what Regiment did you serve in again...?
I've managed to wade through Oakeshott's drivel from yesterday and found his answer along with his usual dose of bile...
What a surprise: Oakeshott has never worn the Queen's uniform... Yet he has the filthy gob of a barrack-room lawyer who pretends to know everything about matters military (as well as the world and everything else).
As for his offensive slur suggesting that I would have joined the Stasi, (the East German secret police which was controlled by the Soviets) as usual, the opposite of what he says is true.
For the record, I've actually been chased by the Stasi while serving my country in East Berlin - probably before Oakeshott joined the cubs.
I take great exception to the Gobshite Armchair General suggesting that given the chance, I would have fought for Germany against Britain in the first world war, supported Hitler in the second and then joined the Stasi.
if he has a grain of decency, he will now withdraw his disgraceful slur?
i've deleted this morning's bileshot from oakeshott.
for the past 18 months and more, i've accepted - and answered -criticism from everyone and happily invite comment and debate from left, right and centre.
but there is a limit to the kind of mindless abuse, nonsense and absolute drivel that michael oakeshott specialises in.
the final straw was his suggestion that I would have supported the Germans in the first world war, Hitler in the second and then joined the Stasi.
as someone who has actually been chased by the Stasi whilst serving my country, i think an apology is in order.
i've offered him the chance of withdrawing these comments, but he refuses.
Enough is enough.
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