Do you think The Queen was tempted to give Martin McGuiness a Chinese burn ?

No, terrorists should get an automatic death warrant.

Bit like Earl Mountbatten did??

Mandela as well?

oh dear, my post was meant to be a little light hearted comment in the midst of a serious moment, didn't really want to commence a conversation about terrorism. Though the prospect of a Chines burn at school was quite often a terrifying one !

over and out

What, the whole of the parachute regiment? Bit strong that isn't it?

????

I thought the idea about a peace process, after other methods had seemingly failed, is that a line is drawn. I'd like to think that today is another step in the direction of peace.

Would you draw the line with someone who had murdered your wife's uncle?

Blake would execute all terroists, and from the context I take it he's including Martin McGuinness in that, but he was onlly a "terrorist" from the British perspective, he considered himself to be a soldier, and if you want to argue that soldiers are in some way morally blessed in a way that "terrorists" aren't then we can talk about Bloody Sunday.

Peace takes reconcilliation and I believe that Martin McGuinness has more to lose than he hopes to gain by making such a symbolic act as shaking the hand of the British Queen, and I applaud him, as I applaud the Queen for her courage and dignity.

As a member of the royal family, and in-line with the peace process, I would have a duty to do so.

Fair enough.

Hold on, are you seriously suggesting that British soldiers are terrorists (that is that they instigate terror)?

That will depend on what side of the fence you sit, and that is what Simon was alluding to.

I'm suggesting that "terrorist" is pejorative term for your enemy's soldiers, especially if they are irregular. Your own irregulars you'd probably call "special forces". I think that progress towards peace in NI has been possible because both sides understand this and have been prepared to seek reconcilliation, and I don't believe that raking over the embers is helpful.

A line has to be drawn somewhere otherwise there will be continuous death and fighting. Both parties were right to shake hands.

Yes. At the end of the day, it is for the good of our children.

When I was young it member states of the former axis forces that we had to befriend despite the recent memories of "their" atrocities. This sat very uneasily at the table of those who had suffered but the relentless march of time served well.
Fast forward 60 years we now treat them as friends ,allies and general good guys so old conflicts , prejudices etc are forgotten .
God we even "try" to play them at football , but the point is the past is ,and it's the future that matters , so good luck to anything that stops mankind slaughtering each other.

so what rotter keeps throwing their towels in the pool

Probably the Greeks...