Martin Sheen proud of uncle's IRA past

[MMI]

I do not know what you are refering to here, but surely the army uses assassins? And drones? And bombs meant for hostile leaders?

I'm referring to Collins and his "Squad" - highly paid sneak assassins.

So, when the Sovjet Union took half of Europe after WW2 to make a buffer zone, they were within their right?

If, theoreticallly speaking, it had been possible for Ireland to invade parts of West England to protect their shores, they would have been within their right?

Look at it this way. If the Soviets had not created a buffer zone, and the US had invaded Russia, their country would have fallen due entirely to their lack of precaution.

Or look at it this way. West Europe was the USA's buffer zone and had troops stationed all over the western nations, just in case of a Red invasion.

Historically speaking, Ireland did invade the western British Isles many times, and it has been confirmed in an earlier post that this was perfectly acceptable at the timer.

If Ireland was under threat from a third country, and could protect itself by invading Cornwall (and was strong enough to), do you think it would not?

Another poster made that claim [that England had not invaded Ireland], that is why I included it.

So, tell me, when did those English invasions occur?

You have to distinguish between military invasion, and immigration. But I see colonization as invasion too.

I'm not so sure a distinction is always necessary, but the Spanish Conquest was certainly military, the British-Americans and their USA successors were pretty ruthless against the native indians, and the Australian colonials' treatment of the Aborigines left much to be desired. My point stands: England's authority over Ireland predates the creation of many other countries.

No country invites invasion

In 1169, Dermot MacMurrough invited a force of Norman knights to help him recover the throne of Leinster, which the High King of Ireland had deprived him of. As a result of this action, Dermott swore fealty to the English King and he was restored to his kingship.

[Britain] Complaining bitterly about [its obligation to maintain order in Ireland] too, and using excessive force

Correction: the Irish complaints about England are far more bitter than the English complaints about keeping them from killing each other. Excessive force? How many car-bombs have the British left in busy Irish shopping streets? How many letter bombs have they posted? How many passenger trains have they blown up? How many doors have they knocked on and shot whoever answered? All of those things were done by Irishmen against Irishmen and THAT is the whole of the problem.

What right does any pope have to give away other people's lands?

Back in those days, the Pope did have the right. In fact, Argentina's claim to own the Falkland Islands is based upon a Papal edict

England took Ireland, and any act of rebellion is the right of any invaded country.

An invaded country has the right to resist an invader, agreed, but England did NOT "take" Ireland. Ireland submitted itself to England. And that happened in the 12th century! Thereafter it remained an independent lordship/kingdom until 1800, ruled by a person who also happened to be king of England (like the Isle of Man, for example), and, later, king of Scotland too. In 1800 Ireland became an integral part of the United Kingdom, exactly the same as Scotland or Wales. Who calls Scotland or Wales an English colony? Neither was Ireland; nor is Northern Ireland a colony now. At that time, the Irish Lords took seats in the House of Lords in England, and Irish Parliamentarians sat in the House of Commons, with the same voting rights as everyone else.

Just as the other colonies Ireland had so much trouble getting back on its feet economically

Economically, Ireland was better off as part of the UK than not. Britain was responsible for the industrialisation of the North, which, for example, gave birth to the Titanic. Once the Republic became independent, it became a third world nation, and stayed that way until EU euros brought the short-lived Celtic Tiger into being. Ireland is now paying for its profligacy. But that's not our fault.