The Troubles

YES

Yes

Yes

Yes it most definitely is.
Several of today’s newspapers have this on their front pages, emphatically saying the same thing.

No

No.

Yes, especially when there's already been a trial and no new evidence was produced at this one.

And just let the surviving children forget about the ghastly end of their relations ?

Yes

Yes, many IRA members were pardoned so why keep hounding the soldiers

As Oldwoman70 has posted members of the IRA were given letters of exemption.

I don't know, I am really conflicted about all of it. I can't be the only one.

As usual, this question is much more complicated than a simple yes or no - it all depends. Part of the problem was the failure to deal with wrong doing at the time. That created a legacy. Another example in a different context is prosecutions of historic child abuse or Hillsborough. When the state fails initially, it causes problems further down the line and the answer isn’t just to say forget it. It’s much more complicated than that. I’ve never agreed with the concept of a statute of limitations

I agree it is complicated suziewoozie , but in my opinion if one side is up for belated trials then the exemptions from the other side should be withdrawn in order for those concerned to also be brought to trial.

GrannyGravy13

I agree it is complicated suziewoozie , but in my opinion if one side is up for belated trials then the exemptions from the other side should be withdrawn in order for those concerned to also be brought to trial.

But you know that’s impossible don’t you so not on the table. There is no getting away from the fact that the rules are different for soldiers and terrorists and we can’t make them the same.

Yes, It most certainly is time to stop! It is a disgrace.

so war trials are wrong too? Nazi hunting shouldn't happen?

Absolutely not. The unionist soldiers committed horrific crimes, why should they be let off?

greenlady102

so war trials are wrong too? Nazi hunting shouldn't happen?

Are you really comparing British soldiers fighting terrorists to Nazis!!

I don’t believe in comparing anything or anyone to Nazis but we have to reject this narrative of the British soldiers in NI as somehow being the good guys rather than contributing to the situation they claimed they were monitoring.

AmberSpyglass

I don’t believe in comparing anything or anyone to Nazis but we have to reject this narrative of the British soldiers in NI as somehow being the good guys rather than contributing to the situation they claimed they were monitoring.

Are you suggesting the IRA were "the good guys" - blowing up innocent civilians - both in N.I. and in England and deserve to be pardoned yet the soldiers attempting to protect people are to be hounded into their old age?

I’m saying that there weren’t any good guys in this situation and age should not be a barrier to justice being served. I do agree with the pardoning of some IRA members but not exclusively, much as I’m not saying every single British soldier (who weren’t protecting people, they were protecting the union) should be prosecuted. Many of them, however, should be.

Yes it is.

I served during those times and as they say - if you weren't there you don't know what it was like. You can read all the accounts you like but the reality of it was something else.

I totally reject your comment Amber there were good guys there and they gave their lives to serve and protect AND they were protecting the people .

I could list time after time where that was the case and as I served and saw first hand I think I can speak from experience .

So does that mean that people who served and committed crimes shouldn’t be challenged on that? I don’t want to tar any one person but overall I disagree with the presence of the British army there and many of their actions.

The idea that someone who didn’t serve doesn’t have the right to an informed opinion is a bit ridiculous.