Why are Irish Terrorists called Dissidents ?

The Geezer · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:41

Northern Ireland has had a challenging year so far, there has been an increase in bomb attacks and killing of people who wear a uniform.

However, reading the news articles from various sources they don't call these republican or unionist groups / individuals Terrorists but instead use the term 'Dissident' to describe them.

Are we being manipulated to accept that Irish Terrorism is OK ?

[FnG]magnolia · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:43

The Geezer said:
Northern Ireland has had a challenging year so far,

A year?

estebanrey · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:43

Didn't you get the memo? Since September 2001 only Muslims can be terrorists.

Amnesia · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:49

Conditioning. ....if someone says terrorist then you MUST think Muslim, if someone says Muslim then you automatically think why the hell does that Mongolia dude keep making threads about Justin bieber.

Cuchulain · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:51

The Geezer said:
Northern Ireland has had a challenging year so far, there has been an increase in bomb attacks and killing of people who wear a uniform.

However, reading the news articles from various sources they don't call these republican or unionist groups / individuals Terrorists but instead use the term 'Dissident' to describe them.

Are we being manipulated to accept that Irish Terrorism os OK ?

The terms dissident was used years ago to describe groups that splintered away from the provos because they didn't agree with the direction they were heading, I think it's just a term that's stuck with them. I'd be more than happy for the press/government to start labelling them correctly though.

richthomuk · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:53

The Geezer said:
Northern Ireland has had a challenging year so far, there has been an increase in bomb attacks and killing of people who wear a uniform.

However, reading the news articles from various sources they don't call these republican or unionist groups / individuals Terrorists but instead use the term 'Dissident' to describe them.

Are we being manipulated to accept that Irish Terrorism is OK ?

Cos it's the correct term!!! They are still called terrorists though lol, obviously ppl arnt trying to say that Irish Terrorism is OK. If youu watch more reports most will say dissident republican terrorist groups.

The Geezer · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:57

richthomuk said:
Cos it's the correct term!!!

That's the bit which I'm struggling with, whether a splinter group or not surely their actions result in terror - people being afraid of going about their normal business.

pingwing · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:58

Because terrorist in northern ireland are considered citizens regardless of being irish or british and dissidents refers to the fact that they fight over the status of the state and are (in theory) not just blowing people up to make a mindless point...

This year in NI there has been about as many killings/riots as each of the previous 5 or so years. It's just televised more as most people really think they need to pack this sort of thing in as most unionist riots are just looking childish (and making a mockery of being british in the first place, someone should really tell them that shouting no surrender over flying a flag every day is about as unbritish as it gets).

So yeah in conclusion the are dissidents because they are citizens of the state with the purpose of bringing about change to how the state is run/where it is sovereign too, if they were terrorists they would just bomb the place make mad demands and post their tirades on the internet.

Castiel · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:59

Because they are dissidents, they are different from the normal republican movements because they do not recognise the legitimacy of either the UK or RoI Govts....and not all dissidents are terrorists and not all terrorists are dissidents.

Edrof · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:00

Are some of the guns still funded by Americans?

Castiel · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:01

Edrof said:
Are some of the guns still funded by Americans?

Not in the same way as the PIRA was, no.

[TW]Sponge · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:03

Was anybody else expecting this to be a joke thread?

I was

pingwing · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:04

[TW]Sponge;23316652 said:
Was anybody else expecting this to be a joke thread?

I was

The Geezer said:
Are we being manipulated to accept that Irish Terrorism is OK ?

It is a bit of a joke, just not in a funny way

The Geezer · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:09

pingwing said:
So yeah in conclusion the are dissidents because they are citizens of the state with the purpose of bringing about change to how the state is run/where it is sovereign too, if they were terrorists they would just bomb the place make mad demands and post their tirades on the internet.

So if I have it right, the families of working soldiers, policeman, prison guards etc should not live with the potential fear of attack as the guys carrying out these attacks are not terrorists :confused:

got it I think

richthomuk · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:11

The Geezer said:
So if I have it right, the families of working soldiers, policeman, prison guards etc should not live with the potential fear of attack as the guys carrying out these attacks are not terrorists got it I think

Not quite what he said... but staying ignorant might be the best thing for you.

Not all dissidents run around bombing places, they fight for a cause, some with weapons some without, not all causing mayhem, therefore not all or terrorists.

pingwing · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:13

The Geezer said:
So if I have it right, the families of working soldiers, policeman, prison guards etc should not live with the potential fear of attack as the guys carrying out these attacks are not terrorists got it I think

No, dissidents cover people who are terrorists, people who support terrorists and people who support the aims of terrorists. They are all citizens of the state but argue over how the state is run, which is different to the classic terrorist who blows stuff up for a random point.

Not to sound crude but being in any of the professions you have listed anywhere in the world carries some level of risk and basing it only on northern ireland is a but naive.

The Geezer · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:14

richthomuk said:
Not quite what he said... but staying ignorant might be the best thing for you.

Just trying to balance a point of view - that's all.

Why is one group of bombers called terrorists and another not ?

richthomuk · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:17

The Geezer said:
Just trying to balance a point of view - that's all.

Why is one group of bombers called terrorists and another not ?

Read the reports, most are reported as Dissident TERRORIST groups. Its not just one or the other lol, the terms can go hand in hand a lot of the time.

atpbx · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:20

I find the use of the word insurgents annoying.

You can't be an insurgent in your own country, if anything the occupying force overthrowing the established goverment is the insurgent party.

richthomuk · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:23

atpbx said:
I find the use of the word insurgents annoying.

You can't be an insurgent in your own country, if anything the occupying force overthrowing the established goverment is the insurgent party.

Of course you can, an insurgency is a form of rebellion!!!!!!!!!!