If the Germans had taken over England(or even part of it ) during the war , and I didnt like the idea and started shooting and bombing a few of them, I assume I would be classed as a freedom fighter? (unless you were a German of course)\nIf the British army takes over  part of Ireland and the Irish take exception to that and start shooting and bombing,why are they classed as terrorists?\nYes I do know the usual answers, the British were invited in!as they were in Iraq ? and India? and the rest of the British Empire? I was just looking for anything original, like were the British terrorists when they went into Suez?
203564
Menachem Begin was defined a terorist when he faught the british, later to get the noble peace prize.
570620
Actually, the Brits probably would like nothing more than that. \nNorthern Ireland was under Home Rule, run by themselves, from 1920. The Brits basically let the Northern Irish do as they wanted and didn't mess there at all. Til the 70s this meant there was major discrimination against the catholic minority in Northern Ireland (even David Trimble said that much). \nIn the 1960s the Troubles began, a time of not-quite civil war, with the catholic nationalist minority definitely getting the worst of it. So in 1969 the English took over security in Northern Ireland, initially welcomed by the Catholics who hoped for some protection (didn't happen that way, though).\nIn the 1970s several English politicians called for withdrawl, but the troops remained for fear of a doomesday scenario, basically they were afraid of all-out civil war if they left (and they might have been right).\nSince the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 the English have moved ever closer to trying to get out of Northern Ireland after (hopefully soon) reaching some generally acceptable treaty that would give eveyone in Northern Ireland some chance at a government that truly represents all of its citizens. \nIt should be noted that the idea of a British withdrawl is considered something of treason, breaking all oaths and general desertion by many protestant groups.
675009
So what do you think Hitler was, if not a terrorist? \n\nCorrect me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he a Christian?\n\nAnd mass European colonization? And Bush? And Ariel Sharon?\n\nThere are Muslim terrorists for sure, but so I say, the idiot-scumbag gene does not discriminate - it exists in every religion, culture, gender, age, ethnicity, and so forth.
664731
I don't agree with the US not branding them as terrorists, but consider this. You said the IRA has been doing the exact same thing . Well, not entirely. I don't think the IRA has killed 3,000 people in one day. I understand what your saying and I think any number of people lost is bad, but that was a pretty massive number.
633515
Thank you. I didn't know that. As the wife of a serving British Army Officer I often get the impression that the opposite is the case. Some of the bizarrely Gung-ho statements don't help. I mean what on Earth does 'Ladies and gentlemen, we got him' say to a watching World? or, a recently aired interview with an American Soldier serving in Iraq who referred to 'zapping' Iraqis. We joined you in making a terrible mistake. I have been deprived of my husband for a year in the last three whilst he served on two Operational Tours, and a 27 year old friend mourns her husband. There were, and are, no WMD and all we can do now is to try to help clear up the terrible mess we made and hope that our UN Allies, the French & the Germans will forgive us. I don't suppose the people of Iraq ever will. You are right. It's not your fault. It's your Government's fault and my Government's fault and the only way we can truly protest (although as a Senior Army Officer's wife, I have marched against this war) is at the polling booth.
481953
I think you got carried away a little when putting thi question to such an extent it is difficult to assess exactly what you are trying to say. I am British and I am proud to live in a country which has democratic elections and freedom of speech. On the whole it has a decent and fair minded attitude to others. If ths was endangered I would very much be in favour of defending our way of life. You seem to have a thing about the Chinese. At the moment they are too busy looking after their own affairs to worry too much about what is happening in the rest of the world. Bear in mind also that China is starting to encompass some of the Western world's trends such as private enterprise etc. There would be no gain in China causing a war on a global scale. When you refer to the 1930's and 40's I assume you are referring to the Second World War. This is different. Then there was an identifiable enemy. They formed an army and wore uniforms. You knew who you were fighting. Today the enemy is miuch more covert, subversion and cowardly. It will not come out identify itself and engage in combat. It infiltrates our lives and carries out its atrocities randomly and deviously. It is far more dangerous. However our way of life must and will be defended vigourously.
78978
I'm sorry I don't have the time to read all of that right now, but I plan to.  Quick question, does it define what terrorism is anywhere in there.  If it does, please tell me where so I can read that.\n\nIf not, There is my issue with it.
194680
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. \nWhether guerilla tactics are evil depends on whether we use them against others or whether they are used against us. \nAt one point in time American settlers were considered terrorists against the English crown, and Israel was helped into existance by Mossad, then considered terrorists by the English (again), for killing civilians and bombing buildings in order to create the Jewish homeland.\nI believe that the press coverage of Iraq and terrorism tends to use the word "terrorism" a bit too liberally. A lot of attacks against American troups are doubtlessly perfomed by "real" terrorists a.k.a. al Quaida, people that are not fighting FOR anything but rather AGAINST everything, against America and the West to be exact. Many of them aren't Iraqis but muslim secretly brought into the country and trained in geuerilla warfare, as terrorist, to be used, if possible, somewhere else later. \nOn the other hand there are insurgents, probably more everyones idea of freedom fighters. They fight FOR a free Iraq (whatever they mean with this). They are Iraquis and they feel their cuntry has been invaded, and they bloody well want to do something about it. Calling them terrorists seems a stretch.
251683
Thhe Irish Republican Army.  Depending on your point of view they are either freedom fighters fighting for a united ireland, or terrorists. They have been responsible for some major atrocities in Northern Ireland during the troubles, killing and maiming many innocent people as well as members of the security forces. They also carried out bombing campaigns on the UK mainland. Sinn Fein are their political wing (some Sinn Fein councillors sat on the IRA army council) and they have now called a ceasefire and have signed up to the peace process in Northern Ireland and have recently disarmed (allegdely). There are several break away groups, such as the real IRA (who carried out the infamous Omagh bombing in which 29 people lost their lives) who do not always go along with the IRA council rulings.
458139
The growing support for the NF and BNP is brought on by today's completely unbalanced media reports from all sources.  Not all Muslims are terrorists, not all Jews are tight and not all whites are chavs and not all squaddies are thick ;-) \n\nWe only get to hear about Muslim men/women being detained and charged, never Christian or Catholics, Hindu's, Sikhs or Jews.... why is this?\n\nThe more the media incite this type of behaviour, the more the Muslim communities will retreat into their own circles causing more misunderstanding of what is fundamentally a very peaceful religion. \n\nI grew up in a very multicultural environment and I never experienced the type of segregation being experienced today, all kids played with one another, white, black, Muslim, Hindus, there were never any problems... then again, probably easy to say that when you are white.  \n\nThe BNP in my own view are no better than the terrorists they claim to want to protect us from and they prey on the votes of the fundamentally stupid.  \n\nDoes anyone truly believe that the BNP would be capable of running the country in it's entirety. They take a very narrow view of British politics... \n\nNow i think I've ranted for long enough!
354657
Why don't you hijack a plane, that seems to get you citizenship into Britain.\nIts been proved!!\n\nhttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,200-2174751,00.html
658509
Iraqi people are very brave for refusing to have their country occupied under the name of democracy. Democracy would not label people who are fighting for their freedom as terrorists. In response to Rachel 1B, Taylor and fscarberry; the Iraqi people are not terrorists, their country has been invaded, their families and friends have been imprisoned, abused, tortured and treated inhumanely by their occupiers and yet the people fighting all this are labeled as being terrorists. \nAs for fscarberry's statement that middle eastern people are uncivilized and fighting for stupid or no reasons, if you refer to history, then you would know that these "uncivilized" people are only fighting to take back what has been stolen from them; their land, freedom and dignity. \nFinally, the people that wrongly invade and occupy other people's lands are the terrorists. Please refer to the dictionary to define and understand the meaning of "terrorist".
422335
We went to war the day after Britain declared war in 1939. We were supporting our mates even though we were not personally threatened by Hitler.\n\nWhen the War came to the Pacific, then we knew what it was to fight for self preservation a bit more. Aussies that were already in Europe stayed there, but new recruits were sent to the tropics.\n\nApart from about 30 bombing raids onto the *northern towns and a couple of 2 man subs in Sydney harbour, Australia has never had battles on our own soil. \nThere was also a mass prison break by Japanese POWs in a country town (Cowra). The casualties were heavy for the Japanese that prefered death to surrender - the Bushido code. \n\nAustralian cities were used for R&R by US military, so we had our share of young boys getting lunch and the soldiers asking about the women in their house. \n"Hey, Mister. My dad got angry at my sister after you left last night. I heard them yelling. Could you give her back her virginity, please?"\n\nAustralians suffered in Japanese POW camps, and left a deep resentment there. My dad was in Singapore when it fell and worked on the Burma railway. When he came back to Australia, he was kept in hospital to beef him up a bit ... he was given 13 meals a day - the smallest being a teaspoon of something, the largest being 2 glasses of beer.\n\nBritain wanted greater commitment to Europe and made some painful decissions in Asia for us. That saw the aussie government draw further from UK.\n\nAfter WW II, many Europeans migrated to Australia. While many European cities were in rubble, Australia was mostly unscathed.\n\n*Northern towns include Darwin (26 times), and west to Broome - sorry i didn't make that clearer, Dave
632320
'If you think it wasnt justified you are badly mistaken!!!!  The country was under seige and the people were constantly bombed...had no water and no food.  the fruit was covered with dust from the bombings and many people were ill or died through contamination.  The people were proud to be British and to fight for freedom.  Some of the people there are more patriotic towards England than the English themselves despite their ancestory coming from 8 different nations.  Remember one thing....if it wasnt for the Maltese people the war could have been lost to the Italians and the Germans!!!! Malta was the only British stronghold left at the time and the English had only three small aircraft called Faith Hope and Charity.  The Germans were attacking Malta from North Africa and the Italians from Italy....considering Sicily is about 60 miles away from Malta you can see the disadvantage.  The Maltese are not new to threat being a small island and they managed to keep out the Arabs when they were attacking countries along the |Mediterranean.The Maltese are a peace loving people and will give you the clothes off of their backs if you asked them but they are also a very determined (stubborn?} race .Remember  also that the Knights Templar were also living there during the Crusades.\n     Was the awarding of the George Cross justified?  Yes it certainly was.....I dont think there are a more courageous and brave people considering the size of the island.\n\nExcuse me.   We are  NOT Maltesers ....they are chocolate coated honeycomb sweets....we are MALTESE
9867
I find it distubing that you would label such ilk as freedom fighters.. thats my opinion.. everyone has pointed out why.. \n\nas to terrorists being labeled as such.. because generally "freedom fighers" commit acts of TERRORISM\n\nthey use methods of unconventional warfare .. ergo. they will do anything it takes even if that means killing innocents intentionally.. which american soldiers have not done in iraq.. \n\n\ni doubt you will change your opinion.. as far as im concerned there is no way possible to rationalize with someone like you.. but here is the wikipedia take on terrorism..\n\nalso.. forcing extremest islamic law on other individuals is hardly fighting for "freedom".. do you realize what these people want to do to us?.. or are you so blind to it all..\n\nwhy dont you ask Daniel Pearl or Nicholas Berg what they think of your freedom fighter analogy.. ?
553041
I am a former Cavalry soldier. 1/3 ACR. Never asked what my comrades in arms political affiliation was. We did as ordered! Now my question to you,.....Did we invite the attack on 9/11? Why are you so hate filled against people of the US who oppose your point of view that you would wish them dead? You need mental help!
339714
I would say very much so. The IRA realised that their form of terrorism was dead. No longer could they blow up innocent people and still have the support of many Yanks. The 'War on Terror' meant that the Real IRA, IRA and related terrorist groups were outdated and they had to talk to tey and resolve issues.\nOne man's terrorist may be another's freedom fighter, but killing innocent people, including children was no longer acceptable by Americans (the IRA fund raisers).