Irony of Terror

I never cease to be amazed at what the human race can do in the fields of science, medicine, the arts and sadly what it can also do when it decides normal communications have broken down and starts killing each other! Often for reasons that total negate reason.......erm...............so to speak!

My first experience of humans gone mad came when I was sent - back in the very early 1970s - to a very remote country called Oman where some nasty people had decided to topple the local ruler and impose thier verson of communisim. I saw things out there that made a young boy grow up fast. One strange thing was that our toilet cleaner (named ironically Fred) was also the executioner for the local ruler.

Then off to Ireland to see how insane the Irish can be in the name of a shared God, but a divided view of the finer detail I saw young women tarred and feathered and people crippled with electric drills. The IRA could be every bit as nasty as ISIS and its Ironic that the leader of that particular band has now died to some acclaim in the press as a peace maker! I can not share this view. I will not forgive McGuinness his crimes, but I will let a sleeping dog lie. However, the thought of all the soldiers of the Crown who are now being investigated for alledged crimes in the troubles rankles when all the IRA and UVF thugs have been released in the interests of peace. 

Naturally my heart goes out to all those affected by the troubles. Two in particular may stand as an example and worth remembering. I was about 30 years of age, had done,  had seen too much and done too much war. I was burnt out emotionally, I was also tired out and told I needed a break, indeed ordered to take one. So, I took some time and had treatment in one of the Forces psychiatrict hospitals then getting cranked up to deal with PTSD. However, this is not about me it is about a young lad who was in my ward. I will cut to the chase: everynight he would wake up and scream terribly and wet the bed. I would sit with him and comfort him and eventually he told me what was haunting him. 

He had been on his first tour of duty in Northern Ireland based in London Derry. On his first Patrol his patrol was hit by an ambush and two  killed. He became seperated from his patrol and panicked. A IRA man found and took his rifle from him, the lad to his shame wet himself and the gunman to his credit stuck his pistol in the boys ear and said in the other ear "Go home to yer Mummy little boy". 

Second story is of a young lad (me) "On the pull" in an Irish Disco. I spotted a young lass of some considerable beauty sat near the dance floor. I wondered over and tried my best chat up line and was told to "feck off", I persisted and her friends told me to "feck off or else". I went and had a drink with the lads and noted she was not a happy looking chick and I dont know why but I blamed myself. I told the lads to watch my back and went over with a gin and orange (style eh!) for her and sat down to a stunned silence from her friends. Looked into her eyes and said "whats your problem then?" She looked at me and said "two fucking tin legs - whats yours". For a second I was gobbed smacked and then said. "right then you can fucking slow dance cant you". She burst into lovely giggles and I managed to save face. I often think of her when someone goes on about the troubles.  I married an Irish gal just like her, but thankfully with both her own legs. More of that another time perhaps. Ill call it living with the enemy!  By God she was a fiesty lass!


I could go on, but whats the point. Lebanon, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Bosnia all then took up the remainder of my working life, First as a serviceman and then with the UN. I have seen my gut full of other peoples war. And what have I learnt?  

Well war should be quick very violetn and over fast. There is no room for compassion and all the media and NGOs in the world should stay away, for it is they that feed, arm, prolong and make worse most conflicts......if not all. 

Secondly, If we cannot learn that "thou shalt not kill" is real good advice then a stout pair of Corduroy trouser in a dark colour is a good fashion choice. Because adrenaline is brown!!!!