They were just the army Ard
The same army that stood against the fascist junta forces in the Falklands, and with US and Nato stood against the Warsaw Pact armies of 60s 70s and 80s
Some were scum and some were saints.

The revulsion at the Black and Tans in the 20s did not stop decent Irishmen flocking to England and the North in their tens of thousands to fight for Britain against the Nazis, even though the IRA openly sisded with them.