Never said war was pretty, even or right; just repeating a truism. Of course I was also probably arguing from behind rose-coloured glasses.
In a "perfect world" (that is, a perfect world that includes war - I think I am going psychotic) there would be a parity of strike capability. The idea of striking from hundreds of miles away is no more gallant than hiding a bomb and running away (or strapping one to yourself and blowing up with it).

I guess what I was trying to say is that - whichever way one chooses to make war; doing so by blowing up innocent civilians to get back at the 'regime' (whoever that regime is) is wrong. I don't care if the regime belongs to England, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, the Red Brigade, USA, Somali Warlords etc or WHOever - attacking the folks sitting having bagels and a latte in a cafe or a Guinness in a pub or faxing a letter from the 82nd floor of the WTC is WRONG and gutless.

As for ard mhacha - so long as you carry the anger and vitriol, Ireland can NEVER recover; try being a start foe peace and good instead of carrying the torch of vindictiveness: And before you have a go at me - I am descended of an Irish convict so I get a say (as well as having more recent family living there). Add to that, one of my best mates was a member of the Orange version of the IRA - an ACTIVE member: bombings / shootings etc - and had the poor grace to fall head-over-heels in love with a Catholic girl and as a result had to flee Ireland in the hold of a ship to England and then Europe and Africa and finally come here. He and his wife can never return because there is still a price on them courtesy of his old "mates" - THAT kind of vindictiveness will continue to prevent healing in Ireland.

Finally - you said "Great songs with feeling come from the downtrodden and oppressed people of the world"

What a load of TRIPE: I sing a great many REALLY good folk tunes of English, Scottish and Australian extract with absolutely NO hint of repression or downtreading of the masses! Some good folk comes from that platform - but so does a lot of crap. A lot of really good folk music comes simply from ordinary life - grow up.

NOW - can we get back to the original thread?????

Mutt

BTW - I am born of Scottish parentage 'ard whatever' - at least MOST of your country is now in YOUR hands. Ours is still under the boot of its 'conqueror' (sorry for that to all my English mates at the 'Cat). Before you try to refute that one I have one word for you since you llike to allude to ancient as well as more modern history - - - - - - - - CULLODEN !!!!!