In the cool of the night,

It is 01:12, it is a pleasantly cool night here in the Pen. We have had just under a call a minute to our control. None for me though. I sit and type this drivel, and wonder whether I am more Poitier or Steiger.

Strange the things that occupy one when all that can be heard is the hum of the PC tower fan and the babble of the radio.

I watched an interesting, for me, documentary about the bomb disposal operatives from Northern Ireland in the 1970’s on the BBC, The Long Walk. I have watched those brave men (sorry there were no female operatives in my day) start the long walk toward possible obliteration. It was interesting for me as it centred around three operatives returning to the province. Each had particular stories to tell. None, so far as I recall, we’re known to me, but the type was thoroughly familiar. Brave quiet souls with a wish for a better deal for the people. A sense of humour that defies the odds, finding humour in black situations.

At the end of the piece, one of the men voiced what I am sure many old soldiers feel, that the Province is now peaceful and a hope, belief, that it may remain that way. The good people of Ulster deserve more than the ever present danger of the early 70’s. More than the fear of either Unionist or Republican or indeed Cromwells Huns.

I am saddened when I read, therefore, that the PSNI have deployed baton rounds at Carlisle Circus in North Belfast. I remember walking the streets of that troubled city, a baton gun slung on my back and a more lethal weapon in my hands. The sadness of a city battered and broken, infrastructure creaking under the pressure of attack and lack of real investment. People afraid to be seen talking to me and others happy to be seen spitting venom towards any kind of uniform.

It seems the Loyalists are revolting again. Petrol bombs, bricks stones and fireworks deployed by the mindless thugs against men and women whose sole desire is to see their city thrive and grow strong. Even in the darkest days of the 1970’s there was strong evidence that the ‘ordinary’ citizen was anything but ‘ordinary’. Mothers and children living day by day trying to live like human beings. Men struggling to work, to keep businesses alive against the tide of sectarianism.

The uniforms may be different, better designed to bear the brunt of a crowd’s rage than my open faced olive drab motorcycle helmet with holes drilled in to accept the hinge for a huge face guard. But the bodies of the officers are the same. Flesh and blood, tired but willing.

I expect that in 5 or 10 years time the current leaders of the extremists will be legitimised, as former PIRA commanders have been. They will pay lip service to the democracy so bitterly opposed. They will decry the very acts of savagery perpetrated in exactly the same manner they themselves employed and shed crocodile tears for the victims of senseless violence and indiscriminate killing. At the very same time that those ‘leaders’ are being so assimilated there will be another creature, pulling itself imperfectly formed from a bog or morass, clutching a weapon in one hand and a manifesto in the other to excuse the violence about to be visited upon the citizens for the benefit of the citizens.

Back in the Vietnam era someone voiced the phrase, fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity. As true then as it is now, why can we never learn?

A new blitz?

Apparently, the government are rolling out anti aircraft missiled in readiness for the olympics. They will be deploying not only the army but armed Police, helicopters will be continuously in the skies above the capital with on board snipers.

The explanation, the missiles are to take out commercial airliners should one of those be hijacked in a repetition of 9/11. The airborne snipers will take out the pilots of small aircraft, presumably small turbo prop privately owned type aircraft. All this will be centred on the East end of London.

There is, perhaps, a small flaw in the plan. Following a missile strike, where will the debris land? East London is a very densley populated area. If the pilot is shot, his aircraft will continue to be a very destructive object likely to explode on impact bombed up or not.

The telegraph carries a story relating to the concerns of the locals, which can be seen here:

http://m.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/apr/30/bow-resident-evict-army-missile-base?cat=uk&type=article

Gen Sir Nick Parker, to quote from the article; ‘ said military snipers are to be deployed in helicopters to shoot pilots of low-flying aircraft that might be involved in terrorist attacks. He said that as well as the missiles on tower blocks, larger Rapier surface-to-air missiles could be located at Blackheath, Lee Valley reservoir, Shooters Hill and Epping Forest. He said the missiles would only be fired as “a very last resort” and a decision to do so would have to come from the “very highest level” – on the authority of the prime minister.’

Oh well that’s OK then. If the poor little posh boy who has failed miserably in gaining the respect and trust of the population is the one who has the final say on any kill order everything seems to be peachy. Personally I will stay firmly in Saelig Sussex well away from the demon politician of Downing Street.

Cameron’s Big Society, about which he has been quiet of late, obviously doesn’t extend to talking to the people who are about to have the Army based next door with SAM’s bolted to their roofs.

 

 

 

Shoot the rioters?

An official review into the summer riots seems to think Police could be given authority to shoot rioters. Only if they are setting fire to commercial property linked to residential property. Hmm is this about protecting citizens or about protecting commercial interests while giving the appearance of protecting citizens? Police officers who discharge heir firearms are investigated, hey are presumed guilty until proved innocent. Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland still vexes the legal system. On what planet do those involved in the review live? If such measures were adopted where would the armed officers be found? For the numbers required to effectively deal with such situations most officer’s would have to be armed. How many would resign rather than carry firearms? I know I would.