HITLER TO VISIT AUSCHWITZ?

I see that Irish President Mary McAleese has been asked NOT to visit the Protestant community in West Belfast by a few headline seeking Ulster Unionists. Fair enough - she did after all cause massive offence by her recent likening of the Nazi treatment of Jews to Protestant attitudes to Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland. How not to win friends and influence people.

I have a different question - WHY is this Head of a foreign state being permitted to ponce about Northern Ireland in the first place? WHY is normal diplomatic process suspended in order to accommodate Ms McAleese? AND WHY does the Protestant community in West Belfast think they need such a visit in the first place?

The Irish President should be afforded every courtesy when she comes to Northern Ireland - but I am of the opinion that she is in fact subtly registering territorial claim to Northern Ireland with these frequent visits. I reckon that her entourage should be stopped at the border on its next visit and directed back to whence it came. It's time she was taught some diplomatic manners.

Comments

[Young Irelander]

But she's from the North.It's her home.
As for her diplomatic manners,she apologised for any offence she caused.Where is the apology from Trimble for calling the Republic a "pathetic,sectarian,mono-cultural and mono-ethnic state"?
Or whn Trimble said "take away anti-Britishness and Catholicism and the State has no reason to exist".

I understand it is members of Trimble's party warning the President to keep away.
It's a bloddy farce.

[mairin]

I read a few stories about this yesterday but the impression I got then was that she should stay away for her own safety...that emotions were running high and she could be in danger. Not on the money?

[scouseproud]

It creates uncertainty when you have the head of state of another country paying more visits than the official head of state does. With a general election coming up perhaps Mary instead of daddy will be signing SinnFein nomination forms this time?