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President Biden says his visit to Northern Ireland was to ensure "Brits didn't screw around"


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US President Joe Biden has said his visit to Northern Ireland last month was to ensure "the Brits didn't screw around".

He was speaking at a Democratic Party event in New York on Wednesday.

Mr Biden undertook a four-day visit to Ireland in April to mark 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement.

The trip also focused on the president's Irish ancestry with the majority of his time spent in the Republic of Ireland.

On Wednesday, Mr Biden said: "I got to go back to Ireland for the, for the, the Irish Accords, to make sure they weren't, the Brits didn't screw around and Northern Ireland didn't walk away from their commitments."

Before setting off for his visit to Belfast, Mr Biden told reporters his priority was to "keep the peace" in Northern Ireland.

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27 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’ve said all along, Washington will dictate NI policy to Downing Street.

 

Having put itself in desperate need if trading partners the UK will do as it is told.

True. But there was no good reason for Biden to speak the quiet part out loud. Still, without seeing the context of the comment in this speech, it's hard to know if you meant it seriously or not.

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6 minutes ago, placeholder said:

True. But there was no good reason for Biden to speak the quiet part out loud. Still, without seeing the context of the comment in this speech, it's hard to know if you meant it seriously or not.

I don’t know he being Irish it may be near and dear to his heart I will say this don’t mess with the old duffer he’s kinda tough just ask old Putin lol that beeing said a tempest in a tea pot imo

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No vieo that I could find, the earlier event where he addressed the Debt Ceiling crisis is available.

 

Text  https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/05/10/remarks-by-president-biden-at-a-democratic-national-committee-reception-5/

 

Look, one of the things that I think is — I was raised in a family that I don’t think the fundamental principles that — that we were taught are any different if my mom had been — had been “Bidenopoulos” instead of Finnegan.

 

She taught us that — and I mean this sincerely; I mean it from the bottom of my heart, and Father knows this.  My mother used to say, “Joey, nobody is better than you, and everyone is your equal.”  No — and if anything went down, “Just get up, Joe.  Just get up.  Never bend.  Never bow.”  Real simple propositions with my mom.  And she was a sweet woman, and butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth except if you crossed one of her kids.

 

But all kidding aside, the basic fundamental values that I find is that most ethnic communities are similar.  And one of the things — I got to go back — not what I had planned on talking about, but I got to go back to Ireland for the — for the — the Irish Accords, to make sure they weren’t — the Brits didn’t screw around and Northern Ireland didn’t walk away from their commitments.

 

 

 

Thousands of words, most of them extemporaneous, and yes, he could have finished the message without saying the "screwing around" bit. And yes, there will be some mending today, but honestly, let's not get too hysterical, or calling for Joe to get "care".

 

 

President Biden Remarks in New York on Raising the Debt Limit

 

Joe starts at 20:15

 

https://www.c-span.org/video/?528003-1/president-biden-remarks-york-raising-debt-limit

 

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1 minute ago, herfiehandbag said:

I doubt it somehow.

Why do you doubt it?

 

And why would he bear any responsibility? That's not to say that I think he is unaware of the current situation, and of the current risks. I mean there are many analysts preparing briefs, and I'm sure he got down in the weeds during his four day visit.

 

 

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21 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

I wonder if he has given any thought to what his position will be, or if he bears any responsibility, if Irish Republican Terrorism kicks off again?

 

I doubt it somehow.

Surely a question to put to Brexiteers who were warned about the implications of their self harm project on NI.

 

Biden came with a carrot and a stick:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/12/joe-biden-us-investment-northern-ireland-power-sharing#:~:text=Joe Biden has dangled a,if power sharing is restored.

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16 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Surely a question to put to Brexiteers who were warned about the implications of their self harm project on NI.

 

Biden came with a carrot and a stick:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/12/joe-biden-us-investment-northern-ireland-power-sharing#:~:text=Joe Biden has dangled a,if power sharing is restored.

Brexit was decided by a vote of all the people of the United Kingdom. I understand of course that some cannot bring themselves to accept that.

 

There are a number of factors which could lead to a resumption of Irish Republican Terrorism in Northern Ireland. One of them is a perception that the US Presidents support for unity in his fondly imagined "ancestral homeland" is support for such a campaign.

That is a game which Biden is, consciously or unconsciously playing.

 

I don't think that it can be blamed on Brexit, nor can the engrained intransigence of both sides in sectarian politics. That existed, and dominated Northern Irish politics long before Brexit. Biden dabbled ( interfered?) in Northern Irish politics for his own political benefit long before Brexit.

Edited by herfiehandbag
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5 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Brexit was decided by a vote of all the people of the United Kingdom. I understand of course that some cannot bring themselves to accept that.

 

There are a number of factors which could lead to a resumption of Irish Republican Terrorism in Northern Ireland. One of them is a perception that the US Presidents support for unity in his fondly imagined "ancestral homeland" is support for such a campaign.

That Brexit was the result of a vote in no way diminishes its impact, in this case on NI.

 

The other, and far more likely cause, is ‘The British screwing around’.

 

Biden has offered $6Billion of investment carrots for the DUP to return to power sharing.

 

No 10 needs to step up and put an end to the DUP tail wagging the Tory dog.

 

 

 

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13 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s not just your business.

 

Washington are a signatory guarantor to the Good Friday agreement.

 

 

Sorry but I don't recognize the G.F.A., there is still blood on the streets in N.I. but it's conveniently hidden in the disguise of a war on drugs.

 

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Just now, Bert got kinky said:

Sorry but I don't recognize the G.F.A., there is still blood on the streets in N.I. but it's conveniently hidden in the disguise of a war on drugs.

 

I’m not sure demonstrating your lack of understanding of the subject is helping your argument.

 

You might not recognize the GFA, however the signatory nations do.

 

It’s time for the extreme rightwing of the Tory party to stop pandering to the DUP and for the  the DUP to return to its obligations of power sharing.

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2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’ve said all along, Washington will dictate NI policy to Downing Street.

Having put itself in desperate need if trading partners the UK will do as it is told.

Britain should forget the USA and forge some more links with China and Russia.

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9 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

Sorry but I don't recognize the G.F.A., there is still blood on the streets in N.I. but it's conveniently hidden in the disguise of a war on drugs.

 

7 out of 10 think the 1998 Agreement remains good for Northern Ireland

https://www.qub.ac.uk/News/Allnews/featured-research/7outof10thinkthe1998AgreementremainsgoodforNorthernIrelandthougha.html

 

As for drug gangs, it seems the loyalist ones are fighting each other.

Police search property as part of probe into feuding loyalist drugs gangs

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/police-search-property-as-part-of-probe-into-feuding-drugs-gangs-1456970.html

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28 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

That Brexit was the result of a vote in no way diminishes its impact, in this case on NI.

 

The other, and far more likely cause, is ‘The British screwing around’.

 

Biden has offered $6Billion of investment carrots for the DUP to return to power sharing.

 

No 10 needs to step up and put an end to the DUP tail wagging the Tory dog.

 

 

 

The current Tory majority in Parliament is 64 - so the DUP are hardly wagging their tale! Admittedly that could have been argued to be so during Theresa May's shambolic administration, but not now.

 

If you accept that the DUP is a legitimate political party ( it is, although personally I dislike it's stance on many things) then you must presumably accept that it has the right to refuse the money that Biden is offering.

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5 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

The current Tory majority in Parliament is 64 - so the DUP are hardly wagging their tale! Admittedly that could have been argued to be so during Theresa May's shambolic administration, but not now.

 

If you accept that the DUP is a legitimate political party ( it is, although personally I dislike it's stance on many things) then you must presumably accept that it has the right to refuse the money that Biden is offering.

The DUP are holding out for a hard border with Eire.


As you rightly say, Sunak’s has a clear majority, he needs to stop dithering and delaying and tell the DUP they aren’t having their border.

 

He however has a problem, the extremists of the ERG have him on a short lead.

 

Biden is right, the Brits can’t be permitted to ‘screw around’.

 

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2 minutes ago, HuskerDo2 said:

He's SUCH an embarrassment to his country but not as much as his VP. Absolutely saddening. There will be an election and new leadership in 18 months... thank goodness.

Bidien had been a remarkably effective President. He helped get passed major legislative initiatives with a bare majority in the Senate and a narrow one in the House.

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