Britain's Queen (Elizabeth) shakes hands with ex-IRA chief

[obamanut2012]

"BELFAST (Reuters) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth shook the hand of former IRA guerrilla commander Martin McGuinness for the first time on Wednesday, drawing a line under a conflict that cost the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians, including that of her cousin.

The meeting with McGuinness, who is now the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, comes 14 years after the Irish Republican Army ended its war against British rule in the province, and is one of the last big milestones in a peace process whose success has been studied around the world.

The queen met McGuinness, Northern Ireland's Unionist first minister Peter Robinson and Irish President Michael D.Higgins for just under 10 minutes behind closed doors in a theatre in a leafy suburb of Belfast cordoned off by hundreds of police...<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/britains-queen-meets-ex-ira-chief-mcguinness-100737189.html

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I know many here have a negative opinion of Queen Elizabeth, and I respect that. I just find this meeting such a milestone, and it was something Ireland's President and Sinn Fein member Gerry Adams Personally asked the Queen to do, saying "...the handshake was "something that had to be done" to remove an obstacle to reconciliation."

Also, "A few hours later, the queen waved to crowds from an open-topped car at a celebration of her Diamond Jubilee attended by over 20,000 people - a stark contrast to the armored limousines that have been a mandatory precaution on previous visits."

The latter is interesting to me, because she had been an IRA target in the past, and her cousin (and Prince Philip's uncle) Lord Mountbatten was killed by the IRA.

Queen Elizabeth is also a WWII veteran.

[maddezmom]

1. She is a strong woman and I believe this was an important step

sometimes photo ops are really a good thing.

[Starry Messenger]

2. That's a good step.

It would be interesting to go to Irish bars around here and eavesdrop tonight. My mom used to date IRA exiles in the Bay Area.

[obamanut2012]

4. Your mother sounds like "a real corker"!

Does she have any old Provo beaus who are now in the Irish government?

[Starry Messenger]

6. ha-ha!

No, I don't think any of them went back.

[FloridaJudy]

3. She also drove an ambulance in WWII

The royal family was urged to evacuate during the blitz for their safety. They insisted on staying, because they said it would be unfair for them to expect others to take risks that they would not.

Once upon a time, the 1% were expected to act as if they were willing to share the sacrifice during a time of hardship. Not any more.

[obamanut2012]

5. At least one of her uncles died in WWII

And, for all his faults, Prince Harry is areal soldier, and was pissed he couldn't fight with "his mates" in the Middle East (although I am against both invasions).