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by Niall O'Dowd

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comment on article 16 Comments
Posted on Saturday, February 06, 2010 at 09:26 PM


The truth about Hillary Clinton and the Northern Ireland breakthrough


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Right on time for the latest peace settlement in Northern Ireland comes the tinny yapping of those who believe America should have nothing more to do with Northern Ireland.

Niall Stanage, a journalist based here, made an ass of himself last year for some incredibly stupid comments to the effect that Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration were no longer interested in Northern Ireland and Hillary herself would not personally intervene.

That was shortly before Hillary went to Northern Ireland herself and directly negotiated with the parties there after appointing a key Irish American advisor Declan Kelly as her point person on Northern Ireland.

In the last few weeks I believe there were up to twenty phone calls between Hillary Clinton and the parties in Northern Ireland in trying to find a solution,while Declan Kelly was on the ground for almost two weeks helping with the negotiations - political ones that is, Mr. Stanage, in case you didn't notice.

Stanage however, is still insisting that America was not interested in the Irish peace process Here is what he wrote yesterday. "Although the U.S. has an economic envoy to Northern Ireland, no special political envoy has been appointed by Obama, as had been the case in both the Clinton and Bush administrations. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton knocked down a bizarre story that she would appoint herself to that role last summer. And, despite rumors that swirled of an imminent Clinton appearance late last month, while she was on a trip to London and the talks remained deadlocked, no such mission materialized."

Oh Lord. I suppose Hillary's trip to the north, the first ever stand-alone visit by a Secretary of State was not a political engagement with her as envoy? Or the fact that she will meet personally with both leaders from Northern Ireland later this month? Or that details of an economic conference on Northern Ireland to held in America are being put together?

Or indeed, that Obama invited the two Northern Ireland leaders to the White House for St. Patrick's Day? That sure doesn't sound like an administration that is looking to back away from Ireland at all. Or indeed the fact that Hillary is encouraging talks between Irish American leaders and groups from other ethnic conflicts countries with large communities in America to see what lessons can be shared.

As usual Stanage has but one source on all his stories, Trina Vargo, the head of the US-Ireland Alliance, who for some reason desperately wants to convince people that Irish Americans have no clout in America any more — as against I suppose the bankrupt Irish property developers who provided much of the major funding for the US-Ireland Alliance

Strange world we live in, where journalists persist in writing a version of history and events that is proven to be far wide of the facts that it is almost comical.Except there is nothing comical about bad and biased reporting.



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Posted by PrestonRoberts on Mar 16, 2010, 07:40 PM EDT
Maybe Stannage should go to work for Fox News!
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Posted by NGrandquis on Feb 11, 2010, 09:02 AM EST
Excellent article and there IS nothing comical about bad and biased reporting. There is far too much of it going around and much of it is anti woman based. I do not understand what Republicans have against competent women. They must see them as a threat that their incompetency will be exposed.
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Posted by traveler51 on Feb 08, 2010, 01:50 PM EST
Sounds like Ireland has its share of Democrat bashers, like our Hannity Insanitys and Limpballs.
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Posted by Nicomax on Feb 08, 2010, 01:46 PM EST
We have a lot of "let's not let facts get in the way of opinion" stuff going on here. Some are still saying if a woman should ever become president over the next several years, Palin, not Clinton is the one.
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Posted by FastEddy on Feb 08, 2010, 01:34 PM EST
" ... Right on time for the latest peace settlement in Northern Ireland comes the tinny yapping of those who believe America should have nothing more to do with Northern Ireland. ..." Ditto that!
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Posted by missspook1994 on Feb 08, 2010, 01:02 PM EST
Mr Stanage is no real journalist if he persists with his biased reporting. He is making a mockery of a noble profession and should be condemned by real journalists for every falsehood or half truth he puts out there as soon as it appears.
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Posted by JohnMMcL on Feb 08, 2010, 11:40 AM EST
The American news media is very much into political assassination. We were once a proud united nation. The news media, pushed by the GOP, wants to stir up the pot of political hatred.
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Posted by mhichil on Feb 08, 2010, 11:28 AM EST
WE have met the hyphenated americans, them is us! cheers!
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Posted by Derrylass627 on Feb 08, 2010, 10:06 AM EST
Too bad that people would rather dis Hillary than face the truth - that the Clintons and the Obama administration will support peace in N.I. We should keep in mind though, that other areas of the world are in worse shape and need any help we can give them too.
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Posted by shidoobe on Feb 08, 2010, 09:03 AM EST
The Saints are champs and I toast them, and also hoping Hillary would just go away...
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Posted by killowen on Feb 08, 2010, 08:54 AM EST
uncle sam's people you're talking about, don't ya know their people (founding fathers and such) are our history. we'e got to support this mother at all cost. we have to fight for save her lost empire lands iraq, Ireland, Afghanastan, Falklands, grenada ME ......
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Posted by NGrandquis on Feb 08, 2010, 08:41 AM EST
GOod slam at the Us-Ireland Alliance and clarifying the facts
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Posted by KathyCallahan on Feb 07, 2010, 09:52 PM EST
when the saints (the under dogs) come marching in
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Posted by barneyjo on Feb 07, 2010, 01:29 PM EST
Oh Lordy!! It would seem that old "WASPS" never die, even when they lose their sting!!
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Posted by Rebelforce on Feb 07, 2010, 10:47 AM EST
It's certainly clear that the US newsmedia has never wanted the huge Irish-American population in America involving itself in Irish politics----and certainly not in northern Irish politics. Over the course of 'the Troubles' the US newsmedia did precious little to try to illuminate the actual causes of the conflict in northern Ireland other than to highlight the "terrorism" of the IRA guerilla campaign.
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Posted by danielleryan on Feb 07, 2010, 07:12 AM EST
I'm glad someone decided to make things clear and lay out the facts the way that they stand.
 




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