History as noted on the Cuban Crisis.

[Lewis McColl]

Not everyone is willing or should have to bend the knee. Perhaps if Ireland had not been treated the way they were during the years of Empire they would not have become the thorn in the side they did become.
This article concerning Cuba/USA history is interesting. I have not read it all as it is lengthy but the first couple of pages are a bit of an eye opener.

https://www.americanheritage.com/us-...stro-1959-1962

[Tony Taylor]

Thats what i found Tony, One guy i met while out for a stroll, was begging me for any blood pressure tablets, which i could not do as i only had my quota with me. The hotel we were in would have been built in Batistas days, and had in its time been beautiful, but was certainly showing when we were there, complete lack of maintenance and materials, we could have had a better shower by what was leaking through the ceiling light fitting when it rained, kt

my hotel was better than that, apart from the ant infestations and dark access alleyway (good Cubans were rewarded with a few days holiday if there were any empty rooms - they stole all the light bulbs before they left). Food was just passable, beer and rum ok, but if you wanted to be served without a major wait you had to tip the barman (he was an ex teacher of English, he could quote Shakespeare all day long, but made double the money of a teacher working as barman).

[Keith Tindell]

The other thing i noticed was the best job was the room girls, they would make the daily room towel change into all sorts of wonderful swans etc, but they were plum jobs, because us westerners left all manner of things in our rooms for them, and that meant they could barter outside of the hotel, kt

[Ivan Cloherty]

[QUOTE=Lewis McColl;371223]. Perhaps if Ireland had not been treated the way they were during the years of Empire they would not have become the thorn in the side they did become.
QUOTE]

Thought this was about Cuba, never mind eh! Irish history shows that Ireland was never united, in the main it consisted of seven kingdoms always fighting each other and it was Ulster kingdom siding with the Scots that over ran the rest of Ireland, and was when we inherited Scotland after bailing them out of bankruptcy that we also took on their obligations in Ireland. So the Scots and Irish became united in hating the English, conveniently forgetting that it was the Scots (when independent??) who invaded Ireland by invitation of I believe Brian of Ulster.

The above gleaned from A potted history of Ireland written by an Irishman and purchased in Killarney many many moons ago, don't know where the book is now, (lost in moves no doubt) but my memory is okay.

[Lewis McColl]

Cappy I spent a long time running around the Caribbean Islands with Stena line (Northern Marine) sailing out of Fort Lauderdale on Ro Ro's. We had regular runs down the Islands . Jamaica and Haiti, well yes certainly not on my tourist destination list. We also called to Dominican Republic, big with tourists ( well might suit the Benidorm mob) I liked the US Virgin Islands, Saint Thomas , Saint Croix. Puerto Rico was okay. The likes of Antigua, Barbados and Montserrat(before the Volcano erupted) was great. We met a guy there who had the complexion of a Kerry Blue(term used to describe a Red head with Blue eyes and freckles, but pure Caribbean, he said his family were direct descendants from Irish slaves, you will see similar only Scots in Trinidad.
Also for Bibby Line Working out of Trinidad on Methanol carriers which were owned by the Shipping corporation of Trinidad& Tabago
Tabago is nice spent a week there after paying off. The people in Tabago are friendly, Trinidad is best avoided every bit as bad as Jamaica. I was lucky to get a 10 day stay in Saint Eustatius courtesy of a cockup by Vela shipping. They sent myself and the R/Off out early and the ship hit bad weather. There were two Arabs also to join with us. Never saw them after the first day until we joined. They got lippy with the locals in a night club. After spending a few days getting hospital treatment and getting out of jail, very sheepish indeed. I am going to accused of name dropping here. There were two Americas in the Hotel I thought I recognised one. There was a beach bar just 100 metres down the track. It was run by a Dutchman and was a stop over for the Yachties. Any way at the bar this American heard the Sparky and me talking. Sparky was from Cork and me from Belfast. Anyway we ended up joining them. During the evening I mentioned that he looked familiar. It was James Baker think he was foreign secretary in George Bush government. He was a nice easy going man, the wife looked bored. We were in the same hotel he was interested about the Ship we were joining , big bugger the Volans. Being a nosey bugger the Sparky asked him were the secret service were hiding. He just laughed but he did say that was why he would holiday in an out of the way place like Saint Eustatius. In those days it certainly was not a popular tourist spot as all it was was an oil storage facility.

[j.sabourn]

Reading some of these posts makes one thing apparently clear by some, and that is they are not happy with the US or their own countries management of affairs. I can agree with some of the management of affairs in some cases, but I thank God for America being there when needed. It is the only force that the west has able to confront mass armies of belligerent countries . We all especially certain groups , labour under the impression that all is needed is a defence force. Take some time off and consider the massive army of North Korea , China, Russia, why are massive armies needed, there are 2 main reasons, one is for aggression and there is only a certain length of time that one can keep such large amounts of people standing idle. The second is to keep their civilian population under control and act as a personal bodyguard to their rulers. You can say what you like but the system that the world has with
Democracy there is no better , and for the Monarchy and Country that the UK has could in no way be improved on. The USA stands for all who agree with our systems of government , and should never be referred to as not meeting its obligations . I know certain people like to make a mockery usually they are jealous or just in their nature to be anti everything, if there is one law that should never have been done away with it is sedition, which is a strong point with all communist countrys where it thrives, JS

[Lewis McColl]

#35 As usual this post was nothing to do with how the Irish were before the Empire, it was about bending the knee , Why should Cuba have to bend the knee to the USA. A Norman French man walked in to England in 1066 game over England folded and took the knee.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Seem to have an awful lot of trouble with knee bending Lewis, something happen in your childhood? :

[Lewis McColl]

No later on in life, probably like a lot on here not as flexible as I used to be..

[Louis the fly]

#37
Cannot agree with you on this topic John. The US views the world as what is in the national interest of the US. They have installed military dictatorships all over South and Central America with the leaders in the pay of the CIA. The people of these countries kidnapped, tortured, murdered or just disappeared.