90 thoughts on “Stop Over”

          1. ReproBertie

            I’m happy to model maids outfits for anyone meadow. I may not have caps in international rugby but I have won a drag contest.

        2. Bertie Blenkinsop

          I should have put that in inverted commas, shouldn’t I?

          When I was sexually active, it was only with the laydeez.

  5. rugbyfan

    come on! they have been passing through for years. This photo could have been taken 10 years ago!

  8. John E. Bravo

    The Shannon airport lounge is a unique space in that regardless if they are being returned to America or deployed in the Middle East, their next destination will be an improvement.

    2. neil

      Young people targeted by recruiters with access to their high school records, who know their prospects are limited to the point that getting paid to live in a war zone for a few 6 month tours appears a sensible career move, and possibly their only route to further education.

  10. rotide

    I actually quite like this photo, even if it has been through the #filters.

    I’ve been in shannon a few times while the soldiers were trucking through and what struck me more than what a good mood they were all in (coming home I assumed) was just how old they were. I expected to see hordes of 18-23 year olds , the cliche’d types who joined the service for lack of any other prospects. They all seemed to be 25-40 though, career types for want of a better word.

    Maybe that’s what you get without conscription. found myself mildly suprised. /r/showerthoughts

      1. human

        You actually think American soldier’s get off on shooting kids intentionally? Who brainwashed you into believing something like that?

        How could you actually say that and think its a normal acceptable point of view ?

        1. ahjayzis

          Who’d join an army that’s been in a perpetual state of war and invasion for the last 50 years without the expectation they’ll be murdering for billionaires?

      3. Bobby

        A small amount of US soldiers actually fire their weapons in combat situations and of those, a tiny amount actually shoot a person.

          2. fluffybiscuits

            Six of one and half dozen of another

            One mans freedom fighter is another mans terrorist

            The British considered Mandela a terrorist when he was with the ANC paramilitary wing…

          3. Bobby

            You’re tangling yourself up trying to make it sound like you weren’t making a stupid blanket statement.

          5. ahjayzis

            It’s possible to condemn the levelling of cities and the murder of children as ‘collateral damage’ while also deploring suicide bombings in cities.

    2. neil

      Possibly just a peculiarity of the particular rotations you saw. 2013 DoD demographics report shows 43.1% of active-duty service members are under 26.

      1. rotide

        Yeah, I guess i was just surprised by the amount of soldiers older than I expected and fixated on them rather than the (probably, i guess) large majority of young fellas.

        1. Andy

          I’ve seen a lot of troops in Atlanta (major Delta Airways hub).
          Most seem young (early 20’s if even) and very withdrawn – not sure if from long journeys or just burnt out.

    1. human

      Your a disgusting person……H

      Hey go down there to Shannon and say that to their faces big man……

        2. MoyestWithExcitement

          So your comment that the American soliders, seen by Rotide, were in a good mood because they love killing children was *not* tongue in cheek?

          2. MoyestWithExcitement

            Well you can see how one might be confused. On the one hand, we’ve got you claiming you only said they love killing kids was a joke. On the other hand, we’ve got you bringing up actual statistics on dead children and then got into a heated exchange where you claimed they murder kids. You can see where I’m coming from, I’m sure.

        3. human

          You seem to be titillated by the idea of soldiers murdering kids and bombing weddings…. You should get help…..

  12. rotide

    Anyway, they picked up hurling from watching the TV there and now play it in the marines.

    How bad can they really be?

  13. fluffybiscuits

    I think where my point falls down (and my attempt at dark humour which failed miserably)

    Americans send in brainwashed kids to fight a ‘perceived threat’ and said kids go there, this is like an adventure for a lot of them and as neil said above

    “Young people targeted by recruiters with access to their high school records, who know their prospects are limited to the point that getting paid to live in a war zone for a few 6 month tours appears a sensible career move, and possibly their only route to further education.”

    I posted an article illustrating the fact that American military has been complicit in shooting kids (from Russia Today, whilst biased still reliable in my book), there are a few more examples. They can look happy all they want but so does a labrador when he gets petted behind the ears or his belly rubbed.

    War is mostly fruitless, its pointless in fact most violence is but yet most people would rather choose to attack a poor attempt at a joke rather than ask why our country is complicit in aiding and abetting illegal invasions of other countries and notwithstanding the further discussion to be had on illegally transferred POW going through Shannon

    1. MoyestWithExcitement

      “War is mostly fruitless, its pointless in fact most violence is but yet most people would rather choose to attack a poor attempt at a joke rather than ask why our country is complicit in aiding and abetting illegal invasions of other countries”

      Enda and Obama don’t read Broadsheet. You do. That’s just one of the many, many reasons.

      1. fluffybiscuits

        @Moyest I think again you are missing a crucial point

        It speaks volumes about a person w(not saying you) when they get their knickers in a twist over a joke rather than the actual outrage of what happens in the world

        1. MoyestWithExcitement

          I agree with that sentiment. It happens here on BS quite a bit. I’m not sure that’s what’s going on here though. It was a picture of soldiers sitting in an Irish airport. This thread didn’t have to be political. Your first action, however, was to call them ‘terrorist c***s’ and then later said, apparently tongue in cheek, that they love killing kids. I can see why someone might read the thread as being lighthearted and thus take issue with you coming out with those words.

        2. human

          It speaks volumes about a person……You came on here and accused all American soldiers of killing children for pleasure and got called on your nonsense then pretended it was a joke cause you are morally and intellectual bankrupt …

          1. human

            @fluffy All those 911 conspiracy and illuminati documentaries you watched in darkened rooms have squeezed the rational side of your brain out of your head

          2. fluffybiscuits

            @human

            You have accused me of being morally bankrupt

            You have called me out on a poor joke

            You have told me how I need psychiatric help

            Yet there is no mention of the killing of children and how you view it…

            Is moral bankruptcy a one way street or are am I just on one side peering out of the apartment block at you across the road?

        3. rotide

          In fairness Fluffy, it was a pretty terrible joke and it’s not hard to see how people didnt take it as one.

          I’m for one am looking forward to the deluge of rape jokes that this allows though !

          1. MoyestWithExcitement

            How does joking about American soldiers being murderers mean that rape jokes are ok?

          3. rotide

            It speaks volumes about a person w(not saying you) when they get their knickers in a twist over a joke rather than the actual outrage of what happens in the world

            If that doesn’t call for a fedora, i dont know what does!

  15. Dong

    At least someone’s using the place. Remember having to stop off there on the way to the states? What a joke

  18. Black & White

    Judging by the tay, water and red bull, they are heading into someplace where they might be shot at. If they are heading home, they normally are having a beer instead.

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