So long as the majority of Northern Irish people want to remain as part of the United Kingdom, then that’s how things should/will stay. The British government has no interest in the area other than maintaining it responsibility to its Irish citizens.

Tibet is different because as far as most people can tell, the vast majority of Tibetans want freedom from the Han Chinese – whether it be through independence or autonomy. From this perspective, the Han Chinese have no business in occupying a territory whose inhabitants never wanted them there in the first place.

@bill I’m not really sure I undersatnd what the easy solution is for China. Just give Tibet its independence? Or what are you suggesting? Greater degree of self-governance and/or religious freedom?

With the environmental issue, it is more dangerous to the Chinese than the rest of the world, and it is a slow – decades, centuries – effort. No immediate effect can be achieved. And there are plenty of other opportunities in the future to call China on the spot.

Tibet issue can be solved directly by Chinese government, immediately. And the Olympic Games in 4 months is more than enough time for China to fix the problem.

See the difference now ?

I suspect that Tibet has become for the world what Ireland & Northern Ireland is/was for the American Irish. An idyllic and romantic fairytale country where everything was perfect and everyone was happy [i.e something that never existed] and is now occupied and brutally oppressed.