[pau1f0rd]

And one stage the IRA was almost completely American financed.

Well said Tony.

[norton]

Might be more accurate to say that for a long time the IRA was financed by displaced Irish who had fled to the US from - ahem - Great Britan. But the statement is accurate and it's just as accurate to say the average American was utterly unaware that the 'widders and arfans' they were contributing to were building bombs.
[I once had a guy sugggest he'd trade his Ranchero for 'clothes for the poor in Ireland' ... and any guns I might want to dispose of.]

Just as well to say that the current terrorist blight learned those lessons quite well, note the 'charities' that support the families of homicide bombers and pay for the bombs as well.

As to Brit bashing; it was just a family spat up until the Guardian decided to start a letter writing campaign. That's when the bayonetts were fixed. Stupid, arrogant, blindly condescending, and sadly British.

I expect we'll all get over it.

PS: A Ranchero is a sort of sedanish truck, we really do value our pick-em-ups.