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US Turns Its Back On Sinn Fein
The Times [UK] ^ | March 13, 2005 | Liam Clarke and John Burns

Posted on 03/12/2005 6:31:50 PM PST by quidnunc

Sinn Fein has had to call off a series of St Patrick’s Day fundraising events in America this week as pressure on Gerry Adams, the party’s president, spreads across the Atlantic.

The events have been downgraded to speaking engagements after Adams was advised he would not be given permission to raise money in America because the IRA has come under heavy criticism for its involvement in bank robbery, money laundering and murder.

Senior Irish-American senators have now demanded that the terrorist group disband.

The reversal in Sinn Fein’s fortunes is largely due to the unrelenting campaign mounted by the girlfriend and five sisters of Robert McCartney, a Belfast father of two knifed to death by an IRA gang six weeks ago.

Previous tours on the weeks around St Patrick’s Day — which falls on Thursday — have been lucrative for Adams, sometimes raising more than $100,000 (£52,000) from IRA supporters at black-tie events.

The hat may be discreetly passed round to cover expenses at this week’s events, but there will be no entry charge. Some backers may also feel the £26.5m raid on the Northern Bank in Belfast just before Christmas, for which the IRA has been blamed, makes the need for funds less urgent.

Since he was first granted a US visa by Bill Clinton in 1994, Adams has hogged the media limelight on American tours. This time, however, he will be overshadowed by the McCartney women, who are expected to appear on Larry King Live.

The women have also been granted an audience with President George W Bush while Adams and other Northern Irish politicians are excluded from the White House for the first time in more than a decade.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: adams; fundraiser; gerry; gerryadamsterrorist; ira; iraterrorist; iraterrorists; ireland; murderers; sinnfein; sinnfeinterrorists; stpatricksday; terrorism; terrorist; terrorists
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To: elhombrelibre

Actually much of that has been posted here. Most here should know that. There are no pleasant excuses for their minimizing what the IRA really is.


41 posted on 03/13/2005 2:21:44 AM PST by DB (©)
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To: DB
Agreed. Those here tend to be highbrow news-hounds. I'm mostly talking about the poor misguided souls who get their information from the MSM and think they're fully informed.
42 posted on 03/13/2005 2:52:08 AM PST by elhombrelibre (How many days has it been since John Kerry said he'd sign an SF 180?)
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To: PistolPaknMama

http://www.suntimes.com/output/steyn/cst-edt-steyn131.html


43 posted on 03/13/2005 3:14:59 AM PST by elhombrelibre (How many days has it been since John Kerry said he'd sign an SF 180?)
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To: quidnunc
These Irish eyes are smiling at White House snub of IRA

Chicago Sun Times ^ | March 13, 2005 | MARK STEYN

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1361832/posts

44 posted on 03/13/2005 4:06:02 AM PST by elhombrelibre (How many days has it been since John Kerry said he'd sign an SF 180?)
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To: familyop
These Irish eyes are smiling at White House snub of IRA

Chicago Sun Times ^ | March 13, 2005 | MARK STEYN

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1361832/posts

45 posted on 03/13/2005 4:06:57 AM PST by elhombrelibre (How many days has it been since John Kerry said he'd sign an SF 180?)
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To: quidnunc

Clearly, many Americans — including Republicans — were very supportive of the IRA. Such support is now incongruous with America's fighting a "war on terrorism".

It's rather disingenuous for Conservatives here on Free Republic to argue that whilst Britain was threatened and America wasn't, the IRA was a thoroughly desirably body fighting for human right. Somehow the IRA, in American eyes, overnight became a Marxist terrorist organisation.

It rather seems that some Americans are differentiating here between good terrorists and bad terrorists.


46 posted on 03/13/2005 4:58:48 AM PST by Sterlingtimes
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To: quidnunc
"The money wasn't donated directly to the IRA, it was given to various 'relief societies' which everybody understood were front groups for the IRA."

I didn't know that. Thank you.
47 posted on 03/13/2005 5:40:51 AM PST by familyop ("Let us try" sounds better, don't you think? "Essayons" is so...Latin.)
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To: elhombrelibre
"These Irish eyes are smiling at White House snub of IRA."

Thank you. That's a good column. I did not know that Steyn was of Irish descent. ...funny thing. People have called me "boyo," but like most in the USA, I'm an American mutt of several breeds.
48 posted on 03/13/2005 5:57:23 AM PST by familyop ("Let us try" sounds better, don't you think? "Essayons" is so...Latin.)
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To: PistolPaknMama
Had the colonists not practiced terrorism agains the British, we would still be British today.


BS!

Go back and read your history. I do not remember it being standard policy to kill civilians, or to capture and torture British soldiers.

The American Revolution involved raising a army, and facing the enemy on the field of battle.

If the IRA wants to fight a war with the Brits, have them raise an Army, put on uniform, and go at it.

I will concede that there may have been individual acts that could in 2005 be interpreted as "terrorism", overall the British were defeated the old fasion way, by a uniformed opponent on the battlefield (and because it was becoming too costly to wage war, while their other interest suffered).

Planting bombs in public spaces to kill and wound innocent civilians, to the point they will force their goverment to do what you want is the definition of terrorism. And this President stated that it is no longer an acceptable means waging war.

49 posted on 03/13/2005 6:11:32 AM PST by CIB-173RDABN
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To: prairiebreeze

I'm so glad about this. At one point when he was invited to the WH, IIRC, there were some VERY displeased freepers. And rightly so.


50 posted on 03/13/2005 6:14:05 AM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: All
When I was young and impressionable, I used to support the IRA.

After much reading and research, I came to the conclusion that, although their cause may have been initially just, they have become nothing but a group of thugs who enjoy terrorizing innocent people.

It is one thing to declare war on a country in an attempt to secure one's freedom. It is a totally different thing to kill some innocent British "governor" who has a wife and kids.

The British officers that are killed are not high-ranking, influential people. They are gov't employees who are just trying to do their job (dog-catchers, parking enforcement, etc.).

Make all the analogies you want, but if you have to wear a mask during an interview, you are a terrorist. If you wear a mask when confronting your "enemy", you are a terrorist. If you need to turn supergrass to protect your life, you are a terrorist.

There is no difference between the IRA and fundie muslims.

Somehow, we (me included, at one time), were led to believe that every fight for "freedom" is just. That is not always the case. If your fight includes killing children and mothers and innocent people, it is not just.

Now, where's my "Che" T-shirt?
51 posted on 03/13/2005 7:16:16 AM PST by baltodog (R.I.P. Balto: 2001(?) - 2005)
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To: kingattax

<< "Evil triumphs when good men do nothing." -Thomas Jefferson >>

Believe the principle contained in that 'quote' -- if not the word-for-word quote -- is usually acredited to Edmund Burke?

As: All that is necessary for the triumph [Of evil] is that good men do nothing.

Best ones -- B A


52 posted on 03/13/2005 7:57:16 AM PST by Brian Allen (I fly and can therefore be envious of no man -- Per Ardua ad Astra!)
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To: ConservativeMind

<< quidnunc
Senior Irish-American senators have now demanded that the terrorist group disband.

What sick, sick people. As though until this week terrorists deserved their backing. >>

The Kennedy Crime Family and the ira mob are interlinked and inter-related and -- since strong-arming its way in in the early 90s -- so is the Cli'ton gang.


53 posted on 03/13/2005 8:00:39 AM PST by Brian Allen (I fly and can therefore be envious of no man -- Per Ardua ad Astra!)
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To: elmer fudd

"Actually, that's a rather lame reason"

Exactly. If a majority of this countries citizen's want to annex Canada, well, why not? Or if a majority of Mexicans want their country to absorb the next country north on its same land mass, surely they should be permitted to do so.

It stands to reason. Lame or not.


54 posted on 03/13/2005 8:17:41 AM PST by Westerby (The strongest supporters of socialized medicine have never experienced its 'benefits'.)
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To: PistolPaknMama

"Had the colonists not practiced terrorism agains the British, we would still be British today. The Northern Ireland Irish want what we have and what they Republic of Ireland has....freedom from the British. Any of us can understand that as Americans."

The problem is that "the Northern Ireland Irish" are not the homogenous group you make them out to be. If it were a simple matter that all the people in Northern Ireland wanted to become part of Ireland, or gain independence, then it would be easy to resolve the issue. But in fact there are two communities, one loyalist, one republican. You're oversimplifying.

"Had the colonists not practiced terrorism agains the British, we would still be British today..... Any short course on British history proves that that's all the British understand."

I know you're playing devil's advocate, but you seem to be justifying terrorist atrocities. So blowing up a shopping mall and killing innocent British civilians, including children, as the IRA did, is a justifiable act? Presumably destroying the World Trade Centre can be justified as "the only thing Americans understand". Sickening.


55 posted on 03/13/2005 9:23:44 AM PST by Bombay Bloke
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To: quidnunc
Senator Edward Kennedy, a leading supporter of Irish nationalism, said: “There is no place for a paramilitary organisation and criminal activity in a democratic political party, and I will tell Gerry Adams that.”

Hey Teddy, how do you think your daddy bought your family's way into the DemonRat Party here?

Congressman Peter King, Adams’s biggest ally on Capitol Hill and a personal friend ....

I never realized Peter King was such a complete fool.
On most other topics he is a pretty reasonable guy, for a politician.

SO9

56 posted on 03/13/2005 10:04:57 AM PST by Servant of the 9 (Trust Me)
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To: Westerby
I suppose they could let Ulster vote on the issue of whether NI should remain separate. Of course that won't be allowed because if all 9 counties in Ulster were to vote there would be a catholic majority.

NI is an artificial construct. Ireland was historically one country with 4 provinces. When they split it up they couldn't even find a majority of loyalists in 1 province so they had to divide that as well.

I suppose it's all a moot point though because within 2 generations or so there will be a catholic majority in NI and reunification will be a sure thing.

57 posted on 03/13/2005 4:06:41 PM PST by elmer fudd
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To: Bombay Bloke
The problem is that "the Northern Ireland Irish" are not the homogenous group you make them out to be.

And the American colonists were? You missed the entire point.

58 posted on 03/14/2005 3:45:38 PM PST by PistolPaknMama (Will work for cool tag line.)
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To: CIB-173RDABN
Go back and read your history. I do not remember it being standard policy to kill civilians, or to capture and torture British soldiers. The American Revolution involved raising a army, and facing the enemy on the field of battle.

I read my history, and lots of it. Especially regarding Irish history. I never condoned or endorsed the acts you speak of, even though the British did carry out these atrocitities regardless of their "policy."

The American Revolution involved much more than raising an army. Every peaceful measure possible was presented and rebuked by England until no other alternative was available.

My original queston was about why the American colonists deserved freedom from England (along with various other parts of the planet) and Northern Ireland does not. That question raised some rather startling answers from "freedom lovers."

59 posted on 03/14/2005 3:54:29 PM PST by PistolPaknMama (Will work for cool tag line.)
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To: PistolPaknMama
My original question was about why the American colonists deserved freedom from England (along with various other parts of the planet) and Northern Ireland does not. That question raised some rather startling answers from "freedom lovers."

The real issue is over the Bush Administration's handling of the Taiwan issue. The Communist Chinese have issued an edict over the "Secession Issue". The Communist Chinese have relied upon the Lincolnian precept that National China should not secede from Communist China.

According to the Republican, Lincolnian, agenda, Communist China has a right to overcome anti-communist Taiwan. On this occasion, the Bush Administration has taken a position for the "secession"of Taiwan.

Perhaps, they could do the same for Dixie. On that occasion, we would not be debating the relevant issues of Bush and Kerry.

Perhaps, on that occasion, we would be discussing real issues, of limited government, with a President, who was not a member of the "Skull and Bones" Society. FSI Larry Salley

60 posted on 03/14/2005 9:08:25 PM PST by l8pilot
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