Posted on 03/12/2005 6:31:50 PM PST by quidnunc
Sinn Fein has had to call off a series of St Patricks Day fundraising events in America this week as pressure on Gerry Adams, the partys 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 Feins 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 Patricks 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 weeks 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 ...
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.
Chicago Sun Times ^ | March 13, 2005 | MARK STEYN
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1361832/posts
Chicago Sun Times ^ | March 13, 2005 | MARK STEYN
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1361832/posts
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.
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.
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.
<< "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
<< 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.
"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.
"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.
Hey Teddy, how do you think your daddy bought your family's way into the DemonRat Party here?
Congressman Peter King, Adamss 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
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.
And the American colonists were? You missed the entire point.
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."
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
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