[Cuchulain]

Many more innocent civilians were killed by Loyalist Paramilitary Groups than by the IRA. Evil begets evil and Northern Ireland was an evil society created for the sole purpose of Protestant domination - not unlike the evil islamic nations that refuse to tolerate any other religion. I hate terrorism as much as the next guy but let's compete on a level playing field. To condemn the IRA for it's actions without condemning the British Security Forces, Protestant Paramilitary Groups and the RUC is mindless. Ian Paisley is contemptuous and is no different than the islamic imams spewing hate.

[Jack_Macca]

Do you condemn the Provisional IRA too?

Also, I must admit, I did laugh slightly as your name is a mythological hero that Ulster Protestantism uses to symbolise their struggle. :)

[elc]

Many more innocent civilians were killed by Loyalist Paramilitary Groups than by the IRA

That's a slight exaggeration. We're talking a difference of maybe 150. I'd hardly classify that as "many more." Unless of course you are trying to justify the Provos actions by playing a "see they did it too" sort of game.

Then of course there are the 1000+ security forces they killed

To condemn the IRA for it's actions without condemning the British Security Forces, Protestant Paramilitary Groups and the RUC is mindless.

Surely you don't think the Security Forces and RUC are comparable the Provos, R&C/IRA, UVF, UFF, etc.?

[slane]

Many more innocent civilians were killed by Loyalist Paramilitary Groups than by the IRA

The IRA is responsible for the single greatest number of civilian deaths, at 517. The closest loyalist paramilitary civilian death count is the UVF at 359. Even when civilian deaths are totaled by Republican Paramilitary versus Loyalist Paramilitary, the civilian death count for all the loyalist groups is only slightly higher, at 873 to 738 – and the reason is that there were at least 5 loyalist groups operating independently, whereas the IRA was responsible for the overwhelming majority of republican paramilitary civilian deaths. To claim as you seem to be doing that the IRA’s hands are not as bloody as the loyalist paramilitary groups is flat wrong.

[Androcles]

I agree that both sides have blood on their hands and I think my earlier poosts respect that. Whilst I've always disliked Ian and have difficulty trusting him given his rhetoric over the years and the number of deals he's scuppered, I'm prepared to give him room to manoeuvre now that he seems to finally be willing to accomodate the general mood for peace on both sides.

Both camps have extremists - we just have to make sure they can't bugger it all up!