Wolves in Wolves' Clothing [IRA Loses American Support Since 911]

Wall Street Journal ^ | October 17, 2001 | Lionel Shriver

[aculeus]

Now that the Parthenon is in better shape than the World Trade Center, the title of Doris Lessing's 1985 novel jars: "The Good Terrorist." Surely there is no such thing. Yet in denouncing Osama bin Laden's attacks as "ethically indefensible" at Sinn Fein's annual conference in Dublin last month, even promising party funds for bereaved families, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams drew a line between Bad Terrorists who are beyond the pale, and his Good Terrorist friends in the IRA, "men and women who fought when they considered they had no other choice."

[aculeus]

They've always given off a bad smell.

[samtheman]

The only good terrorist is a dead terrorist.

[Slim Pickens]

Yup, I agree. However, this article seems to let the UDA off the hook- a terrorist is a terrorist whether they're orange, green, or wear a rag on their rotten little heads.

[CPT Clay]

ahh are they losin support?

No Yankee dollar for you Seamus.

[aculeus]

FYI

[HEFFERNAN2]

It gets a little tiresome having to educate people on the history of the "troubles" in Ireland but I will once again try to enlighten you. For 700 years that's right SEVEN ZERO ZERO YEARS long before the United States of America existed, the Irish have been invaded, slaughtered, murdered, raped and pillaged by the British and during the famine of the 1840's crops that were grown in Ireland were shipped to England leaving the Irish to starve to death. You people in America have enjoyed freedom and self-determination for over 225 years and I don't see any of you calling the American revolutionaries "terrorists" and they were fighting the same country that the Irish have been fighting for seven centuries. So before you so cavalierly call the Irish Republican Army "terrorists" let me remind you that the Irish did not invade England. The Irish did not slaughter, murder, rape and plunder England. The Irish are fighting for their lives, liberty and survival. So you tell me who are the real "terrorists?" Erin Go Braugh!

[sinkspur]

The Irish are fighting for their lives, liberty and survival. So you tell me who are the real "terrorists?"

That's bullshit, and you know it.

Terrorists are those who murder innocent civilians and police.

That includes the UDF and the IRA.

Yes, YOUR IRA.

You're either with the terrorists or with us.

Which is it, Mickey?

[constable tom]

what sinkspur said.

[HEFFERNAN2]

Well saying something is "b.s", I love your mastery of the english language and your lack of refuting any of the facts, you really ought to get out of Texas and come to Northern Ireland and witness personally what is going on before you make rash accusations,senor. Finally I paid my "dues" from 1968-1970 so I don't have to prove anything to you or anyone else.

[gridlock]

It's a little tiresome having to educate an Irishman about what is a terrorist. But here goes:

Military Target = Soldier

Civilian Target = Terrorist

To make sure there is no mistake, military targets include the enemy military (obviously), the enemy military command structure, the enemy military production facilities, and things that are generally painted green (army) and grey (navy).

Civilian targets are targets that are not military. Some of many examples are police officers, schoolchildren, pregnant women, firemen and puppies. The enemy nation's financial district would fall under this catagory. That is why blowing up the WTC was a terrorist act, just as the IRA attack on the London financial district was a terrorist act.

Your diatribe goes to motivation. Of course the IRA is motivated (mostly by Marxist nonsense, BTW). The distinction between soldier and terrorist is all about methods. The IRA should just own up to the fact that they are terrorists and that they find terrorism acceptable in light of their grievances and circumstances. They can make persuasive arguments that they are opposed by terrorists, and thus have no choice. But they should be prepared to call themselves what they are, terrorists. Then the world can decide what they think of them.

Fortunately, the world has very little patience for terrorists just now. Long may it be so.

[Colosis]

We are close to a solution now in NI. There is renewed talk of de-commissioning by the IRA who have been on ceasefire for years. GWB knows this, and he will not put them on his list terrorists under these circumstances. So, all of you dreaming of a glorious victory against the IRA involving US troops, dream on.

Mayby you should be more worried about those loyalist organisations NOT on ceasefire and are currently involved in polgroms against the catholic community. Their ceasefires have been declared void by the british secretary in NI while the IRA's is still intact. Now, which side are you on?

[sinkspur]

I love your mastery of the english language and your lack of refuting any of the facts.

I posted as many "facts" as you did (zero). You throw out a bunch of dates, surrounded by your opinions, and call those "facts"?

I know what goes on in Northern Ireland. Innocent civilians get blown up, by groups purporting to represent Protestants and Catholics.

I'm continually amazed at how much you IRA supporters sound like Al-Qaeda.

[HEFFERNAN2]

Well "rookie" since you have only been here since May 2001 I will cut you some slack. Your argument that the Irish should throw up their arms and call themselves "terrorists" is hardly compelling...I suggest you read some of the 700 years of English occupation, murder, rape, pillage of Ireland and get back to me. Over a million Irish have died because of British terrorism so you have a lot of reading up to do. I have neither the desire nor the inclination to educate you on the history of Ireland. Once again you like those before you here have not refuted one fact.

[sinkspur]

There is renewed talk of de-commissioning by the IRA who have been on ceasefire for years.

Talk is cheap.

The fact is, the Treasury has targeted those in the U.S. who front for the IRA and send money to them.

If the Peter Kings and the Kennedy family are put on a government watch list because they help fund the IRA, you'll see the money dry up overnight.

And the IRA will HAVE to decommission.

And the UDF should be defunded in the same way.

Strangle the cash cow and terrorism would be drastically reduced.

[HEFFERNAN2]

Well it is obvious that your knowledge of the subject is nil so I bid you a good day.

[dirtboy]

Well it is obvious that your knowledge of the subject is nil so I bid you a good day.

Translation: I'm getting my rump kicked, so I'll belittle the other side's points by pretending he doesn't know the facts, and then skedaddle like Sir Robin in Monty Python and the Holy Grail...

[TheLooseThread]

I'm half Irish.

The IRA plants bombs that are intended to kill civilians.

So go screw yourself.

[sinkspur]

You can't justify IRA terrorism, so you ran like the cowards they, and you, are.

[gridlock]

I was posting on this board since 1998 as JEBeier, so I lost my rookie spots some time ago. I changed my handle to Gridlock in honor of the Jeffords defection.

With regards to your beef with the Brits, I agree that the Brits terrorized your population and used methods that are to be condemned. That does not mean that the IRA is not a bunch of terrorists. It just means that thay are fighting another group of terrorists. They should admit their own terrorist identity and then make the case that their terrorism is justified in light of their treatment by the British.

But I think people have pretty much gotten tired of bombs in baby carriages, so you may not have that much luck. Good.

[CPT Clay]

The IRA is nothing but a bunch of blood thirsty cowards.

While we are at war with terrorism, how do you define a target of opportunity? Better duck HEFFERNAN2 YOU'RE NEXT!