Posted on 05/08/2007 2:54:34 AM PDT by ReignOfError
BELFAST, Northern Ireland (CNN) -- Northern Ireland's major Protestant and Catholic parties join together Tuesday to form a power-sharing government, marking a "new era of politics" and an end to three decades of sectarian conflict in the British province.
Long the guiding hands over the peace process, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern will attend the swearing-in ceremony at Stormont, the Northern Ireland assembly, near Belfast. (Watch the long path Northern Ireland took to get to this point )
The breakthrough came in late March during the first face-to-face talks between the Protestants of Ian Paisley's hardline Democratic Unionist Party and the Roman Catholics of Gerry Adams' Sinn Fein.
Paisley, 80, who had previously boycotted contact with Sinn Fein because of its links to the Irish Republican Army, met Adams at the assembly building.
After being sworn in, Paisley will serve as the assembly's first minister and key player Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein will take on the role of deputy first minister.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Early am Boston news has Fat Teddy K. basking in the glory. Enough to put you off breakfast altogether.
"Among the VIP guests on Tuesday will be US[A] senator Ted Kennedy."
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BBC article. |
Teddy’s a sideshow. He is, at least nominally, an Irish Catholic, and a senior US senator, so there’s some symbolism in his attendance. The only reason he even a[ears as a footnote in the story is because of his brothers.
The important figures in this are the Unionists and the Republicans. And my question is, are they really committed? Could this really work?
This is hilarious.
“The breakthrough came...during the first face-to-face talks between...Ian Paisley’s hardline Democratic Unionist Party and...Gerry Adams’ Sinn Fein.”
So, Ian Paisley has agreed to work with and share power with thos hated, detested, Mary loving, rosary saying “Roman Catholics” after he vilified and denounced them for nearly 50 years!!!!!!!!??????
It was always about power. It was NEVER about loyalty to Britain. It was never about Protestantism in itself. It was always about oppression and power.
What a waste. The last 40 years of bloodshed never had to happen.
I thought it was funnier that Paisley’s bunch got labelled as hardline while Adams’ lot were merely called ‘Roman Catholic’.
I hope this peace works, and I think there’s a chance it will but not because those two parties are happy to be working together. I think they will be doing so through gritted teeth.
That would be my view too, in part.
...and just a little bit, dare say it, about those quite handsome ministerial salaries and expenses which would have been forfeit had a deal not been done.
You are conflating Sinn Fein/IRA with Catholicism. Ian Paisley does not hate Catholics and never had a problem working with and for Catholics, he has been doing that for years as an elected official. He had a problem recognising SF/IRA because they were an active terrorist organisation and refused to put their weapons down. Once they did that he kept his word and began working with them. Yes, the last 40 years did not have to happen, but the onus for it all belongs mostly on the terrorists and paramilitaries. if they had not gotten involved and turned a civil rights movement into a civil war this step could have been accomplished decades ago. Frankly, I find it deliciously ironic that what the last 40 years got SF/IRA is Paisley as First Minister. Not quite the result they had in mind.
I recall hearing that at the time -- my recollection is that the IRA agreed to disarm in late 2001 or early 2002.
I have always thought that the Palestinians and the Israelis should try to solve the Nortern Ireland problem and that Northern Ireland parties should try to solve the Pali/Israel problem.
You wrote: “You are conflating Sinn Fein/IRA with Catholicism.”
Nope. I confused nothing.
“Ian Paisley does not hate Catholics and never had a problem working with and for Catholics, he has been doing that for years as an elected official.”
Ian Paisley sure seems to hate Catholics to me. He lies about them, their Church, their beliefs, etc. Look at his website.
“Ian Paisley does not hate Catholics and never had a problem working with and for Catholics...”
If Ian Paisley does not hate Catholics, why is it that he called Pope John Paul II “The Antichrist?”
“Shortly after the start of the Pope’s speech, Paisley, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party and also an MEP at the time, shouted “I renounce you as the Antichrist!” and held up a red poster reading “POPE JOHN PAUL II ANTICHRIST” in black letters.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denunciation_of_Karol_Wojtyla_(Pope_John_Paul_II)_by_Ian_Paisley
Simply because Paisley called Pope John Paul II the Antichrist does not mean he hates Catholics. /sarcasm
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