IRA in arms breakthrough

BBC ^ | 23rd Oct 2001 | BBC

[slhill]

Could be that in these grim days, we might, just might, have a little bit of good news. Here's hoping.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Here's hoping also, but this falls into the "I'll believe when I see it" category.

[Timesink]

I'll believe it when I see it. The IRA are terrorists just like Al-Qaida.

[harpseal]

Let us hope this is a positive step.

Stay wel - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[spycatcher]

Actually the IRA keeps the violence to "acceptable" levels to make a political point and doesn't seem to be into killing thousands of people for fun and profit.

[slhill]

Yes they are terrorists. Not they're not very much like Al Qaeda. They have a limited and clear agenda; they are relatively secular, relatively nationalist, relatively working class and relatively socialist and wholly political; they have claimed responsibility for most of their attacks in the past; they have a political wing; they have been moving--inching--towards giving up violence; they do not wish to institute vicious theocracies across the civilised world. I wish any of that were true of Al Qaeda.

[irishfest]

The American "patriots" in 1776 were terrorists to the English too. The English need to get out of Ireland and let them govern themselves. It has work for the USA.

[Benson_Carter]

big bttt

[slhill]

The UK (not English) government would *love* to get out of NI, which costs it an absolute fortune and is no end of trouble. However, that wouldn't solve the problems of NI as there are lots and lots of Unionists there. No-one (alright, very very few people) wants a civil war. So we have to find a solution that both nationalists and unionists can live with.

[Benson_Carter]

so if it costs a ton of $$$ to stay there, and they don't really want to be there, and polls show that blokes back home across the pond don't want to be a part of that mess anymore, please explain why they haven't packed up and gone home post haste.

[laureldrive]

"""The American "patriots" in 1776 were terrorists to the English too. The English need to get out of Ireland and let them govern themselves. It has work for the USA."""

Substitute "America" for "the English", and "the Middle East" for "Ireland," and your justification for terrorism could havew been spoken by Osama himself. The killers of the IRA - - and the cutthroats in Afghanistan - - thank you.

[laureldrive]

"""The American "patriots" in 1776 were terrorists to the English too. The English need to get out of Ireland and let them govern themselves. It has work for the USA.""" Substitute "America" for "the English", and "the Middle East" for "Ireland," and your justification for terrorism could havew been spoken by Osama himself. The killers of the IRA - - and the cutthroats in Afghanistan - - thank you.

[slhill]

Didn't you read the second half of my post? Because they don't want to spark a civil war, that's why!

[slhill]

Question for you: why do *you* think that they are still there?

[billbears]

Let's see. The IRA wants Ireland to be self-governed, a free state. Another country, Great Britain, who BTW has had plenty of experience with this very issue, refuses to turn Ireland over to the Irish instead giving them a few pitiful spots in the British government to speak up uselessly in Parliament where they will not be heard.

Yes, these Irish are terrorists of the worse kind. How dare they? They've been given pitiful representation opportunities within the Empire. They should use peaceful means to achieve their objective

And if the United StateS of America did that 226 years ago, we would still be bowing to the Queen of England

[Benson_Carter]

since you're new to the discussions of Irish politics here, I'll cut you a break. Are the IRA terrorists? Yes. Have they commited atrocities against civilians? Yes.

Not too many people here will back up the actions of the IRA; it's the end we agree with and the means we abhor. However to say that the IRA and nationalist militants in Ireland are like their counterparts in the ME is irrational at best.

[Cleburne]

If this does go through, how long before x42 claims responsibility?

[beckett]

Gerry Adams saw that the pivotal moment in world history caused by the events of 911 could serve as a legitimate stimulus for settling the decommissioning issue and getting to the endgame in Ulster. If it works, despite his shoddy politics, he is to be applauded.