anthonyqkiernan
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Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 12:28
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4723017.stm
What do we reckon to this? Same old, same old?
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Toni Torino
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Re: Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 12:29
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Hopefully, it's something meaningful. Dunno about the 'Real IRA' and the others though.....
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Leonard
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Re: Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 12:42
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They're scuppered now, so it has to be nothing short of a complete disarmament and disbanding. They have very little support within the catholic community, and not as much as they used to have in the US (even Senator Kennedy has told them to pack it in now) either. They can't even recruit enough new members these days to function as they used to. Also, they have been completely eclipsed by the other political events in the world. What the terrorists are going to do when the tools of making their income are taken away from them though is anyones guess (the recent IRA robberies are far from a new thing after all).
If only they would finally ban the Orange Anachronism from marching ever bloody easter, then there would be a lot less bricks in the air on those days too.
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Leonard
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Re: Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 12:42
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oh, and more importatly, Sinn Fein is now a party with a very large amount of support.
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anthonyqkiernan
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Re: Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 12:57
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>>to be nothing short of a complete disarmament and disbanding.
With photographic evidence and sack-cloths & ashes, TBH.
I know a guy that went to school with the Shankill bomber bloke. Erm...I don't think I'll finish posting what he says about him...
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grufty jim
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Re: Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 16:10
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This can only be good news. And given that it will surely strengthen the republican position in the current climate, it makes perfect sense for them to do it for real this time.
I've always believed that Gerry Adams; whatever else you may think of him; is the shrewdest politician on these islands. Right now Sinn Féin are gaining a great deal of political ground on both sides of the border, and it is possible that there's a large number of republicans who will vote for them once the IRA are officially a thing of the past giving them yet another large boost in the polls.
The other element of this political strategy (and - to me - the real genius of what Adams and McGuiness are up to) is the fact that Sinn Féin have indeed modernised themselves (or their image, at least) but Ian Paisley's DUP, despite becoming the largest unionist party, have singularly failed to modernise; and will never do so while Paisley himself is alive. The reason for this is because Paisley has defined himself (politically, morally and as a human being) more by what he stands against than what he stands for.
If the IRA genuinely do what they say, it will leave Paisley in the wilderness... reduce him to a more ludicrous a figure than he already is, even as he celebrates his pyrrhic vixtory. And that will end up strengthening the hand of republican politicians.
Leastways, that's how I see it.
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Rolling Ronnie
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Re: Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 16:30
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Have to agree with you Jim.
As far as Paisley is concerned, eh has become a complete joke figure IMO. Constantly banging on about 'Sinn Fein/IRA' and completely ignoring the antics of the loyalist terrorists.
He seems to be determised to scupper any peace process by whatever means.
The bad news is that his son seems to be as bad as he is!
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supercat
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Re: Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 16:35
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I completely agree with you grufty jim. I have family in Belfast on both sides of the fence and we have always agreed that Paisley is the one who has never and will never change. xxxx
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Merrick
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Re: Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 18:26
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Good analysis Jim, a great ring of truth to it.
Have to say, if someone had told me in 1985 that 20 years hence there'd be the end of the Cold War by means other than nukes, that apartheid would end with a handover of white power without major bloodshed, and that there'd be a permanent cessation of violence in Northern Ireland I'd have thought they were even more of a peacenik loon than I was at the time.
I only wish we could send postcards back in time to the people who told us it was impossible and we were dreamers not in touch with the possibilities of 'the real world'.
but I have to take issue with the idea that Ian Paisley is some sort of ludicrous figure. He speaks the truth;
http://www.ianpaisley.org/antichrist.asp
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Sootickle
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Re: Talking of the IRA...
Jul 28, 2005, 22:45
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but I have to take issue with the idea that Ian Paisley is some sort of ludicrous figure. He speaks the truth;
These things can be made to fit just about anything. That's how those who try to convert you to thier religion work, by proving that their bible is filled with accurate prophesies, don't be taken in.
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