IRA vows to end armed campaign

[Sean]

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/eu...ent/index.html

BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- The Irish Republican Army says it will resume disarmament and has ordered its members to halt its armed campaign to end British rule. The order took effect at 1500 GMT on Thursday. The IRA, which has observed a cease-fire since 1997, did not say it would formally disband but promised to pursue its goals through political means. British Prime Minister Tony Blair called the statement a "step of unparalleled magnitude," but unionists said they wanted proof the IRA was serious. Gerry Adams, president of IRA's political ally Sinn Fein, called the statement "courageous and confident initiative." In a lengthy statement, the outlawed group appealed to Britain and Northern Ireland's Protestant majority to accept its new position as sufficient to renew negotiations on power-sharing, the core goal of the 1998 peace accord for the British territory. "The leadership has formally ordered an end to the armed campaign," the statement said. "All volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful means."

[Matt W]

Yes, was glad about this. They really didn't have any other choice, in the end. The onus is now on those idiots in the UDA, UVF and other Loyalist groups to sort their lives out....

[Slapjak]

Glad to hear about this...thought it was interesting to see other groups response to the announcement-US and Other's Response. It seems like regardless of what the Republican movement does they will always be doubted.

[oranged]

I can't argue that it's good for this war to be over. I just hope European countries can continue to get along smoothly now.

[snow cone]

How I hoped for something like this, some indication that the way would clear. My mother is Irish and I hope in the next few years to be so myself through the foreign birth registry.

[RickSp]

What I am trying to figure out is how long it will take for the Bush administration to try to take credit for the IRA's announcement and to claim that it is a result of our "liberation" of Iraq and Afghanistan.

[Trotsky]

First off, I don't believe a word of it. Just wondering will they give up their protection rackets, their drug dealing, the punishment beatings and shooting, the money laundering, the fuel laundering, the production and sale of counterfeit goods, the production and circulation of counterfeit currency?

Scum and filth, thats what they are. McGuinness, Adams, O'Caobhlann etc etc The sooner they are banned and removed from politics the better it will be. As for the loyalist scumbags...don't go there...just let the filthy bastards kill each other in their little feud.

[Nono]

While I wouldn't adopt the over-the-top language of Trotsky's eminently partisan diatribe, I too am skeptical. We've heard a lot of mealy-mouthed bullshit over the years about decommissining and rendering weapons unusable, and none of it ever really happened.

The McGuinness/Adams types may have acquired a taste for political office and power, but the tough guys behind them presumably still have the means of raising hell if they decide to. And, as Trots says, they continue to stand in the way of the rule of law in any meaningful sense. Like so many armed groups around the world who started out with a political agenda, they've descended into cheap mafioso banditry. They aren't going to give that up in a hurry.

Meanwhile, Rick is right that this statement will be press-ganged into the Bushista media machine along with that spell of nice weather in Iowa.

[Trotsky]

As Nono says....but I still stick to my approach on it. Having had to put up with them for over twenty years, and having had to listen to them pontificate and preach their holier than though moral BS...then witness how they "punish" people who don't fit their "morals" and standards. And this is just in the Republic, my time in the North was with both sides!

[Trotsky]

Reuters Article regarding British steps towards "normalisation

Oh yes, lets make it easier for the little shites to run counterfeit goods and narcotics across the border!

[Tesserakt]

Quote by: Trotsky Reuters Article regarding British steps towards "normalisation Oh yes, lets make it easier for the little shites to run counterfeit goods and narcotics across the border!

As if they're the only ones committing crimes in NI. Why use this occassion to practice inflamatory rhetoric? Their action is a step in the right direction, all you're saying is that no matter what they do they'll never escape your prejudices. Would you prefer genocide?

[Trotsky]

Ermmmmmm who is talking about NI??? I'm referring to the Republic....where these beautiful people are ruining my country....not NI or Great Britain but my country, the Republic of Ireland. And who's practicing inflammatroy rhetoric? Gerry Adams accusing my government of betraying the Irish people, terrorists using the name of the Irish defense forces (of which I was a member at one point) in official statements and claims of terrorist attacks etc etc etc. My prejudices are I don't like murdering gun-running drug dealing scumbags, the kind that operate under the banner of IRA/Sinn Fein and the miriad of loyalist scum-groups.

[righthand]

Quote by: RickSp What I am trying to figure out is how long it will take for the Bush administration to try to take credit for the IRA's announcement and to claim that it is a result of our "liberation" of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Spot on. There is one US politician who is always entitled to claim a large slice of the credit for the 'peace'. BILL CLINTON's input was immense. The most important was pre-Bill the UK always maintained that it was an internal matter for them alone. Not even the Irish government could have an input, so there would be no solution. Bill changed that. Most importantly he changed it without firing one bullet. His personal attributes combined with the high esteem the office of President of the United States was THEN held by the Irish, ensured the peace process was off and running.

Bill's granting of the VISA of entry to Gerry Adams was a turning point. Remember the UK was adamantly against this. Nothing comical george or his administration has done since has contributed an iota to the peace today. Three cheers for Bill. He'll not be forgotten this side of the pond.

One lesson maybe for other conflicts. Very very few wish to die. The Irish love life more than most. Many volunteers went out believing death was likely. The 'shoot to kill' and Gibraltar murders, just like the Brazilian in London, left no doubt of UK intentions. Also every dead volunteer meant ten new recruits. Bobby Sands and friends died for political status. Was it not the Irish Republican ARMY.

If not, what were those mutinying against a 'rightful' King of England during the American War of Independence? Were they freedom fighters or terrorists. Remember those brother against brother stories. One had to be 'bad' misguided man. The lesson surely is that all killings, by the state or otherwise, are wrong. The last pope proclaimed the Iraq war illegal, so who's the terrorist or freedom fighter. History will judge

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