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Britain
IRA weighs call to give up violence
2005-04-08
The Irish Republican Army has said it will consider an appeal by Sinn Fein party chief Gerry Adams to renounce violence, a long-elusive goal in Northern Ireland peacemaking.
"Faith! Renounce violence? I dunno. Pat, what do you think?"
"I think we should kneecap somebody, Mike!"
In a brief statement, the outlawed IRA said it received advance notice of Wednesday's call from Adams, an alleged IRA commander, and "will give his appeal due consideration and will respond in due course". The IRA, which killed about 1800 people as part of a failed campaign to abolish Northern Ireland as a British territory, has been observing a ceasefire since 1997. But the underground organisation remains active on several fronts, particularly in running illegal rackets and promoting Catholic opposition to the province's police. The IRA's activities and refusal to disarm repeatedly undermined the central objective of Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord: a joint Catholic-Protestant administration that included Sinn Fein. A four-party coalition collapsed in 2002, and efforts to revive the arrangement failed in December when the IRA refused to permit photos of its disarmament or to renounce crime.
Posted by:Fred

#11  Appropriate term, Ship. Heh.
Posted by: Pappy   2005-04-08 11:36:07 PM  

#10  Watermelon Irish Pappy.
Posted by: Shipman   2005-04-08 12:57:44 PM  

#9  "'Ello, my name's Bruce..."
Posted by: mojo   2005-04-08 11:34:12 AM  

#8  Does anyone truely think that if the IRA achieved a United Ireland the violence would stop. The focus would simpily shift to Dublin.

According to a now very-much-former Irish girlfriend (whose family were Provos), the eventual objective was establishment of a socialist government in Dublin. I saw that sentiment echoed in one certain pub we used to visit outside D.C..

I suspect that objective has been put off indefinitely, and the IRA become a "Family business".
Posted by: Pappy   2005-04-08 10:57:48 AM  

#7  "Renounce violence? But... we're Irish."
Posted by: BH   2005-04-08 10:09:37 AM  

#6  The IRA is no longer about a united ireland. It hasn't been for awhile. To what use have all those guns and weapons been put in the last ten years?!? Violent conflicts often give power to the moronic thug element that often doesn't really have any set ideology beyond perpetuating it's own power and the profit that can be made off it. It corrupts and corrodes legitimate political views. The IRA has become semi-organized crime with a thin political veil. Sinn Fein is the only thing that gives the IRA any claim to legitimacy and Sinn Fein can't bring itself to disown the sick dog. Republicans will continue to suffer this affliction until they gather the courage to cut it out.
Posted by: Tkat   2005-04-08 9:33:59 AM  

#5  Does anyone truely think that if the IRA achieved a United Ireland the violence would stop. The focus would simpily shift to Dublin. A united Ireland is not nessacarly in the Republic's interest IMO
Posted by: Cheaderhead   2005-04-08 8:29:52 AM  

#4  Man, Pappy, I hurt myself laughing. Good one.
Posted by: Quana   2005-04-08 7:40:56 AM  

#3  Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness sit on the IRA Army Council. This all appears rather schizophrenic at best and delusional madness at the worst. Meanwhile, the 'Real' IRA are apparently winding up to another mainland bombing campaign... pass me my tin hat someone.
Posted by: Howard UK   2005-04-08 5:01:30 AM  

#2  "Sharks Mull Call to Become Plankton-Eaters"

Hey, it could happen...
Posted by: Pappy   2005-04-08 2:27:15 AM  

#1  "IRA weighs call to give up violence"

How about disbanding altogether. I'll believe it when I see it.
Posted by: Slolusing Jotle7326   2005-04-08 12:37:45 AM  

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