Ahh...the IRA
We'll move (very briefly) to Ireland, my ancestral homeland, birthplace of Wilde, of Joyce, of Beckett, of Guiness- and, sadly, of Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams, as well as another bitter legacy of English partition politics (Palestine, the sub-Continent, Cyprus: the list is long and wearying). Through this, it is the home of the IRA, a dirty little terrorist group whose list of crimes extend far beyond the political. It was once an organization of fighters for freedom, but now they just fight their own little inter-nicene squabbles and their petty mafia wars (this paragraph would, by the way, get me banned from my favorite local pub, Fast Eddie's, but I feel fairly safe in posting it). The Economist has a story about their criminal ways this week. It is Premium Content on the web, but one can go to the library and peruse it. Good article.
Anyway, the reason they come up is because of the recent murder, by IRA members, of Robert McCartney in Belfast. The murder was nothing short of criminal, lacking even the veneer of political motivations (which would have been largely irrelevant anyway). The IRA leadership has come out strongly against this, as you might imagine. But they revealed themselves for the thuggish opportunists they are.
According to the BBC, IRA leadership met with McCartney's family and offered to have his killers shot. The family rejected it, cautioning that they prefered to go through, you know, the courts. THe IRA can't even pretend to want to operate within the confines of the law. This would be laughable, perhaps in the tradition of Wilde, were they not dead serious. A quote about this: "The offer to shoot those responsible for the murder of Robert McCartney confirms again that terrorism is the only stock and trade of Sinn Fein/IRA." This comes from the right Rev. Ian Paisley, Protestant leader and just as reprehensible a character as anyone the IRA has ever produced.
There is much talk about the cycle of violence in Ireland, but it is just as important to recognize the circle of stupidity that overwhelms the leadership. The Economist rated Ireland as the best place in the world to live earlier this year, but that is only the South. The North is getting better, but until this brand of leadership, and the leaders, finally, finally, dies, there isn't much chance of getting out of this depressing cycle.
Anyway, the reason they come up is because of the recent murder, by IRA members, of Robert McCartney in Belfast. The murder was nothing short of criminal, lacking even the veneer of political motivations (which would have been largely irrelevant anyway). The IRA leadership has come out strongly against this, as you might imagine. But they revealed themselves for the thuggish opportunists they are.
According to the BBC, IRA leadership met with McCartney's family and offered to have his killers shot. The family rejected it, cautioning that they prefered to go through, you know, the courts. THe IRA can't even pretend to want to operate within the confines of the law. This would be laughable, perhaps in the tradition of Wilde, were they not dead serious. A quote about this: "The offer to shoot those responsible for the murder of Robert McCartney confirms again that terrorism is the only stock and trade of Sinn Fein/IRA." This comes from the right Rev. Ian Paisley, Protestant leader and just as reprehensible a character as anyone the IRA has ever produced.
There is much talk about the cycle of violence in Ireland, but it is just as important to recognize the circle of stupidity that overwhelms the leadership. The Economist rated Ireland as the best place in the world to live earlier this year, but that is only the South. The North is getting better, but until this brand of leadership, and the leaders, finally, finally, dies, there isn't much chance of getting out of this depressing cycle.
posted by cairobrian | 2:35 PM
2 Comments:
How long will the IRA's reputation as "freedom fighters" hinder the peace process in Northern Ireland? They have been nothing but thugs for almost two decades,(at least) but they still live on -in their own minds, largely- as the only people that can bring about a true peace in the region. Until they are recognized for what they truly are, peace has little chance. At least in the Middle East the world can marginalize Hezbollah and wait for Arafat to die. A reputation, however, live on much longer.
I think it will hinder the peace process for a long time, but from what I have been reading I think it is slightly different (Tommy Friedman would say "my gut tells me," but thankfully I am not he). Look at the McCartney story. He and a friend were savagely beaten, after which the IRA cleaned up the bar, scrubbed it for fingerprints, and intimidated all the witnesses. It is only the for bravery of his sisters that the truth is coming out. I think right now the IRA rules less through their reputation of freedom fighters as their reputation of bullies and thugs and murderers. Witnesses, many of whom are friends of McCartney, are still scared into silence, even as the killers enjoyed pints at other pubs. Perhaps that reputation could be breaking, though- the sisters are being hailed as hereos. I wouldn't count on it happening soon, though. People let them get away with things out of fear and a slight longing for the old days, but the important thing is, as you said, they may be the only people who are able to get them a good deal. They may be bastards, but they're our bastards, you know? Still, if the IRA keeps messing up like this, they may see their reputation break, much like Arafat's did (it was only out of respect that he was still popular- the bulk of Palestinians were sick of his corruption). One can only hope...
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