British Expatriate Network

Interesting that normally sympathetic Irish-American support is ebbing away.

http//www.rte.ie/news/2005/0313/kennedye.html

http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4346193.stm

I think less hardened sypathizers over this side see the Sinn Feinn for what they really are these days.
The ideals these people support are out of date and unrealistic.
Now that America has experienced terrorism they are loath to be symapthizing with any kind of terrorists.

Sadly this took too long and a lot Brits hold resentment towards USA because of this lengthy delay.

I held my tongue after 9-11 as I could see where many of them were coming from.

The British Army was outgunned in Northern Ireland many times, thanks to US-provided M16 rifles.

I was chatting about this earlier to a British friend who used to live in the U.S. (actually, the original topic of discussion was about our attitudes to the way St. Patrick's Day is celebrated here, which is another can of worms).

In Connecticut about 15 years ago she was approached by Irish-American teenagers with a collection box, for "charity".

They said the money would go to Irish "orphans oppressed by the British" in Ireland.

It appears that some headway has been made since then.

Must admit to a 'Happy dance' when I heard the news yesterday that Kennedy wouldn't meet with Adams. I think the IRA saying they were willing to shoot the killers of McCartney did it for most people. I, like the sisters, would want to see them dragged through every court in the land. Along with all those in the pub when it happened who claimed to be in the one bathroom. There's cowardice, and then there's this, it's shown both the IRA and the people who are afraid of repercussions in their true light. Not very flattering is it?

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I think its extremely unfortunate and short sighted to try and marginalize Sinn Fein. they are a legitimate political party.

As for the republican cause, to dismiss them as terrorists is a stupid mistake, both the Provo's and INLA were in their eyes fighting a legitimate guerilla war against an often brutal opposition.

Like all wars, I sympathize with the average soldier on both sides, though I think the republican armed forces had a clearer vision/goal.
They have since the early seventies fought a brave and courageous war against overwhelming odds, for the establishment of a united socialist Ireland.
Personally, I believe they cut their armed resistance too soon, but it was a brave move to do so, I would support their efforts.

For both the British and American governments to again marginalize their genuine attempts at a political solution is short sighted and may lead to a resumption of fighting

If I was Gerry Adams I wouldn't give a tinkers curse about meeting Teddy Kennedy, Bush et al.

He is a remarkable leader who has accomplished a great deal. Gerry Adams took up arms against the British Army/Unionists in the late 60/70's. The political circumstances that sparked 'the troubles' are well documented. The IRA (of which Adams was a leading member) were a symptom of British policy as much as a cause.

It is highly probable that he was involved in many terrorist acts and murders. At some point he realised the futility of this strategy. He's choices at this point were probably limited - quit the IRA, leave the country, become a grass..

Instead he embarked on a long-term strategy of persuading his colleagues to abandon the armed struggle and to develop the only democratic party that operates on both sides of the Irish border. Sinn Fein is a significant new force in Irish politics and and did very well in the last Irish elections - winning 5 seats.

Sinn Fein is hoping to dismantle the IRA. Adams has publicly stated his support for the McCartney sisters and appeared alongside them. However, he is permanently torn between moving towards democracy and leaving behind a rump of disaffected IRA volunteers who would resume the violence. The 'paramilitary thugs' exist in both communities and generate a lucrative income from organised crime.(See link).
http//news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4264034

As Gerry Adams said "Making peace, I have found, is much harder than making war." Maybe thats why George Bush doesn't wat to meet him..

I normally don't get all jingoistic over the troubles, but the "Average" soldier in the IRA murders civilians, they purposely target civilians knowing it will not get them any closer to their aims but purely to make a point and say 'hey, we're still here'.

Whats brave or courageous about planting a bomb that you know has the possibility of killing young children or someone just out doing their shopping? Whats brace or courageous about shooting off someones kneecaps because its rumoured they are a drug dealer, and there is nothing whatsoever admirable about taking people away in the middle of the night never to be seen again because its proposed they are an informant.

I completely disagree with you on this one.

I think Blair and Bush call that collateral damage, while engaged in their own ‘terrorist’ activity in the Middle East which is masqueraded as a legitimate war. I’m sure without even looking at the figures that they have killed at least 10,000 times more innocent civilians in the last 4 years than the IRA has in the previous 40.

Not a supporter of terrorist activity in any way shape or form and not a supporter of the IRA but I’m sure they also think in terms of ‘collateral damage’ being an unfortunate side effect of war. They do after all think they’re fighting a legitimate war against an oppressor, a little like the two biggest idiots in the world (back to the B&B again).

I understand that, and get that we'll bomb weapon depots without abandon knowing that there could be civilians in the area, but thats still very different from saying hey lets go kill some civilians with that as our sole aim.

I loved the McCartney girls saying to the press over here, You're not sending money to Ireland to buy frocks and sandals for barefoot orphans, you're supporting thugs, drug dealers, arms dealers and bomb makers.
It's so lovely to see Bush having to entertain these girlies when his daddy told the UK back in the day, hey , that terrorism from the Irish, that's your problem not ours. Now we have a money tree traced all the way back to the east coast and it's not just the folk from the mainland telling the "Yanks"(word i despise and rarely use) it's the Irish. I love it.

The one thing I have an ounce of respect for the Bush Whitehouse for; they did not invite Gerry Adams to their St Patricks Day celebration.

But Bush has invited Sharon to the Whitehouse :roll: :roll: :o

Gerry Adams may indeed have brushed off the US snub, however it’s a slap in the face for this nationalist bruiser, his political party and the IRA. Sinn Fein may indeed be a legitimate political party, however their support of an ‘Army’ whose lust for violence, terrorist tactics and atrocities inflicted not only upon their perceived British oppressors, but also against their own people, is nothing short of criminal.
Gerry Adams and his followers command attention mainly because of their links to the IRA. I hope at last the thin veneer of respectability Adams may have gained from his participation in electoral politics has finally been stripped to expose him for what he really is; the president of a political party who are staunch supporters of a terrorist ‘Army’ who use cowardly, cruel, intimidation tactics on thousands of innocent civilian targets ( most recently as graphically seen in the McCartney killing). A group of egotistical cowards, not heroes, IMO. Their intimidation, maiming and killing of innocent civilians have led to fragmented community relations with little hope of furthering the peace process and achieving the unity Sinn Fein purport to seek.

I'm just wondering why no one has mentioned the real IRA, a faction that broke off and became in it's 15 minutes more brutal than the IRA or that someone somewhere had the foresight after the bank robbery to dig up that old war horse The Reverend Paisley. I swear when the bank robbery happened and he was interviewd I woke up to him on the clock radio and thought I was back in the 70's. If there was only one thing I learnt about the troubles then and carried with me since, it's when Paisley is involved there's a mighty cover up snow job going on. The man leaves a trail like a dead fish on Friday 8)