IRA withdraws weapons commitment

[muriel_volestrangler]

In a statement passed to the An Phoblacht newspaper, the organisation said it had taken the offer to put its weapons beyond use off the table.
...
However, Wednesday's statement said the British and Irish governments had "tried its patience to the limit".

A Downing Street spokesman said they were not surprised by the statement.

"The fact remains that it was the IRA that did carry out the Northern Bank robbery and as the prime minister and the taoiseach said on Tuesday therefore it is the IRA that is the sole obstacle to moving forward," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4231237.stm

Bummer.

[jman0]

1. it's the only thing they can do, probably

That article fails to state that the IRA has previously completed 3 acts of arms decommissioning, which i would have thought relevant.

But then again, since the media and politicians don't demand Loyalist terrorists decommission similarly, i shouldn't expect to read anything in the news that shows another point of view (other than the status quo).

[RogueTrooper]

2. The republicans have never made the same issue of

loyalist decommisioning that the loyalist made of republican weapons decommisioning. The Loyalists have been better at framing this issue than the Republicans.

[jman0]

7. not true

This has been a theme in Republican circles.
However it is not that Loyalists have been better at framing this. Loyalists are incoherent bigots that seem incapable of articulating a position. But this decommissioning propaganda has been framed by the media in general and Unionist parties in concert with the British Government in particular.
But mostly i blame the media.

[sweetheart]

3. Blair you screwed up...

The bank robbers were loyalists... and they framed the IRA, and you
screwed up the peace process because you're so deep in lies you can't
recognize them when they're told to you.

You, blair, did not create the peace process, that was a gift from
the gods, that you happened to jump in front of. Now you've mucked it
up and have only yourself to blame. Liar, Liar, Liar.

[Stella_Artois]

4. How do you know who did it ?

It almost certainly was a paramilitary group, but what aspect of it makes you sure that the IRA could not have been the group ?

[jmcgowanjm]

5. The key-Blair says the IRA did, w/ no proof-poison the well

Britain does not want to leave.
We can't assume that resistance means terrorism because
that
would be playing right into the hands of the occupation," she said.

‘‘'IRA'resistance is fighting on the frontlines of the battle
against Empire. And therefore that battle is our battle.'

to paraphrase Arunhati Roy

Here, just sub IRA for IR in this article:

“Those of us who come from former colonies ... think
of imperialism as rape... Racism plays the same part today as
it did in colonial times. There isn't any difference. I mean, the
only people who are going to argue for the good side
to imperialism are white people, people who were
once masters, or Uncle Toms.

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2004/605/605p28.htm

[Mnstrl Rnbw]

6. Why shouldn't the IRA take money from the bank,

Banks are historically tools of POWER! Did the bank refuse to operate in Britain when British occupation troops were murdering and raping thousands of innocent Irishmen who had done nothing worse than take direct action against the collaborator population in "Northern Ireland"?

[Bridget Burke]

8. Gosh, you're such a radical!

The situation in Northern Ireland is a bit more complex.

Are you for real?

[Stella_Artois]

9. Raping thousands of Irishmen ?

In Northen Ireland ?

Wow, when did that happen. We talking anal rape here ? Thousands of men you say ?

[henrik larssonisking]

17. lol

this is the craziest post i think ive ever seen about the situation in northern ireland. totally radio rental mate. Keep it up.

[sweetheart]

10. And do you always accept prepared conclusions?

A group that organized, leaves a remarkable trail of reeces peices
leading straight to the provisional IRA. Either the provo's did it
and mucked it up to leave the trail... or a very smart group of loyalists
did it and deliberately left a trail that would serve their interests
in several ways. One, big money, two, break down peace process back
to thuggery and violence, and 3, even more boost for the loyalist extremists.

So who gains? Who has put weapons beyond use and come to the table in
goodwill? Who jumps to quick conclusions, ones based on evidence
that a group that organized, most certainly left deliberately.
The perfect crime, not only gains you the winnings, but pins the
result on your political enemies. My seeing is that it is the loyalist
extreme gangs... names elude... but UDF, or UFF... one of those chappies.
They are paramilitary as well, and even have some institutional complicity
in the police services.

As it was, no the matter, just a crime, and not an act of war, that
blair allowed it to alter the peace process, shows what a fool he has
become in his terror war tin foil hat.

[Stella_Artois]

11. What evidence did they leave ?

Fingerprints ? That sort of thing ?

[sweetheart]

12. They, according to the kidnapped

showed good knowledge of the roads in the catholic areas that only
a catholic would know. This is the "evidence" that they're using
to pin it on the provos. It had to do with the areas where the crime
was committed, and the places where they struck... as if anyone could
not do exactly that to leave an impression that it was the other guys.

[Bridget Burke]

13. Ah--Northern Ireland is not mapped....

Catholics know the Catholic streets & Protestants know the Protestant streets. (Do Presbyterians & Church of Ireland members know the same streets?)

[sweetheart]

14. Looks like a map to me

This is a zoomed in link to a map in west belfast:

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=-667250&Y=7247500&width=500&height=300&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=mercator&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&zm=0&scale=5000&multimap.x=181&multimap.y=44


Likely, a rental car, and a little drivin around on a sunday afternoon
as its a free country and all.... setting up such a job wouldn't be hard
to prepare for, in this regard... and the presumption that only
catholics know the area, is not in keeping with how organized criminal
planners can prepare to land anywhere... just like the military does
and substitute planning for local knowledge.

[Bridget Burke]

15. Actually, I knew it was.

I am occasionally guilty of sarcasm. It does look as though the robbery was simply blamed on "the usual suspects".

[H2O Man]

18. Good points.

It is true, of course, that certain militant wings of the IRA have collected a small war tax from banks for years. Thus, there is a possibility that some fellows associated in some degree with the IRA may have robbed the bank. In that case, it seems certain they were looking for a small sum, and were surprised to get a larger amount. In this scenario, they would be very unlikely to have let others outside a small cell know.

What is clear is that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinenese had and have no knowledge of it. This week's Irish Echo has a good page 2 article regarding even support from US officials, including Reps Jim Walsh, Peter King, Richard Neal, and John Duncan.

At this point, there is no evidence that anyone from the IRA was involved. Evidence clearly indicates Sinn Fein had no knowledge or involvement. There is also plenty of circumstantial evidence showing the "other side" has certain influences dedicated to destroying the peace process, because they do not want Catholics to share in the economic or political power, or to be a significant cultural influence.

[muriel_volestrangler]

16. Another statement from the IRA on Thursday

Thursday's statement said: "The two governments are trying to play down the importance of our statement because they are making a mess of the peace process.

"Do not underestimate the seriousness of the situation."

It came as the Independent Monitoring Commission presented its report on the robbery to the British and Irish governments.
...
It is thought it will concur with the police assessment that the IRA was to blame for the bank raid last December and to suggest sanctions against Sinn Fein.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4234475.stm

[CONN]

19. IRA warning on peace crisis

Last night, in a 800-word statement, the IRA was bitterly critical of the approach taken by the two governments to its historic concessions on arms and other issues.

“The IRA has demonstrated our commitment to the peace process again and again,” it stated. “We wanted to succeed. We have played a key role in achieving the progress achieved so far.”

While not suggesting a possible return to armed struggle, the statement accused the two governments of reneging on their commitments and pushing the IRA to the limit.

An unprecedented IRA offer -- to fully disarm, end its activities and enter a new peaceful mode -- was publicly outlined in December, but was rejected by Ian Paisley’s DUP withy the support of the two governments.
<snip>
The power-sharing administration in Belfast remains suspended following allegations over two years ago of an IRA “spy ring” at the Belfast Assembly buildings. The allegations later proved unfounded.
<snip>
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams speaking at the Assembly buildings, said the approach of the two governments had effectively scuttled the IRA’s offer.

“The governments have opted to attack the commitment, integrity and motivation of Sinn Féin,” he said.

“This is fair enough in the cut and thrust of party politics but has no place in a peace process. My remarks about the Irish government are made more in sadness than anger.

“If an Irish government will not stand up to a British government in defence of the rights of Irish citizens - then who will?”

He also said the role of the British government and its agencies in Ireland had been “shameful”.
...

http://republican-news.org/features/Flash050203.html

[CONN]

20. link for full text of a statement issued by the IRA

http://republican-news.org/features/Flash050202.html
<snip>
The IRA has demonstrated our commitment to the peace process
again and again. We want it to succeed. We have played a key
role in achieving the progress achieved so far. We are
prepared, as part of a genuine and collective effort, to do so
again, if and when the conditions are created for this.
<snip>