IRA Stand-down

[Colossos]

I'm surprised this hasn't been posted already, but on Wednesday the Provisional IRA announced that they were ending their armed campaign and would seek their ends by democratic means. This is a huge move from the group who are responsible for over 1700 deaths in terrorist attacks on Britain.

I am pleased that the IRA has decided to put all its arms beyond use, but I am just wondering why they are stopping fighting. Three possibilities have crossed my mind.

Firstly, they could have changed their values, realised that terrorism was not the answer, and are really set on achieving their aims through peaceful means. This would be the nicest option. Secondly, they could simply be joining us in the face of a common enemy in the wake of the London bombings - i feel this to be the most unlikely.

The most likely possibility in my eyes, and it could just be because I am so cynical, is that they have been out-done. They cannot match the effect that the London bombings had on the British public, and of course now it is far more likely that anything they tried would be foiled, and so the only realistic option is to give up.

Anyone with a more informed opinion than mine would be welcome to share it, I'm interested to know what people think of this move.

As for people who live outside of Britain, I'm not sure you've heard of the IRA, but if you have and if you know something about them, you're welcome to give your two cents too.

[Pressure Drop]

i've not been on the forums since it happened :P

Well i'm pretty sure i fit into the more informed opinion since i've lived in Belfast for the last 23 years or in other words all my life :P

Anyways the IRA is a complicated issue. I by no means support it or its actions but it is vilified more than it should be and blame for the IRA should also be spread more widely specialy on part of the British and the RUC (northern irelands former police force) and the Loyalist groups like the UDA UVF etc... All these groups targeted and killed or helped in the killing of innocent ppl and should be tarred with the same brush in my opinion.

But this to me is great news and their statement does please me. It doesn't come as to much as a surprise though, the first IRA ceasefire was 11 years ago, they have had a holding ceasefire for 8 years now but there was a huge issue over disarming. Mainly as some Unoinist politicians were trying to humiliate the IRA making demands such as pictures of decommisioning etc even though an independant decommissioning body had been set up and church men from both the catholic and protestant were to be present to make sure it happened. Also there is the fact that the UDA and the UVF have both had there ceasefires revoked as they continue in terrorist and criminal activities haven't decommissioned and there is a silly stand off becuase no one wants to make the first move.

Firstly, they could have changed their values, realised that terrorism was not the answer, and are really set on achieving their aims through peaceful means. This would be the nicest option.

Out of your thinking this is the closest one. Sinn Fein (a very closley linked political party) has been doing extremely well at the polls since the ceasefire and has now actualy over taken the SDLP (a moderate nationalist (wants a united ireland) party) to become the biggest republican party, also they have been gaining some votes in the South of Ireland and have plans to make gains there in the future but were losing votes over the IRA refusal to disarm and say the war is over.

This movement from SDLP to Sinn Fein is worrying as the politics in northern ireland has became very polar with voters moving to the extremist nationalist and unionist parties since the DUP a hardline Unionist party has also overtaken the UUP a slightly more moderate unionist party.

Secondly, they could simply be joining us in the face of a common enemy in the wake of the London bombings - i feel this to be the most unlikely.

Not really they wouldn't support those attacks at all but thats not why they did there statement. However Al-queada attacks on America would have done them more harm as America turned anti terrorism and they got alot of funding from irish americans so if the IRA resumed bombings then that would lose them alot of funding and support.

The most likely possibility in my eyes, and it could just be because I am so cynical, is that they have been out-done. They cannot match the effect that the London bombings had on the British public, and of course now it is far more likely that anything they tried would be foiled, and so the only realistic option is to give up.

Thats rubbish sorry, The IRA had the capabilty, the know how and equipment to dwarf the London bombings if they so wished. That would not have been in there interests as a bombing and mass killing of innocent ppl would have lost them all support of the ppl. Instead they turned to commerical targets and killing army and police targets as that didn't lose them much support than they had already lost. They also killed alot of innocent ppl but they would claim that innocent ppl die in all wars --- look at iraq etc ...



so basicaly this has been coming for years but the IRA wanted to save face and not be pressured into it.Things are better here since the ceasefire and now the IRA have formaly stood down hopefully the UDA and UVF will do the same in the next few years but they are heavily involved in drug dealing and extortsion and i think if they did "stand down" they would disolve into a criminal gang still. Also it suits them to "not trust the IRA statement" so they can continue these activities with the support of there communities.

Sorry that was long , but i could have went into history and wrote loads more :P

Might of offended some ppl but that wasn't my purpose, i don't like the IRA and i might have come across as defending them but violence breeds violence and that is part of why the IRA seen no other way than terrorism.

[scumbag]

i still dont trust the IRA, it yet remains to be seen whether they will stick to what they've been saying
but, if they do stay true to their word, hopefully we can sort all this shit out

[ZeUs!!]

The general reaction in the UK has been: "Oh. Did you hear about Keane's bust up with Ferguson?"

[Colossos]

Thanks for your reply Pressure Drop, I was interested to read it

Out of interest, are you protestant or catholic? Not really got a bearing on what you said, but I'm just wondering.

[Pressure Drop]

No problem Colossos

I hope i helped in your understanding of the IRA statement a little. That is only my view if you asked someone else from here they could have a completely different one but my view is from watching political commontaters on our news and they know what there talking about

I realise that Northern Ireland is a very small part of the world and also pretty unimportant to most, yet alot have heard of it and the IRA and thats all they know and they would care to know as well, and thats fair enough. I'm in a similar posistion on loads of countries and troubled areas in the world where i only have a vague notion of whats going on.

I'm not actualy religious at all but for the purposes of your question i'm a catholic. I live and grew up in a mainly protestant area and most of my friends were protestant so i've quite and open mind and am not secterian at all. I would like to see a United Ireland but doubt i will live as long as it will take. Hope that eases your curiosity