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December 01, 2003
Northern Ireland appeasement process
If ever anything was predictable, it was that far from strengthening moderate opinion the Northern Ireland peace process would polarise the community into unionist and republican extremism. The issue is not the principles of the agreement itself, which in talking about power-sharing, rights of the minority and so forth are unexceptionable. It is rather that the fundamental principle of reciprocal steps along the path to law and democracy was immediately abandoned when Sinn Fein/IRA refused to keep its side of the bargain. Thus terrorist prisoners were released, even though arms 'decommissioning' turned into a farce and the IRA remains as heavily armed as it has ever been. Nor was any action taken against the thugocracy on the streets, where paramiliatry terorrism has merely mutated into a mafia state where the rule of law has been replaced by the rule of the Armalite. The craven appeasement of this process has ensured the province's nascent democracy is stillborn at gunpoint and has sunk David Trimble, who sold this particular pass for the Blair government. As ever, Conor Cruise O'Brien has the most interesting take on the debacle. In the Financial Times, he writes that the situation may soon be transformed once the three IRA terrorists arrested in Colombia are dealt with. If they are convicted of using false passports, says O'Brien, the US government will press the Brits not to readmit Sinn Fein to the Northern Ireland executive. If they are convicted on the far more serious charge of training guerrillas hostile to the US, the pressure on Blair to exclude Sinn Fein ministers will become irresistible. Indeed, at that point the war on terror will take on a particularly fascinating green tinge -- reflected, no doubt, in the shade Blair will turn when his less than consistent role in dealing with the axis of evil (Irish branch) comes under such a revealing spotlight. Posted by melanie at December 1, 2003
Comments
I tell you what - it'll be a funny old state of affairs if it gets to the stage where an American government is putting pressure on the British government to EXCLUDE Sinn Fein from anything. Mind you - it's not just Blair who is being less than consistent in his role in dealing with the axis of evil (Irish branch). President Bush deserves credit for outlawing the Real IRA in the US (something the Clinton administration never had the brass tacks to do), but he still has not quite got round to doing the same thing with the PIRA, in spite of the fact that all the various Loyalist groups are registered as illegal organisations by the US government. Posted by: Anthony C at December 1, 2003 01:47 PMBritish Governments have undermined Unionist Leaders for years, which is why it split from the Conservative Party after Heath and his approach. Just why Blair set out to destroy Trimble beats me. Calling those elections and telling lies about de-commissioning..."If you knew what I know...." and trying to snow the Unionists.....treachery....just as with waiting until Bush leaves London before succumbing to France and Germany and signing up to the Praline Defence Summit. Ian Paisley has been consistent and now gets his reward for not betraying his people as Blair made Trimble seem to do........
I have always been perplexed and angered by U.S. governments and politicos who pander to the Sinn Fein vote. The I.R.A. is as nihilistic as any Islamofascist organization. Posted by: Travis at December 1, 2003 04:16 PMHere here, Peter W. I am British, and what's more I'm fiercely proud of it. Americans don't like being called 'Yanks', do they? I feel the same way about 'Brit'. Posted by: M Wilkins at December 2, 2003 11:28 AM"the US government will press the Brits "
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