The carrot has been dangled…
PAT Doherty‘s interview in the Guardian is being interpreted as an offer to the DUP - permit the devolution of policing and justice, and in exchange the IRA army council will be disbanded. “I have no doubt, given all of the issues that we have resolved from the very beginning, all of the issues that you may have thought were insurmountable, … on the British side … the unionist side and the republican side, if we are serious about moving this whole process forward … then we can deal with any issue,” Doherty who was named as a member of the IRA leadership in 2002, said. “If you look at any of what were perceived as insurmountable issues some time back, all of them were resolved. I have no doubt that issues can be resolved if there is dialogue.”
Steve
There are records that need to be turned into the government. Those missing should be reconstructed. I already said who should lead the effort.
They can be compelled to do anything by the government, they lost and capitulated – remember? There are consequences to loosing an insurgency, that is the way of things. This instance is no different.
New Yorker,
sometimes people who are far away from their subject matter compensate for this by acquainting themselves closely with the facts. Not a route you decided to take.
It is not customary for insurgents who have lost to get their prisoners out of prison, get into governement, get reform and disbandment of different wings of the state forces they opposed and achieve constitutional change.
Very interesting interview – claiming local government reorg as a massive success of DUP SF co-operation.Personal view is that it’s more important to link AC disbandment with a huge radical effort to de-intensify the Twelfth than with devolution of P and J.
Okay some corrections to make the pendantic happy
You show me a single spec of evidence linking the PIRA to the Quinn murder and i will condemn them to the roof till then its just so much unionist wet dream
As for this statement
Although there is no proof the Southern and Northern intelligence reports suggest former/current IRA member involvment in the Quinn killing
I believe the correct phrase is ” member, former member, associate of a member or former member” that what narrows it down to 25 or 35 thousand people in nIreland alone?
Also have to disagree with ‘Unionism is the root cause of Republicanism’. Republicanism is not a disorder/disease but a political tradition in Ireland with a long and proud history.
Okay my bad inionism is the root cause of physical force Republicanism
New Yorker
While its hard to argue they won I don’t believe they lost and they sure never capitulated.
You can’t reconstruct records that never existed though lots around here seem to be able to make up facts as they go so maybe they can dream up these documents you so desperately seek
Steve
There is no 32 county socialist republic and that was the objective. Many are employees of HMG. That’s capitulation due to loss to superior power. When they finally realized it was stupid to try to take on the UK, they tried a political strategy and last year they were gutted in the Republic and that proved their political approach was as stupid as the military one. They lost totally but you have not realized it yet.
As to provo records, what do you think they carted away from the sheds in Ballybinaby? The Slob’s dung boots!
New Yorker
We haven’t reached the end of history. Nor have we even reached the end of SF; for all their “gutting” in the South their total loss was one seat. Their vote has remained fairly stable at 7-8% in the polls, and I’d expect it to stay there for the foreseeable future. They might gain a couple at the next election, might lose a couple. So it goes for small parties. The Dail might fall in such a way where they have leverage with 2 seats. We don’t know, but it’s certainly not unknown.
A few years ago Republicans in the US were talking of a permanent majority. And yet it looks like irrespective of the Presidential election Democrats will have further gains in November. I’d caution against proclaiming finality and inevitability, but enjoy your wee rant anyway.
when could SF have hoped for better circumstances for postitive election that the last free state elections.
they were touting for at least ten seats, and lost one.. with significant damage being done to the republicans structures in dublin with the parachuting in of Mary Lou.
they had decommissioned, joined the cops etc.. if there was ever to be a bounce in votes in was in the last election.
but it didnt happen.
i think they will continue to be a small fringe party in the south and as their drive to capture the middle classes continues it is driving away the people who did the grass roots work for them.
look at the growing strenght of eirigi to see how workers for sf are leaving.
harry
when could SF have hoped for better circumstances for postitive election that the last free state elections.
Prior to the McCartney killings and the Northern Bank robbery. That reimposed their glass ceiling and they have been at 7-8% since. They had a rise in polls at the election but not a huge amount.
they were touting for at least ten seats, and lost one.. with significant damage being done to the republicans structures in dublin with the parachuting in of Mary Lou.
I agree on the latter.
they had decommissioned, joined the cops etc.. if there was ever to be a bounce in votes in was in the last election.
but it didnt happen.
You see, I believe that sustained growth only comes from developing local parties and producing intelligent policy. Big publicity in the North can remove stigma and give you a little push, but they won’t do nearly enough on their own. SF lost because day-to-day baggage of their policy outweighed anything they’d done North. Exactly as it should be.
i think they will continue to be a small fringe party in the south and as their drive to capture the middle classes continues it is driving away the people who did the grass roots work for them.
I think they’ll stick around 7-8% for the foreseeable future and 2-7 seats. Which might be enough, if an election fell right. A lot depends on how they modernise. I think there is a left politics that can carve out a niche with cross support from working class and middle class, especially because Labour has been ineffective for so long. They might will lose Communists, but that would be returned ten fold if they could find the right ideas and policies, and most importantly end transfer repellence. I don’t know if they have the talent.
It look at the growing strength of eirigi to see how workers for sf are leaving.
Limited to Dublin at the moment. May damage SF, but will achieve precisely this: 0.
Kensei
The dream was to rule in the Republic and the North and that dream was smashed by the voters in the South as the great majority like the way things are for them. 7-8% certainly shows how out of tune they are with the voters. There is not going to be a revival, the dream is dead and everyone knows it.
How would you ensure the provos are fully complying with the law? Do you favor an effort to retrieve records? Do you agree that would be a major confidence building measure for those who desperately seek P&J;powers?
New yorker , why would the provos need to comply with the law? Bertie seems to be able to get away with ignoring the law . Maybe cab should investigate. And I would say the provos record keeping was as good as berties aswell.