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The IRA give up the armed struggle

The IRA have basically said that they have or will totally disarm and that they are giving up the armed struggle.

They are to engage in "purely peaceful means".

Surely good news, though it would be good if they werent involved in crime too.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    bongbudda wrote:
    The IRA have basically said that they have or will totally disarm and that they are giving up the armed struggle.

    They are to engage in "purely peaceful means".

    Surely good news, though it would be good if they werent involved in crime too.

    maybe they're feeling inadequate next to al qaeda........good news of course.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That is great news whichever way you look at it.

    Shame that the odious S*n still felt like scoring cheap points about it, thus risking the whole thing.

    Well, I can only hope the ETA cunts will follow suit...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There arent direct comparisons, but there are lessons to be learnt here about how to tackle terrorism, how to starve it of support and how to work to a compromise.

    In very simple terms we bought them off, we put untold billions into Northern Ireland to help the people there, to give them something to loose if they were engaged in terrorism.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Too many splinter groups for it to be wholly good news. A step in the right direction though.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    bongbudda wrote:
    There arent direct comparisons, but there are lessons to be learnt here about how to tackle terrorism, how to starve it of support and how to work to a compromise.

    In very simple terms we bought them off, we put untold billions into Northern Ireland to help the people there, to give them something to loose if they were engaged in terrorism.


    exactly, noones too sure of these muslim extremists goals, but for the ones in this country id say its disillusionment, not entirely our fault but partially their community leaders faults too

    as in star wars, fear leads to anger which leads to hate which leads to the dark side :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It is a momentus day in the history of Northern Ireland, hopefully now this paves the direction for the new discussions and true peace here.

    With this news i now hope that 1)that wanker Ian Paisley and the rest of the DUP finally talk with Sinn Fein, 2) full demilitarisation in all areas, living here in "bandit country" there is still a heavey army presence, there are 2 bases on mountains close to my house, helicopters fly over my house regularly, this is not needed now 3)effective policing 4)re-opening of murder cases, maybe a reconciliation program and also re-opening of all police collusion cases

    there is a certain amount of resentment and anger in my community, some people here think the IRA has given in...that volunteers didn't die over the years for this...i feel for them but we have to move on, i just hope now there isn't any serious defection to the CIRA, RIRA or INLA because of it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    there is a certain amount of resentment and anger in my community, some people here think the IRA has given in...that volunteers didn't die over the years for this...i feel for them but we have to move on, i just hope now there isn't any serious defection to the CIRA, RIRA or INLA because of it.

    Without wishing to be cynical there's been a certain amount of resentment and anger in my community for a few years now. A lot of RUC and UDR men were brutally murdered in front of their families, people blown up whilst out for meal, shopping or commemerating their war dead and the killers of those people are now out walking the street.

    Its realpolitic and I can see that in some ways that's the price we pay for peace, but there's an awful lot of people on the other side who also have a nasty taste in their mouth.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    today im slightly more happier
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    NQA wrote:
    Without wishing to be cynical there's been a certain amount of resentment and anger in my community for a few years now. A lot of RUC and UDR men were brutally murdered in front of their families, people blown up whilst out for meal, shopping or commemerating their war dead and the killers of those people are now out walking the street.

    Its realpolitic and I can see that in some ways that's the price we pay for peace, but there's an awful lot of people on the other side who also have a nasty taste in their mouth.

    totally understand mate...it's always been the same, two communties at each others faces...it's hard to move on but i hope this is a step forward
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    its a good step forwards and lets hope the militant unionist parties do the same
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    turlough wrote:
    totally understand mate...it's always been the same, two communties at each others faces...it's hard to move on but i hope this is a step forward

    Agree
    :thumb:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm naturally very pleased and I'm confident this is the real deal, as opposed to the 'ceasefire' in 1996. I don't ever think there was a future for the armed struggle. In the present day, terrorism is totally deplored by society, whereas 30 years ago large sections of society supported their methods. The Omagh bomb was the nail in the IRA's coffin. Slaughtering innocents will not achieve a political goal. The armed groups (on both sides) have also become too wound up in criminal behaviour such as counterfeiting and drug dealing. It's been more about money, than politics. I still think the gangs will exist and this activity will go on but it's impossible to stop. There will always be 'gangs' in place to take advantage of the money to be made. But at least no more innocent lives have to be taken.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    actually a good point they probably care more about the moeny from usa
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think its going to be interesting when the international monitoring group reports on boths sides paramilitary groups in September I think it is.

    Much attention is given to the IRA, and rightly so, but that is only half the story when it comes to drug dealing, crime and smuggling, things that will stand in the way of long lasting peace.

    Regardless of whether they are engaging in 'armed struggle' or not you cant have groups of highly organised and presumably armed criminals running around the province like they own it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Regardless of whether they are engaging in 'armed struggle' or not you cant have groups of highly organised and presumably armed criminals running around the province like they own it.

    Quite right. I await the dismantling of the police force with baited breath.

    I think this has a much to do with the new terrorism legislation as anything else. It's actually going to be better to be a criminal than a terrorist on the "time vs crime" scale. Sensibly they have decided to cash in their political capital while they can.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    bongbudda wrote:
    Much attention is given to the IRA, and rightly so, but that is only half the story when it comes to drug dealing, crime and smuggling, things that will stand in the way of long lasting peace.

    Regardless of whether they are engaging in 'armed struggle' or not you cant have groups of highly organised and presumably armed criminals running around the province like they own it.

    But isn't most drug dealing, smugging etc carried out by highly organised (and armed) gangs whereever you are in the UK or in the world. I think it's an inevitabiltity that there will be gangs present to indulge in these lucrative illegal activities. These gangs are already in place in Northern Ireland, but if they weren't, some others would form to get in on the act. I believe the paramilitary organisations will still exist, perhaps under the same names, but with very different motives from 20/30 years ago.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    most units of loyalist paramilitaries(especially in Belfast) are nothing but ruthless gangs in disguise...over the past few years there's been countless fueds and many deaths between these gangs over who has control of the areas and drug dealing
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rwatchingrrrrr telyy beforre and what a shit holerrr.
    wrhy and horw rrrrrhave people put up with this shit for so long?
    rwalls dividing comurnities etc rrrrrrrrrr.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rwatchingrrrrr telyy beforre and what a shit holerrr.
    wrhy and horw rrrrrhave people put up with this shit for so long?
    rwalls dividing comurnities etc rrrrrrrrrr.

    you get used to it, we don't have walls where i live, we just have towns and villages where it's either 90-100% protestant or catholic
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    turlough wrote:
    you get used to it, we don't have walls where i live, we just have towns and villages where it's either 90-100% protestant or catholic
    i knorw people rwho moved rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr twenty years ago and more
    cos of it ...moved to england that is.
    i wrourld do the same. no rway rwould i tolerate that shit.
    mo rway wrourld i brrring my kids up in that environment.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    it's not a very good environment indeed, doesn't exactly help community relations, there's areas here where you'd get killed if you walked down wearing a certain football jersey, living in a certain area or having a certain name...though saying that home is where the heart is and i live in quite a scenic area, if it wasn't for the army bases, it would be perfect.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    turlough wrote:
    it's not a very good environment indeed, doesn't exactly help community relations, there's areas here where you'd get killed if you walked down wearing a certain football jersey, living in a certain area or having a certain name...though saying that home is where the heart is and i live in quite a scenic area, if it wasn't for the army bases, it would be perfect.
    rwell i hope all this stuff has some positivrrre outcome forrrrr you mate.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Northern Ireland is a beautiful country and I would have no qualms about bringing my children up here. The barricades and divisions you see are in flash point areas of Belfast which have a history of trouble and rioting. You would never see that kind of thing elsewhere in the country.

    I live in a great town, and would have never wanted to grow up anywhere else. It's a predominantly Catholic county but I've grown up as a protestant living here and it is fine. My best friend is catholic and my group of friends is very diverse. We all have one thing in common: we don't give a fuck. As long as you're sound, you're alright by us. You'll get the odd bigotted dickhead and the older generations can sometimes be a little less tolerant or liberal, but in the main we've come on so much as a society.

    I've talked about this so often with Catholic friends - just how little it matters to us and our town in general. We predicted that by the next generation (our children) the divisions and sectarianism will be a distant memory. Here's hoping.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    addicted7 wrote:
    We all have one thing in common: we don't give a fuck. As long as you're sound, you're alright by us.

    :thumb: same here mate
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    addicted7 wrote:
    But isn't most drug dealing, smugging etc carried out by highly organised (and armed) gangs whereever you are in the UK or in the world. I think it's an inevitabiltity that there will be gangs present to indulge in these lucrative illegal activities. These gangs are already in place in Northern Ireland, but if they weren't, some others would form to get in on the act. I believe the paramilitary organisations will still exist, perhaps under the same names, but with very different motives from 20/30 years ago.

    They'll just evolve into crime gangs with political orientation but without political aims. That's what they effectively are already anyway.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    turlough wrote:
    it's not a very good environment indeed, doesn't exactly help community relations, there's areas here where you'd get killed if you walked down wearing a certain football jersey, living in a certain area or having a certain name...though saying that home is where the heart is and i live in quite a scenic area, if it wasn't for the army bases, it would be perfect.

    What county won that irish football competition last year? Know a few people from there who were going mad and celebrating.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Spliffie wrote:
    What county won that irish football competition last year? Know a few people from there who were going mad and celebrating.

    Tyrone??? they're our neighbours, i'm from Armagh, we beat them in the Ulster thingy this year, personally couldn't give a fuck, i hate gaelic football
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