2/22-2/28: The Irish Republican Army

The IRA recently ended the cease-fire. Since then, bomb stories have filled the international headlines. Is the IRA spreading terrorism or struggling for justice? By what criteria do we decide that an organization is terrorist? What means are justifiable if you believe you are oppressed?

tony: I admit that I don't know enough about it. I can't support the bombings, but I think the situation is too complex to simply point fingers. Also, it really makes me think about what it means to be terrorist. It's always the ones in power who get to ordain the terrorists.

TbBlackmore: I hear more about bombs in Northern Ireland than I do about injustice. Why can't the bombers look at the middle east, Bosnia, and the other religious conflicts in the world and see that violence is just going to beget more violence.

Kimmy: There are many parallels between the history and situation of the Irish and that of native people in Canada and the US. I know they have a case when it comes to being an oppressed culture, however, under no circumstances do I support violence. Bombing is just plain wrong, it helps nothing, it only creates more pain and hatred and fear. It would be nice if governments would actually do something about these problems before people get to the point where they resort to violence as a solution.

Emma: In response to Kimmy's commment, it's a nice thought, but it's a bit late for that in this case. The recent bombs show that everyone took the IRA ceasefire for granted. The IRA agreed to a cease-fire, but received no real compromise in return. John Major had been meeting in secret with Sinn Fein, but then he refused to let Sinn Fein join the all party talks. If he had not been so concerned with the lagging popularity of his own party, this may not have happened. I don't know what's going to happen in Northern Ireland, but I do know that the IRA just made a huge mistake. Loyalists and Unionists alike have come to appreciate the peace of the ceasefire. The IRA has isolated itself and proved that it is, indeed, a terrorist organization.

olegator: If, by objective measure, you believe you are oppressed you can use any reasonable means to resist. Reasonable in this case is defined as means comparable to those used to oppress you. It is moral to use the least violent means first. When an organization has no effective recourse to non-violent political action and then uses violence against the military and/or police force of a country it may be defined as a force struggling for a political aim. An organization which purposely targets innocent citizens by clandestine means is terroristic regardless of their cause. The IRA has descended into pure terrorism.

Lakean: I don't know the full background on the situation so i can't give an opinion on the reasoning behind the bombings. I however feel that the killing of innocent people is wrong. Bombing innocents are not going to get get the IRA anywhere so therefore they need to find a more constructive way to deal with the situation.

demacek: Well, I am not living in Ireland, So I do not know what it is like for those who live under those situations. I could see the use of violence for the cause of freedom. But when civilians are targeted as they are by the IRA, You begin to wonder what type of mentality their leaders are working on. Or perhaps the IRA is honorable but it is a few extreamists who make the entire group look bad. The media works that way. Let me take for example the Internet. Look at all the focus that is put on the bad. But more often than not, you rarely see what good is coming from it.

Heifer: I do believe that the killing of innocent people is wrong, but so far nobody has been killed intentionally. A warning was issued before the first bomb and it was ignored by some people. The area where the bomb waws is a financial target, it was not supposed to kill anyone. The third bomb exploded before it was supposed. I live 3 miles from the Irish/North border and have lived with 'the troubles' for all my life. The greatest outcry is from people in Dublin, who don't really know what's going on, and politicians who are looking for election votes. Like everybody in Eire I would prefer peace, the lack of activity is causing great frustration. I believe that if Albert Reynolds were still Taoiseach then not only would we still have a stable ceasefire, but also be well on the way to getting a settlement once and for all.

Kremlin: I am English and I live in London. I think that the IRA are the most cowardly people in the world and that they are not really serious about peace. They just want to bomb their way to a 'united' Ireland. The people who live in Northern Ireland do not actually want to become part of a 'united' Ireland. This has been proven in many opinion polls over the years. I believe that the IRA are fighting a loosing battle. The only people who support them are the Americans and 0.01% of the population of Ireland - a clear minority.

jperry: The IRA is a terrorist organization. Violence, alone does not make it a terrorist organization. By making the targets of their violent acts, civilian population rather than military or political venues, they become terrorists. This distinction is often lost after you become the winning side. London(The British Government) has never been willing to talk about the 'Irish Problem'. The IRA enacted a cease-fire in order to seek a political solution. The London government was not willing to negotiate in good faith with the Sinn Fein, so after 18 months of waiting, the cease-fire was called off. If the English people are upset at anyone, they should be upset at their own government, who's only solution for a 'problem' that they created is military action. I would propose a solution that I think all sides can support if they are willing to seek a solution.

1. Removal of ALL British military forces from Ulster(Northern Ireland); 2. Repeal of the Act of Union creating the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. 3. Commonwealth status for Ulster(or Northern Ireland, if they prefer). 4. Immediate disbanding of all paramilitary branches of the IRA(their work would be complete). 5. Sinn Fein to become just one of many political parties of the Republic of Ireland.

cybervole: My decendants are Irish. I am an American. I think that it is horrible to take innocent or maybe not so innocent lives over the Irish issue. After all..are they (Irish) having to defend their border against an invading British Army? To me, terrorist acts are a cowardly way to deal with differences. As difficult as it is..both sides are going to have to come to an agreement as to what the future holds. Death is not the answer.. It only perpetuates more death.

Carlie: The IRA's efforts toward the quest for Irish freedom do not qualify as terrorism. The situation between England and Northern Ireland is war. Northern Ireland remains occupied by British troops. The IRA must continue its bombing efforts in retaliation to British oppression. The Crown and the British government were given 17 months to negotiate and managed to waste every moment of every day of it. They senselessly demanded that the IRA hand over all of its weapons before negotiations to end the war began. Britian should cease its unnecessary demands and get down to the business of granting Irish freedom.

Gladman: If the British would've acted in good faith and begun negotiations I doubt that the bombing would've been renewed, as unforunate as this is.