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From: cjn@calmasd.UUCP (Cheryl Nemeth)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.politics
Subject: Northern Ireland
Message-ID: <241@calmasd.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 12-Jan-85 16:17:58 EST
Article-I.D.: calmasd.241
Posted: Sat Jan 12 16:17:58 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 16-Jan-85 03:58:20 EST
References: <307@bonnie.UUCP> <1087@pyuxa.UUCP> <1168@ihuxm.UUCP> <141@abnji.UUCP> 
Reply-To: cjn@calmasd.UUCP (Cheryl Nemeth)
Distribution: net
Organization: Calma Company, San Diego, CA
Lines: 33
Keywords: IRA
Xref: watmath net.flame:7711 net.politics:6857
Summary: 

Yes, the IRA has been around since the early part of this century. (Before
the IRA there was the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and the Fenians, and
the Young Ireland movement, and the United Irishmen, etc.) In fact, the IRA
was responsible for the establishment of Eire as an independant country. After
the end of WWI, the British government held general elections in Ireland.
73 members of Sinn Fein, 26 Unionists [in favor of remaining part of the United
Kingdom], and 6 Nationalists were elected. Out of the 73 members of Sinn Fein,
36 were currently in British prisions for Republican activities. None of the
members of Sinn Fein would sit in a British parliment, and they promply formed
the Dail Eireann [Irish Parliment]. The British refused to recognize this body,
and for the next two years the IRA fought a guerrilla war against the British
Army, which the IRA finally won. Sort of. Six counties were still in British
hands, not all of the IRA was very happy with the treaty, and a civil war
started almost immediatly after British withdrawl from the Irish Free State.

It seems that the IRA, the Orangemen, and the British Army are still fighting
that war. I can't support the IRA but the British government is just as bad.
They appear to be dedicated to keeping the status quo in NI but that's simply
not possible or desireable. I would think that Westminster would finally 
recognize that it's time to start trying alternatives to simply leaving the
army where it is and refusing to do anything in cooperation with the Republic.
How many centuries does it take to realize that British soldiers aren't the
solution to every Irish problem?

Cheryl Nemeth
All opinions are my own.
-- 
Cheryl Nemeth
All opinions expressed in this article are my own, and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of Calma Company or my cats.

"Life is a series of rude awakenings"
				R. V. Winkle