As an Irish American, it's difficult to explain the feelings of shame and guilt I feel over this. I owe the British an apology and a debt.

I grew up in a family that spit every time they mentioned Cromwell. At family gatherings there would be Irish rebel songs playing in the background, beer drank and romantic stories of rebellion shared. My family hadn't set foor on Irish shore in three generations, but the anger still ran deep.

On St. Patricks day back in the eighties and early nineties there would be fund raising for groups that everyone knew were responsible for shipping arms to the IRA. Oh, it was never explicitly said, but just like the Islamic charities everyone knew what we were really paying for.

I'm ashamed to admit that it took September 11th to show me the kind of muderous animal I was supporting. It took an attack on my country to make me realize that supporting terrorisim was not a game, not romantic and not civilized behavior.

British troops have fought, died and sacrificed along side the forces of my country, and I had given money to groups that had murdered their members. It makes me sick.

The days of turning a blind eye to America's support of terrorisim is over with. I think every Irish American now sees this.

Thanks for your kind words. There is a war on terror, and we can't allow people like these to fund and support terrorists. The Americans on this board especially should know what it's like to be on the receiving end of a terrorist attack.

I am Northern Irish, and also proud to be a part of United Kingdom. I am protestant and my wife is a catholic... as was the case with my mother and father, and the only people we need liberation from is the likes of the IRA and UDA murderers that vermin like these help fund.

People like these on this website and their NORAID friends (who have well known links to Libya) are no different to evil creatures like al-Muhajiroun, who similarly support Al-Qaeda and Hamas by fund raising. So if you see any Americans who fund the IRA scum just piss in their tin when they rattle it at you and then spit in their faces. They are apologists not of 'freedom fighters' but of terrorist murderers.

The Sinn fein/IRA are just another bunch of washed up Marxists with as much relevance to modern life in Ireland as the Ku Klux Klan (which whom these ethnocentric socialists share more than they might care to admit). The sort of 'freedom' these buffoons want to bring to Ireland is mafia like socialism and ethnic collectivism.

Hi despite being an Irish republican myself I can completely understand your point. OK I won't go into the history of Irish emigration and why it became necessary for those people to seek refuge in all corners of the world.

I will ask you to balance your new thoughts by considering where the money for loyalist weaponry came from. I'm sure there was money from north America for those but more importantly the British authoirities colluded with loyalist paramilitaries, murdering innocent catholics as well as republican paramilitaries.

If I was part of a legitimate army and murdered 14 innocent civillians during a civil rights march would I be a terrorist ?

If I was an occupational force in Palestine and the mighty USA paid for my huge arsenal and stood by whilst I murdered innocents in refugee camps in reprisal for suicide bombings made necessary due to a lack of weaponry and ablity to resist the invader, would I be the terrorist ?

If I was the president of the most powerful nation in the world and decided who should hold power in which country, and which leaders lived or died then would I be a terrorist.

IF I WAS AMERICAN THAT'S WHAT I'D BE ASHAMED OF !

This is all subjective, thanks for sharing your opinion, but please consider the alternative view.

Strength doesn't equal truth. Every nation has a right to self determination.


Daithi

I'm embarrassed as an American that support for the IRA has come from these shores - especially after the Sept. 11 wake up call.

It reminds me of people in the UK/US who used to send money back home to India to support the Sikh cause in the 80's, which led to a lot of violence due to the Khalistan 'movement'. Sit safe and sound in the west while funding bombs in markets back 'home'. I found it cowardly and immoral.

You know, I think I am going to write my congressman and the White House about that little St. Patrick's day visit Gerry made. Not in my name, indeed!

Northern Ireland has got self-determination. As a part of the UK it lives in a foreign, DEMOCRATIC nation, as it would be if it was handed over to Ireland. It makes no difference either way.

One wonders if the US troops might find some sort of evidence of a link between the IRA (et al) and Saddam. Might we find another FARC-like embarassment for the IRA?

OK when you write to him please remind him of every atrocity the USA has commited in your name, and be sure to send him an atlas as the likelihood is that he won't know where these places are.

The USA has historically been one of the biggest paymasters of terrorist groups and you are surprised when the weapons you paid for are used against you !

Please get real. (Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, shall I continue ... ?)

I fully understand your points, guys.
Yet, I can't let some things be said. There's no point in comparing the IRA with the terrorists of September 11th. First because they never did such awful actions. Secondly because they have a fair cause and are not brain-washed fanatics who kill just to be so called martyrs. That's one point, I can understand you disagreeing with that.
Then, and that's for you O'Connell, I'm afraid I cannot let you talk like that about the people on this forum. They're no more than good people who believe in their cause. And as for your KuKlux Klan remark, maybe you should learn more about the history of this Klan : they've nothing to do with the IRA but they do have to do with Northern Irish Loyalists Protestant immigrants...

I would also congratulate Chucky Armagh about his answer and ask you, as he did, to "balance your new thoughts"

You perfectly have the right to consider the IRA are wrong. But remember, this is not actually a pro-IRA forum : it is a pro-32Counties Republic forum. We would be glad to know what you think of the Irish Unity and if, like us, you are for it, tell us though what means you would like it to be achieved.

Thanks for your attention

Charlotte

PS : The Provisional IRA are not considered terrorists by the US since 2000...

AshamedAmerican,
before stating that the IRA has any link with Saddam, maybe you should wonder who gave him weapons when he was at war against Iran...

This post has been edited by Charlotte: Mar 10 2004, 08:06 AM

Could be the reason why the IRA opposed the Iraq war! IRA/Sinn Fein have firm links with PLO/Fatah, they have received funding, arms and training from Gaddafi’s Libya, it would be weird if they had no links at all with Saddam.


What sane person believes that these criminals (Sinn fein) have a say about anything?

Nicely moderated Charlotte.

OK mutual back-slap over.

Just as a point of order. I was at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis 2 weeks ago (as an international guest), and I was impressed by the range of policies they debated and adopted.

As the only all Ireland political party and the largest pro-agreement party in the north i'd say it was VERY relevent.

Jesus Christ! What are you on?!?! Are you on heroine?

The IRA never did such "awful actions?" So is the killing of innocent men, women and children not awful? It's no wonder that people come her and get angry when they read the complete and utter SHITE that BITCHES like you post. It's posts like yours that don't deserve a reply. "IRA never did such awful actions." What a disgusting thing to say.

You must have something wrong with your head. You cannot be sane. Tomorrow morning go and make an appointment with a psychiatrist because you really need to see one.

I can't believe what I am reading here. Putting bombs into cars and dustbins and killing little children isn't awful?

Fuck me. The people here are worse than I thought, and I wondered why IRAbastards got so angry.

Hey, O'Connell. Just let them be. It's not worth responding to their evil trash. Frankly, it makes me sick. I think Charlotte is French. A "Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey". That's a nation with arrogance oozing out of it from all corners. Leave them be because these semi-humans are vile.

Ok and please close the door behind you.

oh yes, I fully agree with you, there is nothing greater to be english, except to be american if you vote for bush, by the way, Hitler is still allive and reigns in germany, and everyone who is not on the site of the british empire or george bush is a member of al kaida and a personal friend of Osama bin Laden...

if we dont clean the world of this non american and non british scum, we will never live in peace...