Re: C4 or the "Killers of Det Gda Jerry McCabe"
Hi YD
The GFA is not a moral imperative. It was a shabby surrender by civilised society to the forces of barbarism for the sake of peace in our time.
I disagree. It was the best deal, and probably the only deal, that was achievable or on offer at the time. Go back to the early nineties - 25 years of increasing repression had failed to quell the violence. There were three basic options (or variants thereof) the authorites could have taken.
A) step up the military/security response in an effort to impose an all out defeat on the IRA
B) tolerate an ongoing "acceptable" level of violence
C) negotiate a ceasefire and a peace agreement.
Now look around the world. There aren't many examples of strategy A working. Strategy B was in effect for most of the eighties - not very inspiring. So that leaves C. Which, in fairness, has delivered a reasonable result. Can that be so wrong? To describe it as a surrender to the forces of barbarism is a bit ott, when the acts of barbarism have mostly ceased. And, yes, i know that punishment beatings still are carried out, but would you really prefer to be back in the days of old-style IRA atrocities like Abercorn, Le Mon, Birmingham Teebane etc?
the only justification for any of the shameful compromises made in our name is the practical one that we (or rather our Northern brethren) got a bit of peace.
The compromises weren't just made "in our name". They were actually made
by us, the people of Ireland, when we voted overwhelmingly for the GFA.
Which, in my eyes anyway, gives the GFA a hell of a lot of moral authority. And which is still very relevant because the peace process still has a long way to go. While the worst of the violence has stopped, there remains a long road to be travelled to create a normal peaceful civic society in Northern Ireland. Decommissioniong, demilitarisation, normalising of policing, ending of low level sectarian violence, establishment of workable political institutions, respect for differing political traditions, all remain to be achieved. The GFA is a template for tackling this agenda. But only if it honoured. And only if all sides can build up mutual trust. To suggest that
The decision to release the C4 should be made on the same grounds, not whether we are morally or legally bound to do so, simply will it get us sufficient incremental peace in return.
is to undermine the whole basis for the success of the GFA to date and would certainly inhibit any further progress towards a normal society.
You may be right about McDowell and his choice of words, but such a deceptive approach will not build up the trust necessary to mavo things forward.
In any event, I suspect the Government must be praying for a successful court challenge to the mens imprisonment. Then we'll see a chorus of hand-wringing and hear a litany of "if only it was in our power....." while secretly, they heave huge sighs of relief.
Finally, last time I looked, I'm not a she! But I wonder why you thought so???