According to the reports about the memoirs of Tony's Blair former Number 10 aide Jonathan Powell, in 2006 Provisional Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams rang the then British Prime Minister to "express solidarity" over the latter's cash-for-questions problems. According to Powell, Adams rang Blair and amongst other things had the craic about the PIRA's campaign. The bearded one then, it is claimed, suggested to Powell that he and Blair should "seek political status" if they were arrested, and refuse to recognise the court.
Oh dear. The reputed leader of the republican movement joking with the British Prime Minister, a man who has been known to hold his predecessor Margaret Thatcher in high esteem, about the key issue that inspired ten PIRA and INLA men to starve themselves to death is quite startling. It's quite clear that the provisional movement has abandoned the vast majority of its core principles over the past number of years- opposition to a Stormont assembly, abstention from the Dáil, use of violence, etc., etc.- but surely this is a step too far.
This revelation ought to send shockwaves through those who believe in what the provisional movement reputedly stands for. However, the Adams/ McGuinness leadership has so deftly created a situation in which chuckling with arch-bigot Ian Paisley is seen as perfectly normal that hardly an eyelid will be batted in anger.
What next? An SAS colour party greeting delegates at next year's Ard Fheis?
Powell has also admitted in his new book, 'Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland', that the British government lavished attention of Sinn Féin on account of its ability to influence those in control of the guns. He writes: "Seamus Mallon's complaint is that we talked to Sinn Féin because they had the guns. My answer to that is: yes and your point is?" Now the SDLP is to a large extent its own enemy, but confirmation that Sinn Féin was ably assisted by the British government for the past decade certainly explains quite a few things. One would almost wonder why the spooks ran provo informers when the upper echelons of the British establishment already had such close links with Sinn Féin. Wonders never cease.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Hunger Strike Issue Apparently Worth A Joke Between Gerry Adams And The British Prime Minister Tony Blair
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3 comments:
The whole thing stinks to high heaven - the SDLP and the UUP were taken for mugs - albeit decent mugs - it seems it doesn't pay to be decent in politics - they are all revisionists - next thing we will hear is that Gerry and Ian were really best of friends all along and that the murdering and hatred of the last 40 years was all a figment of our imagination talk about the SDLP being stoops - well they never stooped this low - I hope the families of the Hunger Strikers realise that their children were duped as well - which is so sad as they have had`to live with the daily pain of losing their beloved sons'
Elmat I find your writings or rantings quite entertaining. I am reminded of a article in the Derry Journal a few years back from Gerry Murray, a well known SDLP supporter and former member in Derry, he was complaining about how the peace process had sidelined the SDLP. He then went onto write how he met an official from the British Labour Party in early 1997 who explained that the British Labour Party when in power would be talking to those who could make peace Sinn Fein because of thier influence with the IRA. Their view, the Labour Party, was that no matter what deal was reached the SDLP would accept and the now infamous hugging and cheering of the SDLP 15 hours beore the negotiations ended on Good Friday 1998 bear this out. Gerry Murray, Seamas Mallon and now yourself all seem to miss the point the British Government never needed to worry how the SDLP thought because they new from flag fall they SDLP would accept what ever was offered. The SDLP can blame all in sundry for their slow but painful slide into history but they have only to look in the mirror if you are looking for someone to blame.
Oakleaf
And guns speak louder than words - doesn't that say something of the society that has been created by the people of violence over the last 40 years - not much wonder people left by the ship full never to return - they IRA did more to hurt their own communities than any Prod Government in Stormont - what have they brought to the people of the Falls Rd for instance? jobs? social eqality, etc and the answer is NO! the people who thought they were their saviours are now beginning to realise that they have been duped - the light at the end of the tunnel has not led to a promised united Ireland or social inclusion for many who supported the IRA and SF
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