IRA

[Lawton]

The IRA, in my opinion, are not a terrorist organisation, but a just organisation. They fight the forces of the British, whom, have plagued Ireland for many years. What most people think about the IRA is wrong, and has been put about by British Propaganda.

Lets have your opinions on the IRA.

[redflag32]

Well most people think of the Provo's when they think of the IRA,i would suggest that if thats what anybody thinks when they think of the IRA that they should read up on the history of the IRA,it goes way back to the IRB and the fenian movement.I dont agree with alot of what the provos done,but i dont consider them to be the "IRA" so to speak.

[DORRI]

I think it is not their fault that they have to use violence against britain, let's watch the film from the beginning.

[The Grey Blur]

Search the word "Irish Republican" ;)

Personally, I agree that the Provo's campaign was just - British Imperialism was, and still is, a threat to the working-class.

However, as I have matured my support for some of their methods has contradicted my Socialist leanings - for example, I don't think that bombs that targeted innocent civilians or working-class businesses were justified or tactically smart.

Many of their more brutal actions left Socialists alienated, simply angered Protestants and allowed the State to install draconian laws without opposition

Even despite their flawed analysis and tactics, the IRA could never be portrayed as petty criminals as Thatcher's government attempted to achieve with their policy of criminalisation during the late seventies which eventually led to the Hunger Strikes and the polarisation of politics in the North

Tiocfaidh ar lá comrade :D

EDIT: Another point would be that all violence in the North is attributed to the IRA or that they are the nucleus of violence in Ireland. This is patently ridiculous as evidenced by the 1969 pogroms and subsequent collusion between crown forces and Loyalist paramilitaires

Here's an interesting chart. Not entirely comprehensive though, seeing as it doesn't take into account the preceding 750 years of British oppression ;)

[Brownfist]

I think that the IRA is not a monolithic organization. It has always had competing tendencies in it, well up to the 70's and 80's when a number of leftist tendencies were forced out. Today, any of the IRA's politics today whether it be the RIRA or PIRA, are extremely conservative organizations with little progressive politics. I think that the IRA, overall however, has been an organization that has fought for the liberation of Ireland and has contributed to the anti-imperialist struggles of many other countries. However, I think today the focus must be on republican socialism and not just republicanism itself, especially a republicanism predicated on sectarian biases which is what a number of xIRA parties are based on.