"'Terrorist' Americans" Question?

[H3LL]

As a political feather-weight myself, who couldn't argue his way out of a wet paper Blair, a comment was made among my fellow aves which was left unanswered and the subject dropped as no one had enough knowledge to mount a serious discussion.

A quick summary:

Many current news reports/analysis/comment focus on American politicos/commentators discussing terrorists in the ME, their actions, their supporters and depending on the rhetoric, suggestions for all sorts of action up to and including a nuclear response.

As a Brit having lived through too many years of the imaginative activities of various incarnations of the IRA, who are alleged to have been dominantly American supported, can a comparison be made?

Questions raised and left unanswered:

Current ME terrorist receive financial backing from those that support their ideology/religion with possible links to governments/government officials.

and

IRA terrorist received financial backing from those that support their ideology/religion with possible links to American government/government officials.

Are the statements valid?

Was there an IRA connection to American government (Some/all of the Kennedy dynasty perhaps)?

Did the USA government "turn a blind eye" to support of the IRA?

Are ME governments "Turning a blind eye" to support for current terrorists?

If current governments in the ME are 'Terrorist' governments, would that make the USA a 'Terrorist' government for their connection to the IRA?

On a sillier note, "Should Britain have threatened to nuke the USA for being naughty with the IRA."

Thus ended the discussion. Some laughter and we moved on to more important topics, such as who is buying the next round.

Any comments?

.

 

[Azure]

I would think the Lebanese government very much turned a blind eye to Hezbollah activities/goals.

I also think 'many' ME governments are turning a blind eye to 'many' terrorist operations, often letting the silence do the talking for them. This same problem exists with many Muslims throughout the world today; IMO, I think one of the biggest problems we have with terrorism, is the fact that the Muslim community is not standing against it enough.

I'll have to go read about the US and IRA though.

 

[Kopji]

That the US government is interested in funding Irish terrorists sounds a little whacked from this side of the pond. The quote below sort of catches the general flavor.

...Gerry Adams is the Arafat of days gone by, and his freedom to come and go is incommensurate with the responsibility he has for the terrible deaths of random targets. The British should be more widely informed on the insubstantial nature of U.S. shipments to the Irish terrorists. The random talk is of millions and millions of U.S. dollars going to finance them. If that much money is going to the Irish Republican Army, they can get about in private jets, with one hand grenade to toss out of the cockpit when they pass by a schoolyard.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n6_v48/ai_18177777

The overall article seems like it states pretty well a 'street' attitude here. Sure, there are probably some (stupid) Irish Americans somewhere sending money no doubt being carefully tracked and logged for future confiscation, but the GOVERNMENT? US government funding of a group like the IRA would bring whatever party was running the show to an end.

There are probably better examples of official US funding of terrorism. Saddam's chemical warfare program he's on trial for right now was pretty much our money.

 

[H3LL]

...The British should be more widely informed on the insubstantial nature of U.S. shipments to the Irish terrorists....

Fair comment and probably indicative of the issue that killed the initial debate. Also possibly fueled by Hollywood, with several films making a strong USA-IRA connection. Not the best source for historical accuracy but helps to create a background white-noise to perpetuate the "[British]are under the impression that the life of the IRA is owing to an iron lung supplied by the United State".

I wonder if the Kennedy connection is little more than Liquor Runner = Gangster = Rich = Powerful = Kennedy = Irish = IRA supporter and similar background white-noise?

Good information is in short supply to those not studying the subject and street opinion seems to be the norm.

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[peptoabysmal]

There are probably better examples of official US funding of terrorism. Saddam's chemical warfare program he's on trial for right now was pretty much our money.

That the sale was not challenged by the US government is reprehensible, but Saddam payed for the pesticides out of his own pocket.

 

[Mephisto]

There are probably better examples of official US funding of terrorism. Saddam's chemical warfare program he's on trial for right now was pretty much our money.

This is an example which I always bring up at the inevitable neo-con defense that, "Saddam gassed his own people!" Yeah, with chemical weapons we sold him! That's how we "knew" Saddam had WMD - we still had the receipts.

 

[BPSCG]

Fair comment and probably indicative of the issue that killed the initial debate. Also possibly fueled by Hollywood, with several films making a strong USA-IRA connection. Not the best source for historical accuracy...

And we have a winner in the Grotesque Understatement of the Century competition.

Saying Hollywood is "not the best source for historical accuracy," is like saying Seattle is not the best source for sunny weather, or Teheran is not the best source of Jewish deli rye, or Uzbekistan is not the best source of quality jumbo jets, or Montel Williams is not the best source for skepticism about Sylvia Browne.

Only more so.

 

[Darat]

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provis...upport_from_other_countries_and_organisations

...snip...

The IRA has also received weapons and logistical support from Irish Americans, in the USA especially the NORAID group.(See also) Apart from the Libyan aid, this has been the main source of overseas IRA support. U.S. support has been weakened by the War against Terrorism, and the fallout from the events of the 11 September 2001. US Political backing for Sinn Féin was badly damaged by the Robert McCartney killing in late 2004. McCartney, a Catholic, was killed by IRA members in a pub brawl. Other IRA members destroyed all the forensic evidence on the scene and intimidated the witnesses. The McCartney family have publicly denounced the IRA.

In the United States in November 1982, five men were acquitted of smuggling arms to the IRA after they revealed the CIA had approved the shipment (although the CIA officially denied this).

...snip...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provisional_IRA_arms_importation#American_Arms
...snip...

By 1972, The PIRA had large quantities of modern smallarms, particularly Armalite rifles, manufactured and purchased in the United States. The AR-18 rifle in particular was found to be very well suited to the Provisional's puposes. Its small size and removable stock meant that it was easy to conceal. Moreover, it was capable of rapid fire and fired a high velocity round which provided great "stopping power"

The PIRA's main gun runner in the USA was George Harrison, an IRA veteran, resident in New York since 1938. Harrison bought guns for the PIRA from a Corsican arms dealer named George de Meo, who had connections in organised crime.[3] All sources agree that Harrison was funded by the "Irish Northern Aid Committee" or NORAID, a fundraising and support group for the PIRA. Joe Cahill acted as the contact between NORAID and Harrison. In 1971, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) had already seized 700 modern weapons from the PIRA, including 2 tonnes of high explosive and 157,000 rounds of ammunition, most of which was US made.[4] This indicates the scale of IRA gun running in the early 1970s.

...snip...

 

[NeilC]

It looks like the US government could have done just a little bit more to help don't you think?