There will be no significant move on IRA weapons until the IRA can see something done about the Lotyalist weapons, of which NOTHING has been done. its not even mentioned.
Ah yea but they’ll do nothing about their guns while the fenians of all shades hold guns and show willing to use them …
and on and on and on…
And what about the 200,000 (IIRC) legally held guns?
Er, sorry, I beg to differ. Total disbandment of the IRA would be suicidal for Sinn Féin. It might play well in London but would decimate their support base. Furthermore the unionists know this and know there is no way it is going to happen - and let’s be honest, even that wouldn’t be enough for some of them. As even one of their own (Duncan Shipley Dalton, who admittedly has an axe to grind) acknowledged a short while ago, a very substantial portion of the unionist population simply doesn’t want to share power with Catholics.
Moving this to Great Debates.
BTW, I love it when The Guardian puts out stuff like this. Nobody would take it seriously if it was coming from the republican press.
ruadh Adams said this morning on BBC radio that disbandment was currently being considered, and was the ultimate goal of SF. Is he dissembling?
disbandment is the ultimate goal. It will happen, but disbandment at the moment is not the right way to do it. Especially with some of the lunatics who have access to the arms dumps.
Disbandment now would only lead to the dissidents growing in support and armoury, with NO political govenor. the situation would get worse than it has been in 30 years.
Step by step disarming and disbandment will take time, understanding and consessions, on both sides.
But there are too many people who won’t let it happen. A Protestant State for a Protestant People still rings through for them as it did for Carlson last Century. A nation under terror from Fenian bastards suits them down to the ground.
Previously I was under the impression that disbandment was the ultimate goal after the creation of a United Ireland (a Socialist Republic for a Socialist People… ;)). However, Mr A’s tone was so conciliatory this morning that I got the impression that he was considering it without having achieved unity. Maybe he’s feeling guilty about something…?
This BBC analysis indicates that I am, quite probably, entirely full of shit.
Well, that still is the general idea. I doubt it will happen that way, but you never do know… 
The other problem is that there are a lot of Fenian bastards out there.
The IRA have served their purpose. Republicans have a voice and are part of the system. Yes there are problems with regard to how some nationalist communities are treated but there are Unionist communities that feel the same way. The IRA no longer need to “protect” the rights of Catholics and as the vote on the GFA showed the vast majority of people favour a non-violent route to whatever lies down the road for NI. Until one side make a decisive move this will just keep on going.
The IRA have just become a rod to beat the back of Sinn Fein with.
And the IRA still in existence will help this how?
So do you still think that the IRA should stay in existence to protect Nationalists from these lunatics?
The IRA needs to be gone. It’s the only way forward. Spoken by a person who was quite supportive of a lot of Republican thinking and actions in the past. The Army aren’t going to pull out while guns remain(yeah I also know the Army have guns aswell). The Loyalist aren’t going to pull back until all Nationalists pull back first. The IRA aren’t going to disband until the Army leaves and Loyalists pull back.
A leap of fate by one of the parties is needed. I think it should be the IRA. They are no longer needed even if a lot of Nationalists still think they are.
On preview I could not think of anything worse for Ireland that a Sinn Fein Socialist Republic.
Maybe I’m not a left wing nationalist anymore 
Until all the Republican arms have been decommissioned the IRA should stay in existence. Purely so there is control of who has access to the arms. If the IRA goes before all the arms dumps have been dealt with ( which will be done step by step in accordance with De Chastelain) the dumps will be raided and used for any means the holders can put them to.
The last thing northern Ireland needs is lots of PFJ guys running around armed and out of control.
When I talk about IRA disbandment I also meant complete decommissioning. Sorry if that wasn’t clear.
I’m talking about IRA weapons dumps BTW.
Jesus, yojimbo, you’ve been talking to conservatives on the SDMB for too long. Get that poster of Che Guevara back up on the wall my friend, or you’ll be first against the wall!
But in seriousness - with the IRA in existence, Sinn Féin are a minority party with influence far greater than their 16% (IIRC) mandate. Without the IRA, they’re just another minority Nationalist party.
IMO too-quick disbandment would lead to far greater membership of dissident terror groups. Better to take small steps, though of course I would love to see them gone today.
Humming: We’ll keep the red flag flying here
I agree with yojimbo that now is the time for a grand gesture on behalf of the republican movement, but complete disbandment would be premature at this point. It would be far too great a risk - I know circumstances are very different but it would be terrible to see history repeat itself in terms of what happened when the official IRA went legit in the early seventies. But I would love to see the more overtly ‘offensive’ arms given up - all the semtex would be a good start as I said before.
The question of the level of loyalist terror currently ongoing is important but the reality is that these people aren’t represented in the institutions. The UDP are no more and the PUP’s mates, the UVF, have been quiet enough. Sinn Fein have a greater burden of responsibility because they are in Government etc. There is little option but to tackle loyalist activity primarily through the forces of law and order because there is little central control or political representation.
A grand gesture by republicans puts it up to those unionists who just ‘don’t want Taigs about the place’ and also makes it much more difficult for the security forces to shirk their responsibility to take on loyalism.
On the other issue, I’m all for a united Ireland but preferably not one governed by Sinn Fein.
How would we handle all the Loyalist bombs in Dublin though?
With Bombs.
Oh sorry forgot myself there for a moment
Doesn’t matter - I’ll be long dead before it happens. I’m obviously not advocating a United Ireland in the current circumstances.