A fter case Pollyanna-like optimism and for British policy in Ireland, the British accepted that the good Friday agreement is in crisis agreement has failed toS deliver any of its promises and with placating Sinn Fein. It has only one purpose. That is to force a poore surreaact and the disposal of arms by There is no longer any opposition the republican TOTH leadership. All they say is ocused on what they will get bring back the agreement to where it was and assurances Tole die as aresol not extend into endless demands from the unionists which of course it will.
W aat is becomWing clear the republican leadership, having abandoned revolation, really believe in reform.
retreated from the Patton report, in their view, because then secretary Peter Mandelson got it wrong -the sectarian OSCAUSC northern statelet needs a sectarian police.
At the centre of their current strategy is the belief that the British really wish ireland well and want to do the right thing. That view CanO on Survive What taey will be offered are ways of sweetening the pill, and that may not be enough at the present juncture and a more extended period of instabity wil to.
republicans also believe in electoralism - that more votes mean They don't understand that British control is not changed in the slightest and that by accepting the Good Friday agreement they are I a catch-22 situation.
A small vote would mean they were weaker and had to make concessions. A big vote is a vote for the deal and lacy sull have to make cou cessions!
Gerry Adams rails against deadline that he can't avoid -next year's general election The price of coalition is the disposal of arms and all the other parties ment, including their erstwhile friends in Dublin and Washington are united in demanding the final surrender.
The breakup of the Weston Hall talks indicates the limited nature of the crisis. suggests not that agreement is impossible, but that it IS possible, requiring so much Our of office, Trimble is again boosting the Orange bigors however that the parties need the excuse of British imposition to make it workthat the original Good Friday agreement was imposed. Leaks from the republicans indicate that the sticking point is not decommissionists acceptance of a republican presence on local police in the Patton report but then removed What irony! The British are to fight : tooth and nail to allow the disarmed republi cans to take responsibility for a sectarian police force over waich tacy will payc do control!
Behind the scenes lies a real crisis. since his resignation David Trimble has endorsed the unrestricted sectarian right Orangemen More chillingly be "mistakenly" slandered a catholic youth, Cieran Cummings, killing, as a drug dealer.
There was no mistake here. of the state were at Trimble's fingertips. What be was doing was lining up with the army of bigots who quietly UNC against the nationalist population.
This is the face of moderate unionism on which the Good Friday agreement is based. This is the sccarian achhole London, with are attempting to stabilise.