[Shasown]

Originally Posted by setanta

But that society had targeted them too, you know? Looting, violence etc. They were hardly in a comfortable position and were obviously enraged.

I know but thats what most people dont understand. They could have sat back and took it all, lost a decent number of lives and waited, eventually Stormont would have been dissolved, eventually the loyalist factions would have been rounded up and disarmed. But how many lives did they have to lose.

Thats why I dont really lay blame on either the troops or the IRA. In fact there are quite a few members of the IRA I hold in great respect. Certainly McGuinness has done a lot to foster peace over there. Similarly for all I dislike Tony Blair, Bill Clinton and George Bush, some credit should be given to those three as well amongst a whole host of others.