It has been a week of political recriminations – but somehow Richard and Meghan have returned to the US with hardly a word of criticism from the media.
Off they went, having left behind a Report which not only offers little but is being used by the parties who helped draw it up to beat each other over the head.
… and no sooner had the unhappy couple left the country but a row had broken out over who should publish their Report!
To be fair, in his article in the Irish Times, Eamonn McCann, does at least highlight the unpromising background of herself (Meghan) in her role in Iraq.
As far as we can tell (if we rely on the trusty old BBC) Unionists had more difficulty with the report than Nationalists and SF will presumably not pass up the opportunity to highlight both their ‘reasonableness’ and Unionist ‘intransigence’.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25556714
In attempt to head off SF gaining any traction with such suggestions the DUP have attempted to put a positive spin on events. That will be tricky Peter.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25568846
SF’s apparent acceptance of the Report provides a welcome opportunity for ‘dissident’ republicans and the boul Mick over on Slugger to highlight further‘evidence’ of SF’s betrayal of the Republican cause. (Interestingly , both using Eamonn McCann as their source material).
http://thepensivequill.am/2014/01/radio-free-eireann-on-haass.html#more.
In a piece of early electioneering the clearly desperate UUP have decided that in the confusion following the publication of the report there is an opportunity to blame the Alliance Party for the debacle. Yes, they expect us to believe that the party who have consistently taken the middle ground on these controversial issues under discussion – wrecked the chances of agreement. No thanks, not buying that.
It may be too early to fully evaluate the Haass contribution but on the basis of what we have just observed it has been a very poor attempt to allow both the British and Irish governments to pass the buck and/or kick it down the road.
…what a shambolic week of politics.
"We in coming days may be" 
The silly “Neo-Redmondites” tag is just politicking on SO’T’s part and in line with its general editorial antipathy to SF. If any historical comparisons were worth making it would be along the lines of the Pro-Treaty faction of Sinn Féin in 1922 or Fianna Fáil in ’26 though even those could only be taken so far. Otherwise some of the criticisms are worth making though I think McCann’s belief that northern nationalists have defaulted to passivity in relation to living under the continued British Occupation is wrong. That passivity was always on the surface and amongst certain “classes”. As we saw in 1968-70 it didn’t take much for more turbulent currents to reach the surface. And look at the attitudes amongst young people in certain areas. It’s all too easy to dismiss those as simply redirected anti-social behaviour to avoid uncomfortable political questions.
On a side note commenting via the WP smartphone app is a right royal pain! I won’t tell you how long it took to tap in the above 😉
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Excellent analysis – Mick Fealty’s comments were very weak, though not surprising.
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re. “The silly “Neo-Redmondites” tag is just politicking on SO’T’s part and in line with its general editorial antipathy to SF. ”
Yes, that is fair comment – is is often the case that those who opposed the Republican insurrection and those who wanted it to continue find common cause in suggesting that SF are quislings.
re. “I think McCann’s belief that northern nationalists have defaulted to passivity in relation to living under the continued British Occupation is wrong.”
I think he is correct in that – the situation has changed radically since 1969 and a return to violence is much more likley to originate and be sustained from the other side of the fence – unless MI5 do something very, very silly.
… to digress for a moment and speak of those who like to hide in the bushes – I have not read any of the books by the negotiators in the GFA era (I assume they would be self serving) but I wonder at what point the British informed SF that MI5 would be having a shiny new HQ outside Belfast? That must have made selling the peace deal somewhat more difficult for Marty and Gerry and a bit of a risk for the British to take?
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The Unionists had a chance to present themselves as amicable to change and progress. Instead they choose to placate the UVF and Orange Order and Jamie Brysons.
Instead they once again choose to present themselves as unwilling to progress and bound to bigotry.
Easy for SF to agree to these proposals, when they knew Unionism was not going to agree to anything.
People Like McFealty and McIntyre have nothing to offer Republicanism or a way to move forward,for any political ideology. Stasis is not a solution.
Unionism gave the full two barrels to its feet with Haass. It may go down well with the UVF and the hardliners but for most people the DUP and the UUP picked the Loyalist street rioters views over theirs.
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The problem for anti Provo dissident republicans is they lack a political strategy.
Their ain’t going to be a new 1960s civil rights train coming along any time soon to jump aboard.
What you see is what you get until the present generation of SF/DUP leaders leave the park.
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Their weakness in both political and military thought can be seen in their lack of unity. On the political side you have at least two rival Republican Sinn Féins, the 32CSM, the RNU, the 1916 Societies, éirigí, Irish Republican Voice and several others. On the military side there is the Real/New IRA, one or two Óglaigh na hÉireann, at least two CIRAs. an alleged Saoirse na hÉireann and several amorphous groupings.
One is reminded of the Republican movement in the 1940s-50s which was split between several rival factions and organisations (Joe Christle, Kelly, Laochra Uladh, etc.).
In fairness to éirígí at least they are pursuing a more thought-out political strategy, though some may have more military ambitions.
However in general it is all very familiar stuff. Few truly radical ideas are emerging from the Republican fringe, just rehashes of the same old stuff (rhetoric about the “Free State” or “26 Cos. regime”, abstentionism, republican socialism, 2nd Dáil legitimism, tangential stuff about Occupied Palestine, etc.).
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You missed out the “stickie” dissidents, ORM and the IRCA.
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Séamas,
re. “Their weakness in both political and military thought can be seen in their lack of unity”
Undoubtedly lack of unity is a problem but their main weakness is that their is a lack of appetite for an analysis which fails to take account of improvement in the political situation of Nationalists and their advances under the GFA.
Even if, post-Hass, Stormo collapses then we are likely to see the 2 governments working together to put something back together again – for only a very small number of Nationalists will taking up the gun under these circumstances be justified and alterntive non-violent routes(if there are any) that are feasible/workable rather than simply aspirational – have yet to surface.
p.s. Any thoughts on my question above about MI5?
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Oh there are plenty of non-military routes. It is just that they are, ironically, harder work. Sometimes it is the military option that is the easier one. I know Republicans who would go toe-to-toe with the PSNI or Garda Special Branch but would be embarrassed or awkward about speaking Irish in public. Human nature is strange.
On the MI5 set-up post-agreement, that came as an unpleasant surprise to many. However some suspect that a few in SF were not entirely dismayed at the thought of their very vocal opponents being kept under the spotlight. A convergence of interests as it were.
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Séamas,
In regard to the point which Political Tourist makes.
“Their ain’t going to be a new 1960s civil rights train coming along any time soon to jump aboard.”
Do you not agree this is the main problem for the violent dissers – no appetite for struggle in the present scenario?
The problem for non-violent dissers (NVDs) is that the route you propose is difficult amd longterm and requires working within the existing politcal arrangments.
Could the NVD(s) stomach working within a ‘British’ overseen Stormo? I dont think so.
re. MI5.
SF have got off very lightly with their acquiesence to this arrangement.
It would be political suicide or at least political self-harm to admit they “were not entirely dismayed at the thought of their very vocal opponents being kept under the spotlight”
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Now if only the officials had stuck to a green nationalist left of center line rather than going all Stalinist.
They might even still be a force in the North rather than the owners of a couple of dingy social clubs.
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Political Tourist,
re. “Now if only the officials had stuck to a green nationalist left of center line rather than going all Stalinist.”
The boy Stalin did have his fans – and still does – and I suppose money and a trip to Soviet communist paradise was available for those in the Workers Party who still believed in ‘Socialism’.
The harsh reality is that the ‘left’ has taken one hell of a beating and even after the catasrophe of the last crash I don’t suppose ‘the left’ in any meaningful sense can get above 10% in Ireland or Britain. Enoigh people simply dont buy that stuff after so many failures and not a single good working ‘socialist’ model to look to not ot mnetion the millions of dead bodies.
We even have the ludicrous situation that SF can claim to be ‘Socialist’ whilst supporting low corpo tax – the boy Stalin plus Mark, Trotsky, Connolly et al would be spinning at very high speed in their graves if they heard such stuff being linked to thier ideology.
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Sammy, I agree that there is relatively little support for any sort of armed resistance to the ongoing British Occupation or the reunification of the country via the catalyst of military force. On one hand who in their right mind wants a war when other means exist to resolve political conflicts? And understandably many wouldn’t want violence whatever the circumstances.
However a more crucial factor is the perception in the Nationalist community that things are going their way, something shared at a wider level across Ireland. Sinn Féin is generally believed to have the upper hand in the north-east, despite a number of setbacks, and the collapse in the Haass deal is seen to be down to Unionist intransigence (despite the best efforts of the Dublin media establishment to wish it otherwise).
It is hard to get people to fight and sacrifice for “Victory 2020” when they already believe that victory is inevitable whatever happens. Whether that assumption is justified or not is another matter.
Unfortunately too many “dissident” Republicans believe one cannot be true to the Revolutionary Republican tradition outside of a military context. They fail to understand that the use of force was always secondary and ancillary to greater political, societal and cultural means of pursuing an Irish revolution. The adherence to militarism as opposed to revolutionarism is the great failing of radical republicanism. A little less militancy and a little more entryism.
A caveat! There is no desire at large for armed resistance because most people believe there is no benefit to be derived from it (the ultimate bottom line). However it might not stay like that. There is no denying the growing frustration amongst young Nationalists at the pace of change. The feeling that things would be going their way with more speed and alacrity but for the Unionist leaders and their directionless British allies. General social unrest, unemployment, poverty and anti-establishment sentiment may well do for contemporary physical force Republicanism what the thwarted civil rights movement did for Republicanism in the past.
I have some sympathy with the view put forward by FJH that we may be in a pre-conflict period. Given the right circumstances.
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Séamas,
I would largely agree with that. It is somewhat less tricky to learn how to fire a weapon than it is to learn how to speak a language and encourage others to learn it.
re. “I have some sympathy with the view put forward by FJH that we may be in a pre-conflict period. Given the right circumstances.”
I’m not sure if FJH has explained what the circumstances for another round of conflict is – but it looks to me as if loyalists have not come to terms with the implications of the GFA i.e. Britain is not treating and not viewing Green Field Number 4 as it views the mainland – when the penny drops there may be a bit of a Unionist rumble – followed by suspension of Stormo and the targeted use of British troops.
On the Nat side – MI5 shooting a few people by mistake remains a possibility and could cause a mini-crisis but would be accompanied by immediate British measures to calm the Republican horses.
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I visited Russia, East Germany and Romania 35 years back.
From a working class street level point of view there wasn’t a lot in it.
A high rise flat in Belfast was just the same as a high rise in eastern Europe.
What was missing was access to consumer white goods for Joe Bloggs.
The TV was as rotten as in the west.
A workers paradise it wasn’t but the ordinary punter in Ballymurphy in the late 1970s wasn’t doing all that much better financially.
Btw, nobody needs to look too far for one party states.
Leaving aside the Orange State till 1972, the present SF/DUP set up looks pretty one dimensional.
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Singularising motives of a dispersed grouping isn’t something I’d back. When I moved from Glengormley to the Falls it was blatantly apparent that different motivations were at play. So too, I’d imagine, are the motivations of dissidents throughout the pravence.
On a social level, if the benefits of peace are not felt in Ardoyne, Rathcoole or Lurgan them they do not exist for any of us, no matter how many fancy bars in the city centres or BT9. Something in out nature requires a target of blame (abides by Godwin) and blaming others or thinking of fields over fences seduces, be it things will be better under a United Ireland or things were better under the fist of unionism.
As for Slugger, it’s long been a Sinn Fein bashing cyber rag.
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re. “Something in out nature requires a target of blame (abides by Godwin) and blaming others or thinking of fields over fences seduces, be it things will be better under a United Ireland or things were better under the fist of unionism.2
And our nature also dictates a loyalty to our tribe – even when it is not always in our best interests.
re. Slugger
“it’s long been a Sinn Fein bashing cyber rag”
Although I’m banned I think it is the ‘brand leader’ for political discourse for themmuins and usuns and in fairness has had posters(including myself) who are pro Sinn Fein even if the majority or posts are distinctly in the other direction.
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