Better Cancel The Trip Home, Boys
The airline industry will be reeling this evening with the news the Peter Hain has finally and sensibly withdrawn the On The Run legislation. Flights to Ireland are most likely being feverishly cancelled as you read this.
Of course, the motives for doing this are Sinn Fein-led. They got their cake, but just as they were tucking into it, they discovered an extra ingredient that..erm…disagreed with their collective digestive system. “What’s this?” thundered Gerry (presumably) “They’ve slipped in an amnesty for army bollockses! Tony didn’t mention that before…honest…”
Except, of course, they must have known. For one thing, the British Government are many things, but they are not (completely) stupid. Don’t you think the brains at Downing Street might have expected an SF backlash?
Double Standards
Aside from the hilarious PR cock-up, the episode exposed the nasty side of Sinn Fein. All that talk of ’spirit of reconciliation’ turned out to be completely one-sided. You forgive us for past attrocities. We reserve the right to dredge up any event by Loyalist groups or state forces, but just don’t mention the ‘Ra, OK? What happened to the election fodder of “Building An Ireland Of Equals”, Gerry? B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but what differentiates one set of killers from another? I thought we were putting the past behind us, moving on and growing up. The dilemma for Sinn Fein was, do they give up one of their trump cards - state murders of Republicans - to allow ‘the boys’ safe passage home? That must’ve been a hell of a decision to make.
But it’s not over yet. No. Hain thinks this will be back on the agenda as an anomaly that should have been dealt with at the time of the Good Friday Agreement. I don’t. Got the guts to kill for your cause? Then stay behind and take the consequences. Face the families you left bereaved across the courtroom and take the sentence you deserve. Only a coward runs away…why should we turn a blind eye?
