Re: Good Friday Agreement

["James Daly" <james.irldaly@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Michael Keaney wrote :
But until I see a well-reasoned objective analysis, written from a
British (rather than a NI Unionist) perspective, which can explain to
me why, in the year 2003, the British state should be so interested in
clinging on to Northern Ireland, conceiving of it as a key asset
regardless of the evolving international situation and all that this
entails, then I think that it is reasonable to assume that, given all
the evidence that I have presented, the presently hegemonic fraction
of British state and capital is committed to an eventual clean exit,
barring any insurmountable sabotage from within and overwhelming
pressure from without (the Bush administration).

Philip agreed and added:
The one thing the Brits need to do is just ensure they have 'safe
hands' to pass the rulership into. M16 are probably smart enough to
realise that the SF leadership are now pretty safe.

I have no doubt that Sinn Fein is now a safe pair of hands; Francie
Molloy has said publicly that they are willing to administer British
rule in Ireland.  But the Unionists are even safer.  In a reply to
Michael I have set out what I think is the present geopolitical
parallelogram of forces in the situation. (I do not know whether it
qualifies as "a well reasoned objective analysis").  It is not a
question of Britain "clinging on to Northern Ireland", but of the
assuring of "stability" by the US, Britain in a gubernatorial role,
the Irish state as a gofer, a Miguel (to be boxed around the head now
and again), the ever more arrogant Unionists (an international pariah
in the Sixties), and up to now, getting the crumbs from their table,
the suppliant Republicans and nationalists. (By the way -- not MI 6
again?).

It *is* quite a while since Philip wrote in a post that the Provos
were "in danger of seeing the ordinary Prod as the enemy." But aren't
they the bigoted voters who have just expelled Sinn Fein from anything
resembling government, even "the administration of British rule in
'Ulster' "?  James Connolly had a lot to say about them.  It seems no
one has dared to since!
comradely
James
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