Hezbollah v the IRA (any differences?)

[Jimmy Higgins]

Hezbollah will be the reason for action against Syria because Syria's track record on war is very limited since the 60's. In conjunction with that, it is equally unlikely that they'd have "WMD's". The argument will be that they are a conduit to the Hezbollah and could pass these weapons from other sources to the Hezbollah.

I have a problem with this argument. Syria is not directly involved with terrorist acts. They are as involved as the US government is involved with terrorist acts of the IRA. Alot of money that supports the IRA comes from the northeast. And as much as I'm sure conservatives would love to do so, we should attack Boston as soon as we attack Syria.

Hezbollah and IRA are both groups of freedom fighters that have used murder as a tool of the trade. The IRA is responsible for hundreds of deaths. The Hezbollah is responsible for hundreds of deaths.

Both groups seem to be fighting for identity and freedom, to gain what was once theirs. Where do we draw the line between the IRA and Hezbollah?

[spl_cadet]

Well, Hezbollah is focused on the destruction of Israel, while the IRA has effectively disarmed and disbanded if I remember correctly. Furthermore, Hezbollah uses suicide bombings.

[Captain Ochre]

Today @ 04:18 AM post located here
spl_cadet:

Well, Hezbollah is focused on the destruction of Israel, while the IRA has effectively disarmed and disbanded if I remember correctly. Furthermore, Hezbollah uses suicide bombings.

There's also the matter of the pattern of national behavior. The US arguably has a pattern of national behavoir that encourages peace and cooperation to counterbalance the naive/foolish/evil support of IRA terrorism.
Syria's pattern may well be more questionable than that of the US.

[Vorkosigan]

The IRA does not use suicide bombings because they have an even more disreputable tactic: they kidnap a man and his family, and then hold the family hostage while forcing the hapless man to drive a bombed vehicle into a facility. Another important difference is that Hezbollah has not yet degenerated into organized banditry like the IRA, as far as I have heard. Protection rackets, extortion and other money-grubbing tactics were one of the reasons support for the IRA soured over time. It's difficult to chose between the two, in my view.

Vorkosigan

[Solly]

My sentiments exactly, Vork. And since the US and Brits aren't about to invade or bomb Eire and Ulster to get rid of them, I am not sure of the soon to be produced justification for doing the same to Syria. The rhetoric is hotting up already, and they aren't out of Iraq yet.

Of course, Eire and Britain are "friendly" powers...

[GrayPilgrim]

The real issue is, has Syria given refuge to the Fleeing members of the Iraqi regieme. Besides there are better ways to fry this fish.

[Solly]

On a point of order, since we offered him that route, does it matter if he, or others have now taken it? No one is hunting down Idi Amin since he went to Saudi.

[GrayPilgrim]

Good point Solly.

I think that as long as he stays in a similar situation to Amin, i.e. all washed up that is fine, but the problem is if he is alive will he be content to be a washed up dictator or will he try a Napoleon. So we will see.

[Solly]

They reporters on the BBC have been saying the Saddam has consistantly misread international opinion. they think he is in hiding, and will come out in the future to cut a deal with the West. If he did that, I think his own people would probably tear him apart.
While justice would be best, the West did offer him the escape route, so as you say, if he lives in luxury in Syria or elsewhere, let him go. But do a Shimei on him: one step outside and you're toast.

[GrayPilgrim]

I agree. I watched a news special on PBS a few weeks ago. It told of how back in '91 when members of the Arab League tried to negotiate with SH the all left thinking he was crazy and that he really thought that he would win the first Gul War. I think his bravado borders on the dillusional similar to Hitler's towards the end when he was moving the imaginary armies to counter the real Soviet ones.

[Jimmy Higgins]

Today @ 04:13 AM post located here
Solly:

My sentiments exactly, Vork. And since the US and Brits aren't about to invade or bomb Eire and Ulster to get rid of them, I am not sure of the soon to be produced justification for doing the same to Syria. The rhetoric is hotting up already, and they aren't out of Iraq yet.

Of course, Eire and Britain are "friendly" powers...

But the key to the point isn't that the IRA is where they are, but where they get their funding, ie Boston, MA. This is the argument to watch for. Bush will say that supporting the terrorist group is equal to being the terrorist group. That will be the reasoning behind the attack. The same reasoning should then exist for the American population in Northeast US, primarily Eastern Massaschusetts, that supported the IRA.

[Solly]

But jimmy, that would be like Osama bombing Afghanistan wouldn't it?

[Jimmy Higgins]

Today @ 08:52 AM post located here
Solly:

But jimmy, that would be like Osama bombing Afghanistan wouldn't it?

Actually that may not be so far in left field as one would think. He wouldn't be bombing the Taliban. He'd be bombing the American Regime, well that is if we still were helping to develop Afghanistan. In fact, it would be the "logical" next target.

[Pilgrim]

Jimmy, good question. Way back when the "War on Terror" was declared I wondered how equitably our new Foreign policy of no tolerance would be administered and if that policy would be aimed at the IRA. In fact I wondered at the time if that announcement had anything to do with the "disarming" of the IRA.

But I think we know that the policy is not intended to go any further than the Mid East bounderies.

[Eyeheart Pumpkin]

Today @ 07:34 AM post located here
Jimmy Higgins:

But the key to the point isn't that the IRA is where they are, but where they get their funding, ie Boston, MA. This is the argument to watch for. Bush will say that supporting the terrorist group is equal to being the terrorist group. That will be the reasoning behind the attack. The same reasoning should then exist for the American population in Northeast US, primarily Eastern Massaschusetts, that supported the IRA.

Not just Boston. There are a lot of us in Missouri, too. The IRA recieved tens of thousands of dollars annually from Missouri-based channels.