Did Irish Unionist Intransigence create a vacuum for the gunmen to fill.

[blinding]

Did the blocking of the Irish Language act and the blocking of Policing and justice powers create a vacuum that the gunman have chosen to fill with a return to the bad old days.

The blocking of these two minor issues (certainly the Irish Language Act) coupled with the arrogant attitude of some of the DUP that they were back to the old days when it was the Irish Unionist way or no way at all certainly gave the impression that the Unionists were attempting to stall the peace process or even to reverse it.

The peace process must be kept alive and thriving. There has to be continual progress on the path to equality and respect for both traditions.
In the light of the terrible tragedy of saturday night does the negative attitude of the DUP now in hindsight (admittedly) not look trite and unbecoming of a party that says that it is in favour of moving the peace process forward.

Unfortunately in Northern Ireland when progress of the peace process is seen to be stymied then extremists are only too willing to see this as their opportunity.

[swansandtyphus]

The gunmen opened fire and killed the two soldiers and wounded the pizza delivery men because of the IRISH LANGUAGE ACT?

Father Ted could not have made it up!

[oscartango]

[QUOTE=blinding;1482383]Did the blocking of the Irish Language act and the blocking of Policing and justice powers create a vacuum that the gunman have chosen to fill with a return to the bad old days.QUOTE]

No. The only vacuum is between the RIRA's ears.

[blinding]

The gunmen opened fire and killed the two soldiers and wounded the pizza delivery men because of the IRISH LANGUAGE ACT?

Father Ted could not have made it up!

The Unionist attitude to the Irish language act, devolving of policing and justice powers and progress in the education sector are symtons of the old Unionist mindset of either their way or not at all.
All of these developments are relatively minor changes in a democratic system but have all been blocked by Unionists because they are unable to come to terms with the give and take that is needed to implement the GFA.

[Rocky]

Did the blocking of the Irish Language act and the blocking of Policing and justice powers create a vacuum that the gunman have chosen to fill with a return to the bad old days.

The blocking of these two minor issues (certainly the Irish Language Act) coupled with the arrogant attitude of some of the DUP that they were back to the old days when it was the Irish Unionist way or no way at all certainly gave the impression that the Unionists were attempting to stall the peace process or even to reverse it.

The peace process must be kept alive and thriving. There has to be continual progress on the path to equality and respect for both traditions.
In the light of the terrible tragedy of saturday night does the negative attitude of the DUP now in hindsight (admittedly) not look trite and unbecoming of a party that says that it is in favour of moving the peace process forward.

Unfortunately in Northern Ireland when progress of the peace process is seen to be stymied then extremists are only too willing to see this as their opportunity.

No. The CIRA and the RIRA are not new organisations and they have always supported the use of violence. All that has happened is that they have finally managed to kill someone and these people do not care about small matters. It's a British withdrawel or nothing. No matter what happens there will be a small number extremists for a long time to come and it's up to the security forces to stop them killing people.

[blinding]

No. The CIRA and the RIRA are not new organisations and they have always supported the use of violence. All that has happened is that they have finally managed to kill someone and these people do not care about small matters. It's a British withdrawel or nothing. No matter what happens there will be a small number extremists for a long time to come and it's up to the security forces to stop them killing people.

It is in the last 12 months that they have really stepped up their efforts to kill members of the security forces. Perhaps they were waiting for the impression to grow that the Unionists were once again lording it at Stormount and are hoping to exploit the beginnings of resentment to the Unionist attitude.

I take on board your accurate assesment that these groups have always been wedded to the violent removal of British forces from Ireland.
Yours was a good insightful post.

Could the Unionist parties make a better effort at making devolution and the GFA work ?

[Jason]

Well this is not the way to change unionist minds. Change comes with a vote not a gun

[factual]

Did the blocking of the Irish Language act and the blocking of Policing and justice powers create a vacuum that the gunman have chosen to fill with a return to the bad old days.

The blocking of these two minor issues (certainly the Irish Language Act) coupled with the arrogant attitude of some of the DUP that they were back to the old days when it was the Irish Unionist way or no way at all certainly gave the impression that the Unionists were attempting to stall the peace process or even to reverse it.

The peace process must be kept alive and thriving. There has to be continual progress on the path to equality and respect for both traditions.
In the light of the terrible tragedy of saturday night does the negative attitude of the DUP now in hindsight (admittedly) not look trite and unbecoming of a party that says that it is in favour of moving the peace process forward.

Unfortunately in Northern Ireland when progress of the peace process is seen to be stymied then extremists are only too willing to see this as their opportunity.

No. There are no excuses. This murder was not justified by what goes on in the political arena. The unionists are democratically elected and are entitled to follow their agenda lawfully. Nationalists have a different agenda. The point of the GFA is that these things are settled democratically and in politics if one does not get what one wants one does NOT kill people. END OF.

[blinding]

No. There are no excuses. This murder was not justified by what goes on in the political arena. The unionists are democratically elected and are entitled to follow their agenda lawfully. Nationalists have a different agenda. The point of the GFA is that these things are settled democratically and in politics if one does not get what one wants one does NOT kill people. END OF.

I take on board what you say but it has to be said that some Unionists were behaving in a manner that suggested that they thought they could return to the pre-war days and rule the roost as they saw fit.

[factual]

I take on board what you say but it has to be said that some Unionists were behaving in a manner that suggested that they thought they could return to the pre-war days and rule the roost as they saw fit.

In reality that is impossible because of the equality provisions in the GFA.