Where did this come from?

Bare with me as I’ve started to write about this story several times, and have gotten nowhere. I’m just throwing thoughts out at the moment.

The IRA has said it told the family of the Belfast murder victim Robert McCartney that it was prepared to shoot the men directly involved in his death.

I’m not sure what to say. It’s simply one of the most astonishing political stories to come out this year. The IRA are in a cease fire, Sinn Fein are trying to be a legitimate party rather than the political wing of a terrorist group, we have to a greater degree peace in Northern Ireland, when out of the blue comes this old fashioned ‘let us take care of it our way’ statement.

Every PM from Wilson to Thatcher took the attitude that there could be no surrender, no dialogue, no concessions and the violence and deaths continued. Then John Major in secret and Bliar more openly began talks with the IRA and other terrorist groups. It led to peace. The whole process has been a holy grail to pacifist liberals like myself proving that talking really is better than fighting. It’s all the more shocking because the IRA have arguably been the biggest beneficiary of the whole peace process. Long Kesh (HMP Maze) is empty, convicted killers and bombers are free, former terrorists held positions within the Northern Ireland Assembly, Gerry Adams has been lauded for his political skills. What on earth led the IRA/Sinn Fein to make the offer to 'shoot' its own members and then release a statement as if they are proud of it? What will happen next? I cannot possibly guess.