Can you not see that you are becoming an apolgist yourself, Mick? There is NO excuse for the Republican return to gun barrel politics. Isn't it about time these thugs allowed the LEGALY CONSTITUTED (your words not mine) government of Northern Ireland govern in peace?

Surely you are not saying that the fact that some Loyalists hold weapons is a reason for a return to the shootings and bombings. Are you? If not, why mention it at all? Particularly seeing as the allegedly armed Loyalists have not, as has been pointed out, used those weapons to damage the LEGALY CONSTITUTED police force? What are the dissident Republicans hoping to achieve? Goad the Loyalists into retaliation? Well, it doesn't seem to be working does it. If it does then, and only then, will the Loyalaists be equaly wrong; but as yet the only ones doing ANY harm to the peace process with their store of guns are those allegedy on the Republican side. And the only apologists for those seem to be from the other side of the Atlantic.

Sorry, Mick. I usualy admire your words and you have, as you know, swayed my opinion on occasion. But this is hypocracy and bigotry indeed.

DeG