Legal Eagle

I assume by your name that you are a barrister. The agreement for the peace process had no precondition for disarming for setting up the government. It was implicit in the talks that that would come after the vote, and if ratified, after the government was set up. Trimble knew this, but is having a hard time with his people. Blair knows it and it is why he is so dismayed with Trimble and his people. I reiterate, it is Sinn Fein that has lived up to every aspect of its agreement. Given the past, as recently as the Rosemary Nelson incident (re: which just yesterday more information about RUC complicity came out) and going back as far as you would like to go, why on earth would the IRA agree to disarm until the government has formed and the cross border commissions are in place. And given the events of the last 6 months, clearly they are correct. They have honored their committments and will disarm if and when it is proper to do so.

And I would ask again. You, and others continue to speak of the IRA as terrorists, with no mention of the Loyalist Paramilitaries. The record shows clearly that they have been responsible for much more "terrorism", geometrically more, than the IRA. Yet you refuse to acknowledge this fact.

Jeri,

You could neither offend me, nor get in trouble with me. I enjoy your posts and find you to be thoughtful in your approach to things. I respect and value your opinion. In re-reading my post I can see why you arrived at the position you did. I will see if I can say it better.

I am not asking those of a contrary opinion to stop posting their opinion. I value other opinions as they make me subject my arguments to the test of the opinion. What I am asking of others is that they quit chastising those with a different opinion. Agree to disagree, debate the merits.......whatever. But don't tell me that because of where I live, or the controversial nature of my beliefs that I shouldn't be posting them. That has happened twice in two days from people that I otherwise respect.

Mick