Post A Follow Up Discussion Page
Posted by E.L.A.Z on 8th December 2000
Country: England
You are quite right. Coming from Irish stock, I have always felt a close affinity
to the cause, and I can sympathise with their means towards achieving freedom.
Now before every screaming bigot attempts to jump on that one saying 'what if
it was your family' i think these people should consider what they are doing
to socialist principles. Personally, of course i would be gravely upset if a
family member or close friend died before their time, but if one is not not
to be shut away like a hermit in the desert then these things occur and it should
not diminish your beliefs, it should strengthen them from the view that- in
this case- a quicker settlement, brought about by increased political and military
action, will prevent this situation from occuring again as the 'Peace process'
drags on.
I am great believer in learning from ones enemies, and the enemies that teach
us well here are Zhukov, Rommel and Liddel-Hart, as well as Von Clausewitz.
These military theoreticians spoke extensively on 'concentration of force' and
combined arms warfare. To my mind, the use of terrorist or guerilla methods
in warfare is another example of using all means at our disposal, something
I am sure the 'leaders' of the socialist movement would encourage us to do in
time of revolution. Another example i would like to cite is that of the partisan
movement in World War II. Today these people, especially the Russian Partisans,
but to a lesser extent the French and Greek Communists, as well as Tito's famous
irregular fighters, are held up as an example of sacrifice for a cause. In the
circles of thought i move in, these people died to free their country from fascists,
whether from socialist principles or not, and they are all heroes in a sense.
The point i am making is that these people all used terrorist methods and we
do not condemn them, and since, as the old saying goes, 'victors write the history
books' maybe we should ask who is being fooled here. I would greatly urge people
to comment on this as i feel it will force some people to examine double standards.