That was pure poetry.

But in all seriousness, I absolutely agree that the tapes ought to be released. Think about it logically. If there is nothing to hide in Gerry Adams past, then the tapes have no value to anyone investigating him. Therefore, the investigating body who are petitioning to access the tapes, ought to be allowed to have them for a time to examine them anyway, because it would be like preventing an investigator eating brocoli during an investigation. It would have no nett effect on the case, if it were lame evidence with nothing on it.

Equally, if there IS something to hide on that tape, then those investigating the man have a right to hear or see the damned truth if they can get it. For any organisation to have solid artifact evidence, or recorded evidence that contradicts the words a man speaks to keep himself in power, in respect, and above all out of jail, and not hand it over to interested parties once it is known that such a tape or record exists, is just down right shady, and as much an admission of guilt on Adams part, in this case, as having a video of the man cutting up children and making them into sausages, or burning pentagrams into the foreheads of babies or something equally rotten.

Wether one chooses the only legitimate standpoint when discussing the "Troubles" ( I.E. that of being disgusted at every single person who was ever involved in any way, on any side wether that be republican, unionist, police, or army) or chooses to be an utter buttock and throw thier lot in with any of the utterly broken idealologies involved, the fact is that there are only two ways one can do things. Truthfully, or wrong. If Adams has done wrong, then he should be arrested , charged, and if guilty of a crime, convicted of it, and punished as if he were any other man, rather than the giant of Irish politics he has been for decades. If he has not, then he, and people who respect him, should be transparent, and there should be no beating around the bush on the part of anyone who has evidence relating to his case.

What we should also remember, is that VAST numbers of the giants of Irish politics these days, were murdering, psychopathic, vile, drug dealing nutters back in the day, so no matter which ones are getting the eye of Justice swept over them on any given occasion, it should be in the interest of every free person of peaceful intent, to see justice done.

However, I do have this one thing to say, which may point to a reason I can think of for why this descision is not being made with a more speedy gusto. It may be that the information is so destabilising, that the British and or Irish government have gotten wind of what it is , seen how awful whatever this record contains could be for stability in the UK, and have ASKED the U.S. to delay the release of this information, until say, after the biggest target for terror acts in thirty something years, has passed, namely the Olympic Games in London.

If I was some face saving Secret Service sap with more interest in keeping Britain looking "well 'ard" and unruffled during the Games, than in honour and decency, I might request that the diplomatic service look into getting a favour done by someone the other side of the water, say in the organisation that keeps the evidence that we are talking about. There are bloodier and more pointlessly dangerous ways to keep information under wraps.

Dont forget also, that ANY bad news about a major figure in Irish politics at this time, especially over something so potentially divisive, has the chance of fracturing things quite nastily. We have just seen in the news the police in Ireland have recently arrested someone over the murder of one of thier own not too long back. What ever cancerous muck remains from the troubled times past, will not be eased by revalations about one of the biggest players at the table over there right now.

I know there are those out there who would rather see truth at ANY cost, and to them I say cheers and the very best of luck to them, for they are the best examples of humanity, unafraid of trial and tribulation, but unprepared to hide from reality , no matter the consequence. However, many others out there will be thinking " I just want all this to go away, to wake up tomorrow and have the last hundred god damned YEARS turn out being a bad dream." That last group there number in the majority. People who are sick of the he says she says, and the they killed us, and then we killed them, so its thier fault BS that folks spout when pissed, who just want to get on with thier lives without having to keep an eye out for folks who look the type to enjoy a friendly kneecapping.

Who do you please? Appease the one, and the others will rebel!

if i were england i would demand those tapes as evidence as terrorism and not just wait and see what america lets us do, because it basicly is terrorism what the I.R.A done.
and if gerry adams had anything to do with it he should be punished like the rest of them should.

him and his party do NOT represent the republic of Ireland and the party should be broke appart for acts of terrorist organisation. because thats exactly what they are, a terrorist organisation, in politics.

I thought Mcguinness had admitted to his ira past! Or at least hasn't denied it unlike Gerry Adams!

I think both Adams and McGuiness are horrible scumbags....but I'm not too sure this is in the public interest.
My heart says yes, my head says no.

As someone said earlier, there is always a price for peace.
And maintaining the peace must be the priority.

But the families deserve to know the truth.

Very little in this world is black and white.

Originally posted by Freeborn
Very little in this world is black and white.

That is one sentiment I have to agree with, that would include the actual premise of this OP. There are no surprises in store. What someone says on a tape or in your face is purely anecdotal. What we have in NI now is for most on all sides a 'hard to take' arrangement, but in reality it is the only way forward and the last thing that is wanted is pesky Americans stirring the #, perhaps once again. The young ones here want to live in a different environment and otherwise what is the point? the sooner the old political farts die, the better for the young ones. Everyone knows that what happened here gave no faction the high moral ground.

I thought it was common knowledge Adams was IRA.

Since before the tapes were made anyway.

My trouble with those who are willing to sacrifice truth for peace, is that to have one without the other, is like having either the bread, or the filling, but never being allowed both. It is NOT to much to ask, to have a peace based on honesty and transparency. No one must ever be allowed to convince the people otherwise, or to continue such an obsfucation, should one be in place.

Peace based on lies, is as toxic and dangerous as war based on hate and propegandist provocation. Delaying the revalation of what ever is contained on that tape, will in the long term, prove to be a cancer under the skin of the entire scenario, and WHEN it is released, or a rumour gets out, or a death bed confession is made, that cancer will spread untreated and destroy the underlying flesh of the place.

The only legitimate course of action for those pulling the strings here, would be for them to release the information, now, before people have a chance to bond weakly and tentatively, so that WHEN the crap hits the fan, it will not be fueled by FRESH betrayals and a newer, much more raw wound to the pride of those involved.
Honesty and truth must be the basis for all peace, because if one attempts to construct a peace on anything less stable, it is sure to collapse into ruin, time after time, as it already has done on countless occasions before, and in the very theatre that this thread addresses.

Without the basic, fundamental building blocks of trust and truth, the region is doomed anyway. May as well burn off all the unspent fuel in this tank, and pick the bits up afterwards, because at least then some inroads might be made into a genuine, caring, understanding and TRUSTING peace between all exisiting factions.