Richard Mulherin is unhappy that his preconceptions about terrorism in occupied Ireland are contradicted by facts; that the IRA, of all armed groups there, has the best record for avoidance of killing of civilians.
The International Lawyers Inquiry recorded that, from 1969 to November, 1983, combined British forces there had a civilian-kill rate of 81 percent (of which the Orange Supremacist Paramilitary rate was 90.8 percent; Ulster Defence Regiment, 80 percent; British Army, 58.1 percent; and Royal Ulster Constabulary, 52.4 percent).
Meanwhile, Irish forces (IRA and INLA) achieved the comparatively very low rate of 37.2 percent, totaling just twice as many civilian kills in 14 years as our USS Vincennes killed in one minute in the Persian Gulf. The IRA immediately acknowledges and apologizes for such kills, no matter how embarrassing; its enemy never does. Why label as ”terrorist” the least terrorist of all contending forces? Mr. Mulherin fails to address this, preferring to ignore recorded British Army and RUC terrorism. His contention that truth-tellers regarding the Anglo-Irish struggle are disloyal and must leave America speaks for itself.
His claim that Britain is America`s ”staunchest ally” is debatable as follows:
Mulherin himself exemplifies the effectiveness of Britain`s 17-year campaign to disinform Americans; a British goverment contractor (Plessey)
installed, still maintains and perhaps manned Gadhafi`s anti-aircraft systems that shot down one of our attack planes; our liberation of Grenada earned British wrath; when American officials ran for their lives through Tehran streets to the British Embassy, it denied them sanctuary; Britain was the main Western supplier to the Viet Cong; it repeatedly broke our embargo of Castro. We like the English, but perhaps Mr. Mulherin will define ”staunchest ally.” In a 1776 episode, Britain murdered 11,500 American POWs in its prison ships in New York`s East River.
They had earlier been offered their freedom if they would side, like Mr. Mulherin, with the British, but they refused.
They fought for self-determination and were labeled ”terrorists” by Britain, just like today`s IRA.
