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Congressman Peter King defends his pro IRA position to British parliament

Says massive difference between Irish Republicans and Al Qaeda

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 7:30 AM

Updated Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 10:33 AM

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Congressman Peter King

Photo by Alex Brandon - AP

“I was just out in the hallway and Baroness Kennedy came up to me to thank me for the work I did in the Irish peace process. Paul Murphy came by last evening.

“What I was saying - and I stand by it - is that the situation in northern Ireland, there were loyalist paramilitaries and obviously Republican paramilitaries, and I believe that, I had gotten to know Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.

“And I was very confident that if the Republican movement could get to the table, you would see a peace process. And I believe the United States had a very significant role to play as an honest mediator, as an honest broker.

“And I worked very closely with Bill Clinton, I was very much involved in the Good Friday agreements, I was very involved in getting Gerry Adams’ visa, but also involved in getting loyalists into the United States.

“I felt that when it was on the table, that Adams and McGuinness would be able to, if you will, control the republican movement.

“And it’s worked. Tony Blair said I made invaluable contribution to peace, Bill Clinton has cited me in his memoirs as a person who was very much involved.”

Republican Congressman King also spoke of his role as that of a peacemaker without prejudice.

He added: “ It was never my position as an Irish-American, whether or not Ireland was united, to me there were injustices in the north.

“There were good people on both sides. I spent a lot of time meeting with the loyalist community, the unionist community, at the same time, and I came away from that convinced that there was a role for the U.S. to play.

“What I was saying with those quotes, I was also trying to put in perspective. All of the quotes were anti-I.R.A. in the United States, no mention ever made of the UVF or the UDA or the Red Hand Commandos or whatever.

“I was trying to put it in a perspective to show that there were people - that this is not just the terrorist mayhem it was made out to be - that there were significant leaders on the Republican side.”

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joycean | Sep 15, 2011, 02:14 PM EDT

The subheading of this article, "Says massive difference between Irish Republicans and Al Qaeda," seems not be be reflected in article. He may have spoken about the topic, and some readers want to discuss it, but I don't see it.

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citizen69 | Sep 15, 2011, 12:17 PM EDT

@sprinfield9: you say:"A terrorist organization, by definition, commits acts against a populace that are designed to Terrorize". That's exactly what the PIRA did! planting bombs in hotels, bars, shops, bus stations, litter bins etc. all of which exploded killing innocent civilians, it's the very definition of terrorism. Look up 'Bloody Friday' for just one instance of their atrocities against civilians. Peter King CANNOT support the IRA for their actions yet class those who do the same in Afghanistan, Pakistan & Iraq as terrorists... They are ALL terrorists. And whoever made the comment that we should call on the RIRA (whose main targets are Catholics btw) to "help wipe out Al Qaeda", get real you eejit, what are a small-minded bunch of gangster racketeers gonna do? Even if they had the balls.

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DanOLoingsigh | Sep 15, 2011, 11:39 AM EDT

I suspect that Congressman King’s support for republican anti-democratic zealots was to garner support from gullible Irish-Americans, and judging by a number of the preceding posts, he succeeded.

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Kilsally | Sep 15, 2011, 11:24 AM EDT

The IRA never targeted civillians? You have got to be joking, the extorted money from thousands of business men. If you Google `IRA apologists can't preach morality to us` it is an article last week by former Irish Justice Minister on the IRA extorting money (and/or kidnapping) from Jewish businessmen in Northern Ireland - they shot one who survived and killed the other - Kingsmills, Darkley gospel hall, Bloody Friday where they set of 20 odd bombs at the same time in Belfast. Ridiculous argument. And I see no mention on this site of the RIRA opening fire on police officer in L`derry last night with civilians in the area or the RIRA bombs planted in Claudy yesterday at the house of a retired doctor who works as a forensic doctor for the police and also at the home of a Catholic police officer!!! The RIRA spout the EXACT same things that eter King does and Sinn Fein used to - so please, it`s got nothing to do with `being trampled on or treated as second class citizens`.

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Rebelforce | Sep 15, 2011, 09:03 AM EDT

I'm glad to see Congressman King set some British politicians straight over his praiseworthy record of seeking Peace with Justice in the north of Ireland. But really, no explanation is necessary as to why King, like so many thousands of other Irish-Americans, spoke out strongly and refused to be silent over the corrupt and abusive northern Ireland statelet. Asking Peter King to explain why he supported the IRA is like a British loyalist asking Ben Franklin why he supported the Minutemen at Lexington and Concord.

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antoman | Sep 15, 2011, 08:13 AM EDT

I like the cut of his jib.

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johhnyb | Sep 15, 2011, 04:04 AM EDT

The massive difference between the two groups was that the IRA killed Irish men, women and children while Al Qaeda killed Americans. That wasn't so popular maybe.

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buffaloirishman | Sep 15, 2011, 02:27 AM EDT

The terrorists in Northern Ireland have been and continue to be the British. Black and Tan, Bloodly Sundays, collusion and a PR campaign to label the native victims negatively. This is pretty simple.

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TheGeorge | Sep 15, 2011, 01:58 AM EDT

I am proud of Congressman King. My grandfather's brother was killed by the British in front of the family. What the Black & Tans did to the Irish was horrible!

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Springfield9 | Sep 14, 2011, 11:15 PM EDT

A terrorist organization, by definition, commits acts against a populace that are designed to "Terrorize" (senseless). The IRA was not, strictly speaking, a terrorist organization. It would be more acurate to say outmoded and incompetent. Al Quaeda, on the other hand, is atacking "the great satan" (a complete fiction. Hence, Al Quaeda is terrorist as it is inherently senseless.

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canadianirish | Sep 14, 2011, 09:56 PM EDT

@averagejoewa - You write: "I don't know why people keep linking the IRA to Al Qaeda." The answer is obvious. Both groups are deemed to be terrorist organizations. With the IRA/RIRA being the more proficient of the two.

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averagejoewa | Sep 14, 2011, 09:20 PM EDT

I don't know why people keep linking the IRA to Al Qaeda. The IRA were fighting for a united Ireland free of British colonial rule. Al Qaeda is fighting for a world where everyone will either become Muslim or be executed as an infidel. The IRA was fighting for Irish freedom while Al Qaeda is fighting for the global extermination of non-Muslims.

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Vince12 | Sep 14, 2011, 08:15 PM EDT

Congressman King please keep up the great advocacy. you are a lone strong voice in America on this issue. You are my hero!

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joycean | Sep 14, 2011, 07:42 PM EDT

PiperMac,I doubt if "many of us" provided monetary support. I imagine most involvement was confined to Irish enclaves. DanOLoinsigh, Wars are a continuation of political discourse, not philosophical discourse. There is no expectation that countries will be consistant. The US isn't interested in Lybia, so we aren't taking a very active part.

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canadianirish | Sep 14, 2011, 07:35 PM EDT

It's so nice to see a Congressman with a backbone and strength of conviction. At the time he made his pro IRA remarks, I would've felt exactly the same way. Pause for thought: When Al Qaeda terrorists come calling in our neck of the woods, the present day RIRA may be just the organization to call on for assistance in wiping them out. Question: How do you fight terrorism? Answer: With terrorists. Sad, but true.

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