Did the events of 9/11 affect the sympathies of the American public towards the IRA?

Question

I know a lot of Americans would have no sympathy for the IRA - but the IRA were sympathetically regarding by some sections of American society - did the 'war on terror' destroy sympathy towards the IRA?

To James M - there is no connection in the event, but there is the issue of the 'war on terror' and how terrorism is viewed post-11/9. For example, Gerry Adams, was usually invited to dinner at the White House, but post 11/9 this was cancelled. Coincidence?

To Choccy - and what about the attitude of the US government?

Answer 1

In not only affected the sympathies of the American public , it affected those of the CIA and the government.
Until 9/11 the IRA was almost completely dependent on america for its funding and weapons supply.
Their weapon of choice was the american Armalite rifle and the terrorists could go to America for training.
The main centres of fund raising were Boston and New York with the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City being used openly as a fund raising event.
If an Irish terrorist could escape to the USA they knew they were safe from extradition to face justice in the UK
All of these facts were known to the American governments from the 1960s onwards but they did nothing for fear of losing the Irish/American vote.
From 9/11 everything mysteriously changed as the people of america woke up to the horrors they had supported for so long and suddenly everybody had to support the "War on Terror"
There has been no apology to the British and Irish people from any American for the pain and suffering they were implicit in for so many years.

Answer 2

Lets be blunt. President Clinton refused to meet Gerry Adams. Is that enough?

Following 9/11 the IRA really had nowhere else to go but back home and disappear into the rotten woodwork from which it had emerged.

The best advice the IRA can take is to stay well away from anything remotely associated with terrorism. This is now a no holds barred war. The IRA, if it is daft enough to ever become active again, will be shot dead in it's beds.

Answer 3

I definitely think there is a direct link. Most of the funding for the IRA came out of America, and most of that from New York. I think once they (the relevant New Yorkers) were tragically put in the position of knowing first hand what it's like to have people in their own city being murdered by terrorists while all they were doing was going about their daily business, the truth of what they were funding hit home and most of the funding ceased. I don't think it's any coincidence that it's only since 9/11 that the IRA leaders have agreed to non-violent negotiation and that the current agreements etc have come into being.

Answer 4

I think that Choccy has hit the nail on the head. The IRA are still viewed by many Americans as the brave freedom fighting sons of Ireland who are only doing what they have to do to free the poor downtrodden Northern Irish from the tyranny that is British rule. Areas like New York where there are a lot of descendants of Irish immigrants tend to have more people who are sympathetic to their cause. Also the IRA tend not to have targeted America unlike (for eample) Al Quaeda so they have not done anything to incur the wrath of the American people. I think basically most Americans have not made the link that the IRA is a terrorist organisation.

Answer 5

Perhaps not the sympathy, but the knee-jerk reaction of the Bush government to stop USA money supporting terrorism must have had a big effect on the supply of USA monies to the IRA..

Answer 6

Definitely, sympathies towards the IRA was huge in the US, especially in bars across New York, which is rife with 'Irish' decedents, pre 9/11. Understandably after suffering attacks on their own city, this attitude changed somewhat

Answer 7

The IRA and American connection is a real bug bear. Even now there is support for them in the US.

Answer 8

I'm not quite sure how many Americans know enough about the IRA in order to develop an attitude for or against them.

Answer 9

I doubt it. It's an old adage that 'one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter' and I suppose the Americans who supported the IRA would continue to see them in the role of 'freedom fighter' rather than 'terrorist' - which is how they were viewed by the majority of people in UK.
And a section of the American public weren't just sympathetic to the IRA, they actively funded its activities through NORAID.

Answer 10

Yes, Why do you think the republican army suddenly became so interested in a political solution, continued violence would have affected the us support of Brave Irish freedom fighters, (Bxxtard Fenian Terrorists if you are a prod) from Noraid.