Why didn't the Soviet Union fund the Irish Republican Army back then?

Question

They could have had a few ballistic missiles in their arsenal.

And England is just a stones throw away.

Answer 1

Ah Conranger. Served in the army did we. Got a nice salary didn't we. That makes you a very impartial source.

Answer 2

While the troubles were at their height the Provisional IRA followed a right wing conservative Catholic political strategy and did not have any contacts with the USSR as it would have alienated their support in Irish America. The Provos later became Socialist but this was later on in the troubles when the Soviet Union was on its last legs and seeking to build bridges with the West. The Official IRA did get some help from the Soviets but the Officials were only a minor player in the conflict and always believed in following politics, not violence, although they played a minor role in the conflict in the early days. The other main Republican group, the INLA, was overtly Marxist but generally followed Trotskyist politics and this was anathema to the old Soviets who viewed Trotskyists as their greatest enemy, even more of an enemy than capitalism. These are the reasons why there was very little Soviet involvement in the Irish conflict

Answer 3

During the Cold War era, fighting the "other side" by proxy did not involve giving fringe groups weapons that could be fired at large (area-fire) targets.

The IRA was pretty much a 'fringe group', with quite limited objectives (reunify Ireland, get the Brits out). They didn't have designs on the British throne. The IRA was not nearly so fanatic as today's Muslim groups, nor for that matter, the Orange crowd in Northern Ireland.

Over time, they got that way, in response to the crap they were handed.

The IRA lost any and all sympathy from this Irish-American after they started bombing pubs. (Sacrilege, IMHO)

When it gets to where one cannot enjoy a pint in peace....

wsulliva

Answer 4

Do you think it would have helped the cause to Nuke Britain, killing many thousands of Irish who live and work there, and have the fallout land on the Republic, what a stupid question you posted.

The "I Ran Aways" never achieved what they wanted, the North still belongs to the UK.

The "I Ran Aways" never represented the greater percent of the Irish people, as reflected by there defeat in the recent General Election in the Irish Republic.

As was perceived early on they are the "Irish Mafia" seems they prefer drug dealing to anything else.

Answer 5

who said they didn't? Actually British and later U.S. intelligence services were quite effective . The biggest obstacles to peace were radical Catholic Irish groups in Boston, Chicago and New York who were eager to fund the terrorists. Britain had to 'STAY THE COURSE" in order to avoid a bloodbath of greater magnitude and as history has proved in this instance Britain was right. I would have been wrong as I would have hung every I.R.A. member that I caught but that would have made them martyrs and the whole mess would have gone on for another 600 years.
Luckily starved of arms, and an aging guerilla militant faction, not to mention an effective counter insurgent programme rendered the I.R.A. an impotent and spent force.
But even though that fact was known to everyone Britain allowed the last remnants of the I.R.A. to save face and negotiate a peace

Answer 6

Several factions of the Irish resistance were Marxist in nature and received arms and funding from varies "peoples organizations" throughout the cold war.

Answer 7

IRA=maggot-ridden scum