Gunsmoke and Mirrors [Hardcover]

"Gunsmoke And Mirrors" is a refreshing change. Henry McDonald, a Belfast born journalist, has turned the spotlight on Sinn Fein and the IRA and illuminated them in a way that so many others in his profession have failed to do. Unlike others in mainstream journalisim, he has side-stepped the Sinn Fein propaganda-machine and revealed what really lurks behind the smoke and mirrors. It will certainly make unpleasant reading for the "true believers" who support Sinn Fein / IRA, as it basically says that Sinn Fein / IRA have ditched their old ideology, but have been careful not to draw too much attention to the fact they have sold out. No doubt many Republicans will try to dismiss the contents of the book, however I believe that is what psychologists call, "living in denial".

McDonald has challenged recent attempts by Irish Republicans to rewrite the history of the "Troubles", and create a myth that will justify and rationalise their campaign of terrorism. He has questioned why so many thousands of people had to die when peaceful democratic avenues were open to Republicans, despite Sinn Fein / IRA attempts to say otherwise. He has highlighted the ideological flip flops that Irish Republicans have had to make, such as now accepting that the "British presence" in Northern Ireland is not simply British soldiers, but actually one million citizens who live there and condsider themselves to be British.

As a result of the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Fein has had to accept the principle of consent, ergo constitutional change can not occur without the consent of a majority. This is in stark contrast to the belief that a strategy of terrorist violence would bring about British withdrawal and a united Ireland, despite the wishes of the majority to remain within the UK. The full implications of this has been missed by many Sinn Fein supporters and Sinn Fein have not exactly been quick to provide them with a reality check. However, former Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, has given his assistance by expressing his opinion recently, that a 51% majority of pro united Ireland voters in Northern Ireland, would not be enough for a workable process of change towards Irish unity. It would probably require 65%, therefore the prospect of Irish unity is somewhat distant....as in, probably not in our lifetime. That's rather longer than many Irish Republicans seemed to believe, which is not too surprising really, as Sinn Fein have been slightly more optimistic when communicating with it's voters!

In short, constitutional politics has survived and prospered in Northern Ireland, whereas the revolutionary violence of the IRA has been shelved by the very same people who where once it's main advocates. The poacher has been forced to turn gamekeeper. Although, not surprisingly, Sinn Fein propagandists try to put a rather different spin on this.

So why did Sinn Fein / IRA have to wait until now to make the change to democratic politics and accept the principle of consent? Why did we go through decades of death and destruction? Why did so many people have to suffer? These are awkward questions that Sinn Fein / IRA have tried to avoid answering (even when asked by people from within their own ranks). Thanks to books such as this and journalists such as Henry McDonald, people will be forced to confront the facts, rather than wallow in the Republican myths currently being propagated. It's time for a reality check and this book helps to deliver it.

The only flaw in this almost perfect book is that McDonald simply fails to state that the Sinn Fein position has become the SDLP position after having tried and failed to achieve anything with their own methods.

It is simply the case that violence in the form of armed struggle or otherwise was doomed to fail from the beginning. Its basis was that the British could be forced out of Ireland at the point of a gun and thus it failed to recognise the essential Britishness of the Unionists. They were not going anywhere no matter how many guns the IRA had. Instead of dealing with the unionists as partners in a New Ireland, as they are doing now at the behest of the SDLP, the IRA set out to destroy their links with Britain.

I suppose you could call it "learned stupidity" but killing Prods has been the republican approach in the North since the plantation, bar 1798 which came from the Protestant side. Killing to create unity has to be the most profoundly erroneous path ever embarked upon.

The basis of this value sytem that teaches us that violence works is that evil is more powerful than good and thus that Satan is more powerful than God, which means that they worship Satan not God. In good and evil terms all who lift the gun are Satanists.

In psychological terms that means that their conclusions about the evil of the "other side" are dubious to say the least and merely reflect the evil they see in themselves.

This book is a fantastic read for the SDLP supporter who takes the high moral ground that all violence is wrong and that those who prosecuted the armed struggle were destined to stop it in humiliation just as Henry McDonald states very clearly.

The day will come when the phoney edifice of the republican movement will collapse and the delusional position of Gerry Adams, which he shares quite unbelievably now with the majority of the Nationalist population will unravel and the SDLP will be back in their natural position as leaders of the people again.

May Henry McDonald be rewarded for his courage against the enemy.

An excellent book, using terrific analysis, reasoned argument and backed up with plenty of facts that cannot be denied or even disputed or misinterpreted. Obviously some aren't going to like it but those who cannot face unpalatable truths should looks inside themselves and ask why they cannot rather than blame the source.