More progress in UlsterFollow

One of the hard-core bunches of nutters in Northern Ireland, the INLA is reported to have decommissioned its weapons.

In recent months we've seen a stand-off between republicans and unionists over the transfer of police control from London to Belfast. The First Minister saw his 60-y-old wife sectioned in a mental hospital, after admitting an affair with a 19-y-old and bunging him dodgy money. He stepped down over allegations he knew about her corruption (he's back now). This week has seen an apparent ste-down from confrontation by both sides

While INLA aren't the big boys in the game, they're seen as one of the last bastions of paramilitary opposition to the peace process.

Linky

This isn't just about terrorist attacks between sects. Since the 1960s both sides have ruthlessly managed their share of the drugs and vice industries through knee-cappings and 'punishment beatings' (often lethal). While I don't see this ending, it's now on the decline.

A far cry from just 15 years or so ago when we were refused entry to a Belfast pub because Dracoid was too ickle, and the pub was blown up 15 minutes later.

Big-ups to John Major, Tony Blair & Bertie Aherne for having balls of steel and getting us so far on this one.

The woman seems to be a bit of a Melinda psycho-hose-beast.

She's always been depicted as 'vivacious' (she was a looker in her day) but had frequent bouts of severe depression. She tried to take her own life last year, and when it became public that she'd been bouncing her tush on teen-balls and diverting public money into her toy-boy's business, she lost the plot completely.

She's also famous for a broadcast last year when she described homosexuality as an "abomination" and that with help, gay people could be "turned around".

[trivia]Relating to the OP - Airey Neave, the British MP who was murdered by the INLA was the first person to escape from Colditz [/trivia]

Following tortuous and laborious back-and-forth negotiations, the Unionists (under Ian Paisley) and the Republicans (under Adams & McGuinness) have agreed to share power and govern Northern Ireland together from Belfast.

It's extremely complicated, but main factors are:
The Unionists have accepted that while Ulster is still British, Protestants and Catholics have equal rights to be in charge.
The Republicans have accepted that the fate of Ulster lies in the hands of the N.I. electorate. At the moment it's a Protestant/Unionist majority, but Adams & co expect a Catholic/Republican majority before long.

In addition, the former Royal Ulster Constabulary (which was mostly Loyalist Protestant) has been reformed as the Police Service of Northern Ireland and has actively recruited Catholic officers (and dropping the 'royal' bit was a biggie).

Now that the majority feel that they have a real political voice (governed from Belfast, not London), the support for the paramilitaries has ebbed to pretty much zilch.

Don't be too hard on poor old Nobby, he's just trying to fit in.