Originally Posted by
chevvron
No excuse for poor fiirearms handling but what about all the provos who pointed a gun at a squaddie and shot them in the back then Blair (and Kier Starmer) pardoned them.
Shouldn't be any excuse or pardons for them, either, but we are supposed to hold our own behaviour to higher standards than that of our enemies. There was no doubt that, even though no war had been declared, the terrorists on both sides within the Six Counties were the enemy of the British government. I believe the view at the time of the GFA was that pardoning the actions of enemies was the only way to get out of the vicious cycle of attack - retaliation - attack etc. Whether that was right or wrong depends on your perspective, but I'm convinced that the GFA has saved many lives and has led to the start of reconciliation between the various factions.