During the 70's, 80's and 90's Britain fought an intense and dirty war against the separatist factions of the IRA and the extremists of the "loyalists". Both engaged in terror tacticts to achieve their ends, with strikes against soft targets in Northern Ireland, and in Mainland UK, with many innocent victims.

At no time during this episode did the USA pay more than lip service to the concept of uniting against terrorism. Indeed, the political impact of Irish heritage on senators in Chicago, amongst others, led successive US administrations to apply pressure against the UK government and question their "harsh" standards of imprisonment of suspected and convicted terrorists.

A steady flood of financial support for Irish terrorism came from unoficcial and semi-official bodies within the USA, who opposed all attempts to block the financial underpinning of terrorism.

Now, post 9/11, the boot is on the other foot. The USA finally realises that terrorism as a concept must be stamped out, and its financial and political support attacked.

They are finally in favour of following-up terrorism suspects into other countries where they may take shelter, and find religious, financial, and populist support.

Now, Guantanamo bay and the system of indefinite imprisonment without trial for being a suspected terrorist is held up as a model for the world.

We are exhorted to pursue terrorists and their supporters globally and to their roots.

What hypocrisy!
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Unfortunately, you are right on target here. It was fashionable in Boston Irish bars to take up donations for "the cause". As a person with Mick heritage I'm shamed by this. I do believe that a lot of this has stopped or become more hidden since 911.

-philw