The IRA carries on

The spin is in, lots of guff from the BBC who thinks its role is to convince people of its version of the truth - rather than the facts. Its a shame, but we've grown used to it.

The IRA hasn't fully disbanded, and its army council continues.

This may or may not be bad news, but it is a fact.

The optimistic view of this is that Sein Fein /IRA do not want to leave a vacuum and abandon the IRA 'brand' to the the evil psychotic godless killers who make up the splinter groups. They know what they are like, after all they used to be them. If this view is correct then abolishing the IRA Army council would actually work against peace and undermine republican involvement in a devolved peace. It may also be that it would be fatal to been seen to have "been defeated".

The pessimistic view is that it hasn't dissolved, because its going to be used again. This is perhaps the Unionist fear. Given the left wing/Marxist background of the republican movement this is a realistic fear, as strategic misdirection is a well used Marxist ploy.

However the Unionists have little to gain (except the traditional financial bribe from the English tax payer that New Labour doles out on these occasions) by holding out further, since if the devil still drives the republicans blood will flow anyway. The Republicans however have much to lose - if the killing gets out of hand again a United Ireland will never be achieved, as their duplicity will never be forgotten or forgiven.