Joe Biden visited Ireland last week. On Thursday he posed for a selfie with Jerry Adams, a prominent Irish politician who was the President of Sinn Fein for 30 years. This is a political party in Northern Ireland that supports Irish reunification. Adams was reputedly also the head of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), although he himself has always denied any membership of the terrorist group.
The IRA conducted a bombing campaign in the United Kingdom from the 1970s to the 1990s as part of their efforts to secure Northern Ireland’s independence from the United Kingdom and to reunite Ireland. The campaign targeted various locations in England, including government buildings, public spaces, and transport systems. The bombings resulted in the deaths of over 1,800 people and injured thousands more. The campaign ended in the late 1990s after a ceasefire agreement was reached between the IRA and the British government, leading to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
King Charles has shaken hands with Jerry Adams, in a conciliatory gesture that must have been difficult as his uncle and mentor, Louis Mountbatten, was a famous victim of the IRA.
Adams played a role in the Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, which was a peace agreement signed on April 10, 1998, in Northern Ireland. This was aimed to end the sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland known as “The Troubles.” He was instrumental in bringing the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to the negotiating table, which was a crucial factor in the success of the agreement. Adams played a crucial role in persuading the IRA to end its armed campaign and pursue its goals through peaceful means and his ability to work with different parties and groups to find a peaceful resolution was recognized by many as a significant contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland.
So while many suggest that Biden’s selfie is akin to Rishi Sunak snapping with Osama Bin Laden, others think this is just a good political move to strengthen Irish-American ties.
What do you think?