Time and time again, violence and the threat of violence has reaped dividends for the men of violence. The fear of IRA terror has resulted in the government granting item after item from the republican wish list,

We do not know how many guns, the amounts of ammunition, explosives -- nor were we told how the decommissioning was carried out,

We do not know how many guns, ammunition and explosives were decommissioned nor do we know how the decommissioning was carried out. There were no photographs, no detailed inventory and no detail of the destruction of these arms.

Then we have the beating of the chest of Mr. Trimble, and the showing of his muscles, ... And he said never would he be at the table to negotiate with the IRA.

In so far as it goes, such movement is to be welcomed.

We do not know how many guns, the amount of ammunition and explosives were decommissioned, nor were we told how the decommissioning was carried out,