Sir, – Michael Bradley in "When it comes to Japan's defence policy, the US calls the shots", Okinawa Letter, World, September 18th) poses the question, "Would Northern Ireland's civil rights movement ever have secured equal rights for nationalists if it wasn't for the IRA's armed campaign?"
It must be obvious, even to the most casual observer, the IRA armed campaign had nothing to do with civil rights. In fact the IRA opposed the movement as it was felt it would distract from the real issue of national unity. Most of the demands of the civil rights movement had already been achieved before the IRA launched its 30 years of terror, which had no regard for civil rights, regardless of nationality. – Yours, etc,
MICK BRENNAN,
Bray,
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Co Wicklow.