Sectarian A-go-go (Irish Edition)

Good morning, Stroock's Books enthusiasts. 

Look, we all saw the combined HR meeting/freak show that was the DNC convention last week. There was dancing, singing, chanting, airing of grievances, land acknowledgements for Christ's sake, etc etc. Did it look good? No. But all we're gonna say is 20 years ago we were delighted when the DNC made Howard Dean (kook, Vermont) chair of the party. How did the next few election cycles turn out for the GOP? Hint: they did not turn out well. 

The Times of Israel reports: 'New American intelligence indicates that a covert team of Iranian scientists is exploring ways to quickly develop a nuclear weapon if the country’s leadership decides to pursue one...' ToI sites reporting by the New York Times. The threat seems severe. Israel Radar adds that Netanyahu is asking Trump for the go-ahead to hit Iran. We're much more optimistic about the prospects for success then we were, say, 18 months ago. Wonder why?

Meanwhile the Trump Administration is preparing to sell Israel a billion dollars worth of weapons including thousands of 1000 pound GBU bombs. It's almost as if the Israelis had good reason for wanting quiet in Gaza. Exit question: Israel has more leverage in ceasefire negotiations now, no?

A fine day with World War 1990: Thatcher's War yesterday. A fine day. We're thinking we need to begin the book with a scene in which the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland gets a briefing on all the various terrorist groups and paramilitaries. This bewildering array of organizations* must needs explaining to the poor normies who know almost nothing about the subject. 

We still don't know how much Jerry Adams and Martin MacGuinness we want to show. Might be wiser to have them as shadowy figures only mentioned by characters. 'Word from on high is...' that sort of thing. 

Your Irish Trouble's research documentary of the day: Peter Taylor's Loyalists, Part I.  Taylor made a slew of documentaries about the Troubles. The accompanying books he wrote about the IRA, the British and the Loyalists, which we've discussed before, are major sources. Having watched a few docs now, Taylor seemed to be striving for editorial fairness, while still calling out the shocking nihilism of that bloody conflict. 

Also, we've watched one too many Ian Paisley speeches, the bastard, and we now stand against Popery and priestcraft in all its forms. It's very warm where he is today. 

* A veritable alphabet soup, OIRA, PIRA, UVF, UFD, UFF, RUC, FRG and on and on. These people sure do seem to like killing each other.