US: White House tapes reveal Richard Nixon's views on the Anglo-Irish situation after Bloody Sunday, writes Seán O'Driscoll in New York
Former US President Richard Nixon believed that the Irish were "pretty goddamn bad" and that the crowds who burned down the British embassy in Dublin in 1972 were the type of people who voted for the Kennedys in the US, newly released White House recordings have revealed.
Mr Nixon also said the British "always mishandled Ireland" but probably didn't mishandle Bloody Sunday.
Mr Nixon made his comments to his secretary of state, Mr William Rogers, only hours after crowds burnt down the British embassy in Dublin in response to Bloody Sunday in Derry.
The pair talked by phone to discuss how the worsening crisis would affect the United States.
Mr Rogers said that Bloody Sunday was "a little embarrassing with the British" and the two agreed that Northern Ireland was likely to become a very important political issue in the US.
The tapes also reveal that the secretary of state agreed not to make any statement on the crisis without first clearing it with the British. Mr Rogers said key British officials hoped the White House "wouldn't take sides".
Mr Nixon replied: "Of course, you know it is a terrible tragedy, because the British, with all their great points, always mishandled Ireland. And I don't know whether they're mishandling it now or not. But the point is, the historical record is so bad that they now just can't look good, anything they do."
Mr Rogers said the situation in Ireland was a "terrible dilemma".
Mr Nixon replied: "Isn't it though? 'Cos you know, and let's face it, the Irish are - these people, the Irish, are pretty goddamn bad here. They're the Kennedy type, out raising hell, blowing up the place, burning down the embassy."
Details of the tapes have been released by the National Archives and Records Administration as part of its gradual release of 2,000 hours of Nixon recordings, a process which first began in 1996.
Mr Rogers telephoned Mr Nixon on February 2nd, 1972, after news reached Washington that rioters had burnt down the embassy. US television stations had shown extensive footage of the attack.
The conversation between Mr Rogers and Mr Nixon began with pleasantries before the president asked: "What about the Irish?"
His secretary of state replied: "Well, the foreign minister is coming to see me in the morning."
Mr Nixon: "Foreign minister of Ireland?"
Mr Rogers: "Ireland, yeah. The British ambassador was in this afternoon. And it's gonna become a very important political issue at home."
Mr Nixon: "Yes."
Mr Rogers: "Senator Edward Kennedy's trying to make a lot of it."
Mr Nixon: "I know."
The secretary of state then sought advice on what he should say in response to Bloody Sunday and the burning of the embassy, before adding: "My own judgment is that I should say something that was really expressing our concern and, ah, indicate we hope that discussions will be held."
He went on to discuss his meeting with the British ambassador, Mr George R.S Baring, the Earl of Cromer, earlier that day.
"Now I talked to Cromer about it today and said we didn't want to say anything unless it was agreeable with them. But I think that from your standpoint, you should, because, the, ah, Jim Buckley . . . [a New York senator\]
He continued: "Kennedy and the others are making a lot if it. And even though it's a little embarrassing with the British, I think that . . ."
Mr Nixon goes on to recall a previous discussion he had with British prime minister Mr Edward Heath.
"I said, in effect, this - the agony of Ireland and England - is something we don't want to exacerbate, that we just hope that we don't say anything that's gonna make it more difficult for you. I don't think we should be in the position of demagoging it."