McDowell shoots himself in the foot before Dubya’s hitmen arrive

WHEN Justice Minister Michael McDowell gratuitously gave the nod to US security men to take target practice during their upcoming visit to Ireland, he probably did so with members of Sinn Féin in mind.

Short of putting out a contract himself on prominent members of that party, getting George Dubya's secret service agents to do the dirt would be the ideal solution.

The Government could claim it had nothing to do with it, just like so many other things it does nothing about. And it would be doing the country a favour by ridding the Government of its biggest threat of a return to power.