<P> The Official IRA were opposed to such a campaign because they felt it would lead to sectarian conflict, which would defeat their strategy of uniting the workers from both sides of the sectarian divide . The IRA Border Campaign in the 1950s had avoided actions in urban centres of Northern Ireland to avoid civilian casualties and probable resulting sectarian violence . The Provisional IRA, by contrast, was primarily an urban organisation, based originally in Belfast and Derry . </P> <P> The Provisional IRA's strategy was to use force to cause the collapse of the government of Northern Ireland and to inflict such casualties on the British forces that the British government would be forced by public opinion to withdraw from Ireland . According to journalist Brendan O'Brien, "the thinking was that the war would be short and successful . Chief of Staff Seán Mac Stíofáin decided they would' escalate, escalate and escalate' until the British agreed to go". This policy involved recruitment of volunteers and carrying out attacks on British forces, as well as mounting a bombing campaign against economic targets . In the early years of the conflict, IRA slogans spoke of, "Victory 1972" and then "Victory 1974". Its inspiration was the success of the "Old IRA" in the Irish War of Independence (1919--1922), which also relied on British public opinion to achieve its aims . In their assessment of the IRA campaign, the British Army would describe the years 1970--72 as the "insurgency phase". </P> <P> The British government held secret talks with the IRA leadership in 1972 to try and secure a ceasefire based on a compromise settlement, after the events of Bloody Sunday led to an increase in IRA recruitment and support . The IRA agreed to a temporary ceasefire from 26 June to 9 July . In July 1972, Seán Mac Stíofáin, Dáithí Ó Conaill, Ivor Bell, Seamus Twomey, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness met a British delegation led by William Whitelaw . The republicans refused to consider a peace settlement that did not include a commitment to British withdrawal, a retreat of the British Army to its barracks, and a release of republican prisoners . The British refused and the talks broke up . </P> <P> At this time the IRA brought out the Éire Nua (New Ireland) policy, which advocated an all - Ireland federal republic, with decentralised governments and parliaments for each of the four historic provinces of Ireland . </P>

What is the provisional wing of the ira