http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6923421.stm

- I thought I'd bring this up, not only because it's massively important over here (when did that matter on these forums?) but because I know the Irish Troubles are a concern of the Yankees too.

With devolution - finally, the IRA packed up, what looks to be remarkable concilliation in all parties...now we finally have an end of army operations. Could peace - FINALLY - reign in Ireland? Can oranje men, ulsters, loyalists, catholics and all the lot really live side by side?

And what would this mean for the future of the Six Northern Irish Counties included in the United Kingdom? I wonder whether all the trouble kept N.Ireland bound to UK. If peace reigns.. could they loose their British connection more than ever?

Either way, a great thing.

EDIT: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6921955.stm - Some good pictures.

Having spoken with folks from that neck of the woods more than once, I've heard the position of: "It is just a few radicals on each side keeping everything going." I think the more you start dealing with younger people, the more true it is.

About damn time, too. Shit that started in 1171 (or 1649, depending on how you want to look at it) should have long been sorted by now.

Perhaps there is a chance of the middle east to have peace too.

I'm happy to hear this though; time will tell.

It isn't that this isn't a big deal to us over here, its just that peace isn't that exciting as a news story. The Brithish troops haven't really been involved in policing in a major way for a couple of years, this is just administrative part, tidying up some paperwork. In essence, this conflict ended several years ago, but that is one of the problems with campaigns rooted in terrorism. There are no grand signing parties on the USS Missouri in this type of conflict. Its a crime against History, but it is what it is.

Aye. Well it's the first time in - what - 850 years that Ireland hasn't had an army on its streets. You'd think that would be overpowering news.

But that would be good news, we can't have that. Wait till someone blows up a car, then they will make the head lines.

Halo,

I am a great supporter of peace efforts and I am glad to see that steps are being made to bring peace and quiet to a part of this world that has long been in conflict. I applaud the efforts of those on both sides for making it happen.

Being from the United States, most of the news I receive about that part of the world comes filtered through the American press and doesn't often reflect the true nature of what is happening.

I have a couple of questions that may or may not have answers....

Kudos all around for those involved in the peace efforts, but... is the IRA still alive and well?

What is their role now that peace seems to be the order of the day?

If the peace continues to hold, will the IRA pack up their guns and car bombs and silently fade into the sunset?

I ask these questions from a practical point of view. If peace truly does continue, then why would the IRA still need to be around? Somehow I can't imagine them just laying down the weapons and walking away. After all, they have been fighting for many years... not to mention the money that gets funneled to the IRA. Power can corrupt and somehow I don't see those people just giving it all up.

Since you are much closer to the events than we are in the United States, I would like to hear what you are thinking about this and perhaps what other people think about it in your circle of friends and acquaintances.

Thank you...

Being from the United States, most of the news I receive about that part of the world comes filtered through the American press and doesn't often reflect the true nature of what is happening.

I would highly recommend Al'jazeera English or the BBC or The Guardian as a daily news source in addition to the New York Times or Washington Post or CNN depending on what you watch / read. Whenever I'm off covering a big news story you see all of the different networks congregating in the same general areas to do their stand ups. We'll be positions right next to Fox, ABC, CBS, CNN, etc. as well as Al'jazeera and its always interesting that from X:00 to X:08 everyone is working except for Al'jazeera ... their hits were always closer to X:15. In other words, what was the top story for everyone in the US was 3rd or 4th globally.

Kudos all around for those involved in the peace efforts, but... is the IRA still alive and well?

Keep in mind it just wasn't the IRA, there were also Protestant terrorist organizations operating in Ireland, such as the Loyalist Volunteer Force, Orange Volunteers and the Red Hand Defenders. Some of those groups wanted all of the Catholics out of North Ireland in much the same way the Catholic radicals wanted the Protestants gone. That is what made it so difficult- peace talks would progress and one group or another would do something to the other side that just undermined the whole process.

Doubt it will hold very long. few years at most. face it people mankind was not built to be a peacefull creature. quite the opposite.
The reason we are the A+++ predator of the planet is not arrogance.
It's a well earned title!