Peace in Our Time? The Stresses and Strains on the Northern Ireland Peace Process

• Published in: Studies in conflict and terrorism Vol. 25; no. 6; pp. 357 - 382
• Main Author: Dingley, James
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Informa UK Ltd 01.11.2002; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Agreements; Catholic-Protestant relations; Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Government and politics; International relations; Irish Republican Army; Northern Ireland; Peace; Peace negotiations; Peace process; Peace-building; Referendum; Religion; Separatism; Social aspects; Strategy; Terrorism; United Kingdom; Violence; Northern Ireland; GREAT BRITAIN; IRELAND; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 1057-610X; 1521-0731
• DOI: 10.1080/10576100290101269

This article aims to critically evaluate the present state of the peace process in Northern Ireland after nearly two years. Particular attention is placed on the security analysis of the situation, which is a perspective that is rarely heard in public, perhaps because it is often highly critical of the entire process. From this background the article takes a pessimistic view of any hopes for long-term peace or stability in the Province, largely because the Good Friday Agreement, the core of the process, was ill-conceived. In fact, the entire process appears to have been built around anything other than addressing the real problems of the Province and has been heavily weighted in favor of appeasing IRA violence. In consequence Unionists are becoming increasingly disillusioned and alienated from the process and now find themselves on the verge of withdrawing their support from it.