Northern Ireland
American Troubles
During the 1970s and 1980s, when Northern Ireland was wracked by sectarian violence known as the Troubles, Irish Americans raised millions of dollars purportedly for the families of imprisoned IRA men. But evidence shows they were also circumventing the ban imposed by the U.S. government by funding weapons purchases.
Unspoken Troubles
Northern Ireland has long been held up as a model of peacemaking but, as “Say Nothing” shows, the process was far from perfect. Drama can do the job journalism and politicians cannot, reminding us of the many stories of those left behind, damaged by the violence and left feeling betrayed.
At the Front Line of Belfast’s Week of Violence
For the moment, the racist elements of Northern Ireland — vastly outnumbered by those protesting against them — have been routed. But this is only the beginning of the work that needs to be done. Both the racist growth and the lack of investment must be addressed or we will see more violence from this small part of the population.
From Belfast to Beirut, A Tale of Elusive Peace
Power-sharing arrangements have attempted to bridge the divisions in the two societies. The Good Friday Agreement and the Lebanese Constitution both aim to provide a form of democracy that protects the minority community from the majority — or, in the case of Lebanon, any of the 18 religious groups from each other.
The Lasting Pain of Ireland’s Partition
This year marks the centenary of one of those malicious acts of history: the partition of Ireland, the establishment of a sectarian statelet in the northeast of the island, and the beginning of a whole new set of injustices that have fueled successive outbursts of civil strife.
Brexit Has Jeopardized Peace in Northern Ireland. Joe Biden May Help Salvage it
As far as the Northern Ireland peace process is concerned, Biden and his fellow Democrats have “skin in the game.” Peace in Ireland is one of the defining achievements of American foreign policy.