Lessons on Iraq From Northern Ireland

By Michael Medved

Great Britain recently observed an historic milestone that sends a powerful message to the United States. After 27 years of conflict, the British officially ended their military presence in Northern Ireland. At one time, they maintained 106 bases and 27,000 troops in the embattled province, but growing cooperation between Catholics and Protestants in the Northern Irish government, and the disarming of sectarian militias, now make British troops unnecessary.

A succession of prime ministers, both Tory and Labour, wisely defied calls for a premature pullout from those who insisted that Her Majesty's forces had no business in the midst of a seemingly endless civil war. As with American troops in Korea, the decades-long British presence has been costly, dangerous and controversial, but ultimately allowed reconciliation and stability to take hold.

A similar outcome in Iraq is a distinct possibility, but only if the United States maintains a patient focus on the long-term horizon and our national interest.