The normalisation of society in Northern Ireland, under a powersharing Executive, a functioning Assembly and a reformed police service, will reach an important milestone at midnight when the British army formally declares an end to "Operation Banner" and prepares for the final phase in a withdrawal of troops, the closure of army barracks and the dismantling of watchtowers.
These measures, along with the decommissioning of illegal weapons and the disarmament of paramilitary organisations, were provided for under the Belfast Agreement, which was signed all of nine years ago. But progress has been difficult to achieve in Northern Ireland. Implementation only became possible through a succession of political accommodations that eventually resulted in the formation of a powersharing Executive led by the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin.
At the height of the Troubles some 27,000 British military personnel were deployed in the North at more than 100 army bases. During 38 years of conflict some 763 servicemen and women were killed. Under the normalisation process, the number of troops will be reduced to below 5,000 and the number of bases to 10. Training will continue. But the soldiers involved will be deployed elsewhere.
The use of troops on the streets in 1969 was designed to prevent a slide into anarchy and possible civil war. Their deployment was welcomed initially by nationalists. But their role in supporting the RUC and the civil power, while disarming and interning republicans, brought about alienation and the growth of the Provisional IRA.
An internal review of activities under "Operation Banner" concluded there was little evidence of a strategic army vision and no long-term plan. It criticised the British government's failure to deal with discrimination and deprivation, underlying causes of the conflict. The British army became part of the problem because of its assigned role in support of the status quo. Conflict with the Provisional IRA was only resolved through political developments which led to the peace process, the Belfast Agreement and the establishment of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
The distance travelled by both communities is immense, even if disturbing echoes of the past reverberate at times of tension. Investment in Northern Ireland has increased. Jobs are being created. Support for the PSNI is widely shared. This is reflected by the removal of fortifications at police stations. And police officers are now patrolling on foot, rather than in armoured vehicles. Inevitably, people will argue about who won the war.
It is a sterile exercise. At this stage, winning the peace in Northern Ireland is all that should matter for people who experienced hatred and bloodshed and wasted far too many opportunities. Both communities have had the legitimacy of their political aspirations recognised. At this point of departure, co-operation rather than division offers a bright future.