Madam, - I found the letter by Mr John O'Neill in your edition of October 7th nothing less than inspiring. It is indeed most encouraging to realise that there are people who can see past their noses and envisage a long-term solution to Northern Ireland's problems, which go back at least as far as the Williamite wars of the 17th century.
As I see it, the causes of the conflict could be defined as basically just two: Irishness and Britishness (the Northern Ireland versions), in whatever order you like; and an absolute and inflexible refusal by each to tolerate, or accommodate the other. Throw in the accompanying sectarian divide and you have the present insoluble morass.
Mr O'Neill's football analogy is indeed quite accurate, but, in this case, it was a very nasty game and we cannot have extra time, much less a replay. Time has indeed run out for a sordid struggle that has spanned most of the past 30 years. Enough is enough.
The identities of one or both of the two conflicting sides cannot, however, simply be wiped out at a single stroke, but they could be put in a totally new context by a series of simple, straightforward steps. I have set these out before and I now repeat them in the hope that a meaningful debate may result.
1. The British Government makes an immediate declaration to withdraw totally, including its armed forces, from Northern Ireland.
2. The Government of the Irish Republic makes a formal declaration that it has no interest in, or intention of, invading, annexing or taking a direct role in the administration of Northern Ireland.
3. Northern Ireland becomes a UN protectorate, under the patronage of the EU, of which it becomes a full member.
4. Northern Ireland is administered by its own democratically elected assembly, backed up by a council of state with special powers in areas of minorities and equality treatment, comprising two NI representatives and one each from London, Dublin, the EU and the UN.
It has no involvement in foreign affairs and no army. If the civil police force needs back-up, it comes come from an EU or UN rapid reaction force.
5. A massive programme of reform and development is put in place, financed by London (which would now be saving a fortune), the EU and possibly the Republic. A new Tiger would be quite likely - its name eludes me.
6. This arrangement should run for 20-25 years - in the context of Northern Ireland, that's nothing. At the end of that period, a new Northern Ireland would decide its own future - from whatever options were then open to it - and, it goes without saying, by democratic and constitutional means.
This proposal would work, because it would force a total re-think by the two factions in Northern Ireland. Each believes it has the taken-for-granted backing of one of the two respective governments/states/armies. It does not. There is little doubt but that the British have wanted out (for the past 20 years, at least), but have been quietly restrained from doing so by successive Irish Governments ( "If they can't handle it, how could we")?
Secondly, the various secret armies would become redundant: as the "obvious" enemies disappear, so would their raison d'être. They could set upon each other, Rwanda-style, but this is highly unlikely. Thirdly, the pragmatic Ulster man/woman would very quickly put a stop to the destructive shenanigans on the streets as soon as the penny dropped that it was now on them, with no benign British taxpayer or insurance underwriter to pick up the tab.
Can Mr Adams, his decommissioned friends and their counterparts in the other community - and in particular, those represented by the DUP - rise to the challenge and enter the world of realpolitik? That is the real question.
Yes, there is an element of cutting apron strings and indeed umbilical cords involved - but, properly done, these do not normally cause problems.
Would we get a glimpse of the bright new dawn wistfully dreamed of by a few idealistic people? I would certainly hope so. - Yours, etc,
JOHN NEWMAN, Dublin 11.