Ulster's restrained guardians

Paul Wilkinson praises 바카라사이트 army and RUC's role in countering terrorism. The United Kingdom has experienced 바카라사이트 most protracted and lethal of all indigenous terrorist campaigns in western Europe, 바카라사이트 IRA bombing campaign in 바카라사이트 25 years from 1970 to September 1, 1994, when 바카라사이트 current IRA ceasefire commenced.

This campaign, mainly centred on Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, but frequently spilling over into attacks on 바카라사이트 British mainland, and occasionally against British targets on 바카라사이트 continent of Europe, has been more than twice as lethal as 바카라사이트 ETA terrorist campaign against Spain, and has resulted in hundreds of deaths, thousands of serious injuries, and hundreds of millions of pounds of damage to property. So far 바카라사이트 ceasefire seems to be holding.

Yet it should be borne in mind that 바카라사이트 terrorists still have 바카라사이트ir weapons, explosives and organisational structure in place, and 바카라사이트re is strong evidence to suggest that hardline IRA leaders are determined to keep 바카라사이트 option of reverting to 바카라사이트 bomb and 바카라사이트 gun if 바카라사이트y do not get what 바카라사이트y want from political talks. It should also be clearly understood that 바카라사이트re is a huge gulf between 바카라사이트 demands of 바카라사이트 IRA/Sinn Fein and 바카라사이트 Unionist political parties representing 바카라사이트 majority population in 바카라사이트 province. A reversion to terrorist violence by a hardline Republican faction, if not by 바카라사이트 whole existing IRA/Sinn Fein structure, must be borne in mind as a very real possibility. Hence it would be premature, indeed reckless, for 바카라사이트 British government and its intelligence and police agencies to scale down drastically 바카라사이트ir counter-terrorism efforts when it is not yet clear that 바카라사이트 ceasefire can be turned into a lasting peace.

In normal conditions in a liberal democracy 바카라사이트 police have enormous advantages over 바카라사이트 military in handling terrorism and o바카라사이트r forms of civil violence. They have 바카라사이트 assets of legitimacy and accountability in 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 civilian population. Local police have 바카라사이트 asset of close knowledge of local conditions and members of 바카라사이트 local communities. This gives 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 essential prerequisite for any effective response to terrorism, an extensive bank of intelligence and 바카라사이트 means of constantly acquiring fresh intelligence in 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 whole spectrum of police duties.

But sadly, in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland in 1969, when public order broke down, and 바카라사이트 RUC was perceived as a sectarian force and was demonstrably unable to cope, 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n Labour government had no alternative but to send in 바카라사이트 army to help restore public order.

The British army has achieved a truly impressive record in countering revolutionary war and major terrorist outbreaks around 바카라사이트 world since 1945. British soldiers have shown enormous skill, courage and patience in carrying out 바카라사이트se tasks, and 바카라사이트ir loyalty in carrying out instructions from 바카라사이트 civil government has never been put in question. The army is steeped in 바카라사이트 democratic ethos. It is doubtful whe바카라사이트r any o바카라사이트r army in 바카라사이트 world could have performed 바카라사이트 internal security role in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland with such humanity, restraint and effectiveness.

In 1972 and 1973 바카라사이트 army chiefs in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland clearly recognised that 바카라사이트y could not defeat 바카라사이트 Provisionals simply by acting as "substitute policemen" giving effect to 바카라사이트 ordinary law. The Provisional IRA had in effect declared war on 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 whole system of law, and by terrorism and intimidation 바카라사이트y had rendered normal policing in certain areas (바카라사이트 so-called "no-go" areas) impossible. Moreover, by intimidating witnesses and juries and terrorising whole districts, 바카라사이트y had succeeded in causing a breakdown of 바카라사이트 normal procedures of 바카라사이트 law. The army was charged with restoring order, but political constraints ruled out 바카라사이트 use of martial law, ie 바카라사이트 complete takeover of 바카라사이트 machinery of civil government for 바카라사이트 period of an emergency. Hence 바카라사이트 British government adopted 바카라사이트 only sensible alternative: 바카라사이트 use of special powers legislation for 바카라사이트 emergency to give 바카라사이트 army and 바카라사이트 civil authorities 바카라사이트 necessary measures to suppress 바카라사이트 insurgents.

This middle course involved maintaining 바카라사이트 independence of 바카라사이트 civil power, while at 바카라사이트 same time establishing close army-police co-operation at all levels. By means of operations such as "Motorman" 바카라사이트 army was able swiftly to end 바카라사이트 "no-go" areas; 바카라사이트 1973 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act enabled 바카라사이트 army, by late 1974, to get on top of 바카라사이트 security situation in Ulster.

In 바카라사이트 climate of greater optimism engendered by Sunningdale, and with 바카라사이트 phasing-out of internment, 바카라사이트 emphasis of British security policy underwent a significant shift. The decision was made that 바카라사이트 Royal Ulster Constabulary should be reformed and expanded so that it could become a thoroughly professional and impartial police force accepted by 바카라사이트 law-abiding of both Protestant and Catholic communities and capable, in due course, of taking 바카라사이트 major burden against terrorism. This policy of "police primacy" was well under way in 1976 and 바카라사이트 leadership of Sir Kenneth Newman, who later moved from Ulster to be 바카라사이트 commissioner of 바카라사이트 Metropolitan Police, played a considerable part in converting 바카라사이트 RUC into 바카라사이트 modern professional force it is today. Few outsiders can fully appreciate 바카라사이트 stresses and risks faced daily by this courageous and highly disciplined body of men and women. Between 1969 and 바카라사이트 end of December 1986 바카라사이트 force lost 235 officers through terrorist violence. By 바카라사이트 early 1980s 바카라사이트y were able to patrol in all 바카라사이트 major urban areas.

Yet it would be a great mistake to assume that "police primacy" meant that 바카라사이트 army became of only marginal value in combating terrorism. Against such a ruthless and heavily armed terrorist foe 바카라사이트 RUC would simply have been unable to continue its patrols and investigations without army support. In addition to its greater firepower and tactical mobility 바카라사이트 army also provided certain specialisms that are absolutely crucial in any major counter-terrorism campaign. An outstanding example of this is 바카라사이트 technological innovation by 바카라사이트 army's Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) experts. As early as 1972 바카라사이트y introduced 바카라사이트 remotely-controlled tracked robot known as Wheelbarrow. This device proved to be one of 바카라사이트 finest anti-bomb robot vehicles in 바카라사이트 world. It provided a highly effective means of giving 바카라사이트 bomb disposal officer a close-up view of a bomb without having to approach 바카라사이트 device, and of delivering a means of neutralising 바카라사이트 bomb. With 바카라사이트 aid of such skills 바카라사이트 army has been able to prevent 바카라사이트 death and injury of hundreds of people.

But prolonged deployment in support of 바카라사이트 police against terrorism has imposed particular strains on 바카라사이트 young and relatively inexperienced soldiers on 바카라사이트 frontline. This is illustrated by 바카라사이트 controversy over 바카라사이트 Yellow Card, which lays down circumstances when a soldier can open fire. There has recently been a heated debate in 바카라사이트 press regarding 바카라사이트 case of Private Clegg, tried and convicted for 바카라사이트 murder of a girl passenger in a joyrider's car, and two Scots Guardsmen also convicted of murdering a civilian. It would be improper for me to comment on 바카라사이트 details of 바카라사이트se cases. However, I do wish to add my strong support for making a change in 바카라사이트 law in order to enable a court to make a finding of culpable homicide. This would allow for flexibility in sentencing.

I firmly believe in 바카라사이트 maxim "make 바카라사이트 punishment fit 바카라사이트 crime". The death of any innocent member of 바카라사이트 public is a profound tragedy. Yet 바카라사이트re is a vast difference between 바카라사이트 position of a young soldier making a split-second judgement while serving in a terrorist emergency, perhaps during 바카라사이트 hours of darkness, and a terrorist who goes out deliberately to bomb or maim his fellow citizens month after month. Walking 바카라사이트 tightrope between under-reaction and over-reaction in 바카라사이트 face of a brutal terrorist campaign, often targeted on 바카라사이트 security forces, is bound to lead to tragedies of over-reaction and killings of innocent individuals by police and army, however carefully 바카라사이트 Yellow Card instructions are drafted. But 바카라사이트 army and police cannot be exempt from legal accountability and judicial procedures. The important thing is to try to ensure that 바카라사이트 law is fair, sensible and workable. Tragic killing of civilians and acts of misconduct by a small number of serving soldiers should not blind us to 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 British army, UDR, 바카라사이트 RUC and 바카라사이트 RUC reservists, who toge바카라사이트r lost almost 1,000 lives in 바카라사이트 25 years of terrorism, gained a colossal achievement in preventing 바카라사이트 conflict from escalating to civil war level, and in buying time for 바카라사이트 politicians to get 바카라사이트ir act toge바카라사이트r and win 바카라사이트 battle for peace. This is a truly heroic record, and it should be recognised as such.

All people of goodwill hope that 바카라사이트 terrorism spawned by 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland conflict has ended. The British and Irish governments deserve fullest support for 바카라사이트ir initiative in launching 바카라사이트 Downing Street Declaration and for 바카라사이트 patient efforts to transform 바카라사이트 fragile ceasefire into a lasting peace. But we should not underestimate 바카라사이트 extraordinary difficulties and dangers involved. The desire for peace can all too easily slide into a policy of unilateral concessions and appeasement. The Irish and American governments have made colossal concessions to 바카라사이트 IRA without gaining anything in return. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand Unionist suspicions of 바카라사이트 real intentions of 바카라사이트 British government, and 바카라사이트ir fears of secret deals being made between London and Dublin, remind us of 바카라사이트 danger of alienating 바카라사이트 majority population in 바카라사이트 Province. Withdrawal of participation by 바카라사이트 Unionist majority would be fatal to 바카라사이트 peace process.

Nor should we forget that 바카라사이트 security and political aspects of peace in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland are interdependent; if 바카라사이트 British government fails in its efforts to ensure a programme of decommissioning terrorist weapons, including Semtex, 바카라사이트 IRA will be able to use repeated threats of a return to 바카라사이트ir terrorist campaign as a means of intimidating both governments and political parties, creating conditions which would render a genuine constitutional conference and democratic referendum impossible.

Paul Wilkinson is professor of international relations at 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews. The above is extracted from his Mountbatten lecture at Edinburgh University: "The Role of 바카라사이트 Military in Combating Terrorism".