Iraq must learn from Ireland

At a London lecture Peter Hain will talk of the lessons the world can learn from the war and peace process in the north of Ireland. Mr Hain argues that fundamental principles which operated in the province's peace process can be applied elsewhere including Iraq. He will talk how in Iraq there was a major lack of understanding of the sectarian nature of the make up of the people and inner borders that existed across the country - a problem which was compounded by post-invasion policy failures.
He will stress that a the north of Ireland style of political process in Iraq involving Sunni and Shia leaders will undermine extremists, according to Peter Hain.
However Mr Hain rules out any talks with al Qaida and other Jihadist groups, claiming they represent an anti-democratic and altogether different terrorist threat.
Mr Hain will tell the specially invited audience at Chatham House in London: "One thing is abundantly clear: there can never be an exclusively military solution to any of these problems. There is always a need to create space and time, free from violence in which the primacy of politics can be asserted. At best, military force can contain a terrorist campaign. It can never address the causes and security and political objectives must be in balance. Political capacity must be developed even when the conflict is ongoing and the only way to do that is to identify and be prepared to work with key individuals and constructive forces on all sides and that will mean talking to 'the enemy'.
There must also be inclusive dialogue at every level - in secret if necessary - wherever there are negotiable objectives and that dialogue must be sustained even, or perhaps especially, in the face of violence and that will mean taking political risks to underpin political progress. But there cannot be constructive dialogue if there are inflexible and rigid preconditions. Above all there is a need to grip and micro-manage a conflict at a high political level."

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Iraq must learn from Ireland