For example, the status of Northern Ireland must ultimately be changed by a British Parliament, not simply by the people of Northern Ireland. If there were a prime minister not as enlightened as Tony Blair, or one without his 170-vote plurality, the issue would become a political football again. Unfortunately, there is precedent for British deceit and treachery in Ireland. You cite unionist-loyalist fears of IRA prisoner releases but in fact to date, no IRA prisoner has been permanently released by Britain as a result of this dialogue or agreement. Once again, Britain controls the release of any prisoners.
Peace now has a chance in Ireland.
But because of Britain's meddlesome role, that chance is slim. I found that often I used more red ink on papers that received good grades than on those I graded as poor. When a student understood the subject, I could nit-pick to try to expand his understanding and show him nuances. When he did not have a clue, there was not much point in going into such detail. The Monitor welcomes your letters.