At some point, hopefully sooner than later, the overwhelming majority of Iraqi troops might realize that there is more risk in going against our forces than in turning on the more hardcore elements of the regime.
Northern Ireland has been part of the UK since around ~1600, give or take. (It's been claimed since ~1200). There's only ever been a tiny minority in arms against us - nothing like the 20% Sunni, or the ~5% active Baathists, or even the 120K fedayeen. We're talking a few hundred, maybe a few thousand at IRA peak.
It's been killing our soldiers every year, and they haven't settled yet. Plus our soldiers aren't a different colour, and speak the same language, and are often the same religion, sometimes the same nationality, and haven't been conditioned by all they've ever heard or seen to hate us - they even went in specifically to save Catholics from the harshness of Protestant rule...
nothing says it will be easy, or cheap, or lead to anything bar more bitterness and deaths.
And our occupation of Ulster hasn't exactly reduced terrorism in the UK, either. |
