A lesson from Northern Ireland

The peace process in Northern Ireland can be a model for solving conflicts in other parts of the world, writes Jonathan Powell, long-standing chief of staff to Tony Blair. In an article entitled "What I learned in Belfast," Powell proposes dialogue with terrorists. "The main lesson is a simple one: the past intractability of a conflict is no guide to the future. ... There are other, more specific lessons. You cannot reach peace unless the key actors accept that a military victory is impossible. ... The one conclusion I have come to above all else ... is the importance of talking to your enemy. ... To argue that al Qaeda or the Taliban are different and that therefore you cannot talk to them is nonsense. Of course they are different, but terrorists are terrorists. What they do is evil, regardless of the cause. But you need to find a way to deal with them."

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