Belfast -- an Old City of Conflict is now a New City of Cool

"People are building bridges.  The most important bridge been built is in each and every person...It's important to being part of the solution, not part of the problem."  

Arthur Magee 

As a teenager growing up in Georgia, I heard a lot of news of the centuries-old conflict in Northern Ireland.   The problem is, I really didn't understand it.  To me, this conflict was similar to the enduring Israel-Palestine conflict with no end in sight.  Sadly, the news seemed so remote, with no direct, personal impact, and I felt so detached.  I never expected to visit this country with my own eyes -- it was never on my radar scope, up until now.


So when I found out I would be visiting Mark and Lee (friends who I met at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in DC three years ago), I realized there was a lot to learn.

Belfast is known for its troubles and religious conflict.  For over 25 years, the IRA was very busy here.  On Bloody Friday 1972, the IRA set off 22 bombs killing 9 people and injuring about 120.  The city had not experienced such a day of death and bloodshed since the German blitz of Easter Tuesday 1941. Nearly 1,000 lives were lost and 100,000 people became homeless.  One main fault was that when the bombs dropped, people did not know what to do.  There were no bomb shelters.  They did not know whether to run, hide or stay in their beds. The IRA hoped they would be just as successful in catching the government and the people unprepared in hopes of getting Northern Ireland out of the UK.

Truly, there was only one main pursuit: The Irish Republicans wanted a united Ireland. However, there never such a state as a united Ireland.  After all as a detached foreigner, I didn't truly understand what the big deal was, other than the name and the unity.  Truly, Northern Ireland and Ireland enjoyed an open border where citizens could cross either side freely without having to produce a passport.  So what's in a name?

Background

The conflict between the Catholics and the Protestant isn't  really about religion.  It stemmed from differences in social classes. The majority of the population in Ireland was Catholic.  They never underwent the church reform that England did in the 1500s.

Hostility arose between Catholics and Protestant when England began to establish plantations in Ireland and act as a colonial power.

When British troops were first sent to Northern Ireland in 1969, they made the mistake by targeting the Catholics.  At first, the Catholics welcomed the troops, but when the forces were unilaterally against them, the Provisional IRA emerged as the key insurgent force opposing Protestant political domination.

Meanwhile, the battle became quite international.  Irish Americans supported the IRA with money and weapons.

So what transpired? Warfare and bloodshed can only do so much to effect change. Eventually the common people, even those who are avidly supportive of the cause, got literally exhausted with all this nonsense.  So the IRA suffered a major public relations debacle.  Public support for the cause had dwindled while Britain continued to refuse to withdraw.

In the 1970's, Peace Walls ranging in length from a few hundred yards to three miles, were built in Western Belfast to separate Catholic and Protestant communities.  Today, many of these walls still exist, an interest to tourists and serve as a reminder of what was once sectarian violence.

As public support for the IRA dwindled, the leaders of the IRA decided to shift from armed conflict to political engagement.  

The talks eventually led to a Northern Ireland cease fire in 1994 which paved the way for the Belfast agreement.  This cessation of military operations ended over 30 years of guerrilla warfare in an attempt to achieve a united Ireland through constitutional means.

Good Friday

In 1998, the Belfast Agreement was signed becoming a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process.  It committed all participants to democratic and peaceful means of resolving differences.  The agreement also allowed people born in Northern Ireland to choose between British or Irish citizenship or both.

In the past, in order to travel almost anywhere in Northern Ireland, you would have to get checked and searched.  Throughout Belfast, there would be traces of bombing.  The Europa Hotel was damaged by the IRA, a record 33 times.

The New Belfast

But today, the Belfast you see is nothing like what it once was.  Belfast is teeming with walkable sidewalks and courtyards.  There are plenty of cyclists and open spaces in the city core, near Victoria Park and near the waterfront.

Victoria Square is a modern, state-of-the-art shopping complex.  The Belfast you see now is open, trendy,  and fashionable.

Our tour guide, Arthur Magee captured it best:

"People are building bridges.  The most important bridge been built is in each and every person.
It's important to being part of the solution, not part of the problem."

The First Protestant church in Belfast on Rosemary Street, managed by Raymond O'Regan is opened to everyone.  It's amazing to hear that the Protestant Church contributed large sums of money for the Catholic population.

This church, the oldest surviving church in Belfast, dates back to 1783.  The church is beautiful with intricate wood carvings and stained glass windows that commemorate local families and former members of the parish.  It is a living, breathing museum:

Dr. William Drennan preached here and is credited with the idea of uniting Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter. Dr. Drennan also advocated inoculation against small pox and hand washing to prevent infection. Inside the church is a moving eulogy written in 1776 by his son Dr. William Drennan for his father.  Both the words and handwriting are beautiful.  Thomas Andrews designer of the Titanic also attended church here.

This church is a wonderful living, breathing museum and brings the beautiful Belfast past to the very present.

Gay Rights

I happened to be in Belfast for the Gay Pride Weekend.  I could not help but notice that Belfast prides itself for being tolerant and understanding and wants to send that message loud and clear to the rest of the world.

Despite what your views are on Gay rights, it's important that Belfast is showing a major change from sectarian arguments to social acceptance and promotion of all people, regardless of race, religion or sexual preference.


Applications to Baghdad

So where are we going with this and what applications are there with today's conflicts.  Similarly, when American forces came into Baghdad in 2003, they were welcomed as liberators.  But the US and allies faced a full-blown and powerful Sunni insurgency who perceived the US as siding with the Shiites.

We know where we have failed.  We should have sent more troops to fight the war and control the situation in the earlier stages of the war.  The sectarian violence that escalated in 2006 quickly overwhelmed the Iraqi political process.

The abrupt fall of Baghdad was accompanied by widespread civil disorder and looting of public and government buildings.  Over 250,000 short tons of ordnance was looted, providing the insurgency with a significant source of ammunition.

By 2004, the insurgency expanded and instead of just targeting coalition forces, started targeting Iraqi Security Forces.

After the US disbanded Iraq's armed forces, the Iraqi resistance in the Al Anbar province was the most strongest resulting in over 1,300 KIA since the invasion, many dying in Fallujah and Ramadi.  As a result, the Administration finally resolved to a troop surge in 2007  of over 20,000 troops that was successful in breaking up the cycle of violence that the Iraqi government needed to move forward with political economical progress.

Thankfully the Surge and the Petraeus Doctrine was meeting the military objectives.  The Iraqui forces had dealt significant blows to Al-Qaeda and disrupted Shia militias, and tribal rejection of Al-Qaeda had spread from the Anbar Province to other parts of Iraq.

The offensive against Al Qaeda in Iraq has been quite successfully over the last few years.  Just like with the IRA, violent and discriminate attacks directed by AQI against civilians had severely damaged their image resulting in a huge loss of public support.  In addition, many former Sunni militants began to shift over and start working with the multi-national forces.  This is where the troop surge was successful in killing many high-level AQI members, thus seriously weakening the group.  Today, AQI has been driven out in places including the Al Anbar province.  Just like with the IRA, you cannot win overwhelming public support by inciting mass terrorism and bloodshed. Eventually the people will get tired and start rebelling against them.

As a result, the US is now drawing down and transitioning increased responsibilities to Iraqi forces.  From a peak of 170,000 forces in 2007, a transitional force of 50,000 troops will remain to train and advise Iraqi security forces, protect US civilians and conduct counter-terrorism operations.

And today, the security, political and economical situation in Iraq continues to be positive.  The deepening peace in Northern Ireland has taken 40 years to craft.  It took a lot of strategy, negotiation and most of all patience.  The war in Iraq is over seven years old now.  Let's hope this long, drawn-out saga will end peacefully in a happy note just like it has for the people of Northern Ireland, and hopefully a lot sooner.