Imperfect peace is better than war

The political "crisis' or the wile handlin' in political circles in Northern Ireland last week was unedifying.

Anyone who has followed closely the process that has taken us from the dark days of 'The Troubles', through the Downing Street Declaration and Good Friday Agreement to today knows that the OTRs (on the runs) have been part of story and Republicans' list of issues for all that time. If I was Peter Robinson or anyone in the DUP I wouldn't have made the fuss they made last week as it exposes two things; they weren't paying proper attention over the last few years- they cannot credibly say they didn't know about the OTR deal as it is a matter of public record- and they weren't as effective as Sinn Fein at negotiating similar arrangements for loyalists or those soldiers involved in Bloody Sunday. The hand wringing last week did them no credit at all.

We must however separate two issues. The scheme itself- right or wrong- which has been around for some time, and the calamitous, incompetent decision to send a letter as part of this scheme to John Downey. The latter was a disgrace. The former an unpalatable but probably necessary part of negotiating a settlement to end a war.

Making peace is about compromise. Sometimes inelegant, ugly compromise. But compromise for a bigger purpose. Compromise for peace. The peace we have in Northern Ireland is imperfect but it is a million times better than the awful spectre that stood over that great island for so many years.