Question: How was the US able to negotiate the
Good Friday Agreement?
Thesis: US ability to apply pressure and appear neutral to both
sides of the conflict enabled the success of the peace negotiations.
OUTLINE for writing
I.
Introduction
II.
The
Troubles
A. Definition –While appears to be a religious
issue, more of a State issue.
B. Early historiography depicts the conflict
as religious à Appearance of intractable
C. Actually stems from political civil
rights movement
III.
Various
Groups Involved in Conflict
D. Provisional Irish Republican Army
(Provos) + Other Irish Nationalist groups v. Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) + Other Loyalist
organizations
E. Role of Britain – Negotiator to maintain
order, difficulty staying as a neutral b/c history
F. Role of Ireland – Hands off, but with
some sympathy
G. Unionists in Ulster – Keep the status
quo, reactionaries brought to the front
H. Transition à US role
IV.
Early
US Involvement in The Troubles
A. Hands off, British domestic issue à Let Britain deal with it
B. Irish Americans supporting PIRA
V.
Later
US Involvement in The Troubles
A. US cooperation with Britain to prevent
PIRA gun smuggling (REAGAN)
B. Direct intervention with peace offers and
talks
C. US successful diplomacy b/c could vouch
and support both sides (3rd Party)
D. Support from both British and Irish Government
as well
VI.
Britain’s
Problems as a Negotiator (Transition: Past peace attempts)
A. Ulster voting block of North Ireland with
political sway à Conservative vote
VII.
The
Good Friday Agreement (Transition: Successful Peace attempt)
A. Involvement of George J. Mitchell from
Clinton Administration and the commission
B. Principles of non-violence
VIII.
Issues
with American Neutrality Image
A. Seen as source of Irish republican
support by Loyalists
B. Negatively impacted during elections
possible by Irish voting block
C. The Boston College Oral History Project à New
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