ABSTRACT
B y the mid-1980s, there was a mil i tary stalemate in Nor the rn Ireland. Ou t r igh t defeat o f the I R A appeared unl ikely . Equal ly , it was apparent that the I R A cou ld not force a Br i t i sh wi thdrawal . T o end its campaign, the I R A needed to be convinced that Br i t a in had no particular desire to stay i n N o r t h e r n Ireland and might wi thdraw at some poin t i n the future. I f Br i t a in gave a strong indica t ion o f wi thdrawal , there was a risk o f Loyalist violence. C o u l d this d i l e m m a be resolved and a peace process created?
