American Influences on the Northern Ireland Peace Process

This article has three aims. First, it presents a narrative account of the American involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process. Second, it attempts to explain why the level and extent of American involvement, particularly from President Bill Clinton, has been so great. It is argued that part of the rationale for Clinton's involvement in the peace process can be located in the wider picture of Clinton's foreign policy and his linkage of foreign policy with the domestic economy. The third aim is to argue that for a number of reasons, mainly internal to Northern Ireland, the impact of the American involvement is likely to diminish.