Wistful Bill Clinton Remembers Good Friday, Avoids the Campaign

A reflective and sometimes wistful-sounding Bill Clinton largely steered clear of campaign issues last night at a Manhattan event honoring him for his contribution to the Irish peace process.

Though he briefly thanked an introductory speaker for complimenting his wife’s engagement with Irish issues, including the peace process, and made a glancing reference to Read More

From Terrorists to Statesmen

The Middle East peace process, frozen to the point of lifelessness, may be starting to thaw.

After the swearing in over the weekend of a Palestinian unity government, cracks quickly began to appear in the Western diplomatic boycott to which the Palestinians have been subjected since Hamas’ victory in last year’s elections.

Norway’s deputy foreign Read More

Pataki Sidesteps His Adams Problem

This St. Patrick’s Day, Governor George Pataki is not expected to break Irish soda bread with his pal from Belfast, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. Given Mr. Adams’ harsh, little-noticed words for the Bush administration in mid-February, Mr. Pataki may want to jot a quick note of thanks to Mr. Adams for not visiting Albany. Read More

Clinton Gives Peace

It has been said here and elsewhere, but it bears repeating: President Bill Clinton, fairly and unfairly maligned for all sorts of foreign policy mishaps, has helped win peace in a corner of the earth that has known intractable conflict for most of the millennium. Peace in Northern Ireland would be a stunning triumph for Read More

Clinton Gives Peace A Chance in Ireland

It has been said here and elsewhere, but it bears repeating: President Bill Clinton, fairly and unfairly maligned for all sorts of foreign policy mishaps, has helped win peace in a corner of the earth that has known intractable conflict for most of the millennium. Peace in Northern Ireland would be a stunning triumph for Read More

After Adams’ Glamour, Hume Is the Real Thing

John Hume swept into town the other day to collect an award, to be congratulated for his long years of working for justice in Northern Ireland, and to raise the profile of the province’s Social Democrat and Labor Party, which he helped found a quarter-century ago. He traveled without entourage, without sycophantic Boswells, without celebrities Read More

City’s Irish Exiles Aren’t Thrilled

A ceramic portrait of Irish hunger-striker Bobby Sands hangs in the upstairs window of Hugh O’Lunney’s bar on West 43rd Street, his wan smile and political legacy looming large over the room in which some of New York’s Irish activists gathered to discuss the Belfast agreement announced in mid-April.

Sitting directly beneath the portrait of Read More

A Dramatic Irish Easter, Thanks to Bill Clinton

Peter King is a Republican Congressman of Nassau County who believes that English should be declared the official language of the United States, who opposes legal abortion and who supports free trade. He figures he votes with the Republican majority about 80 percent of the time. Oh, every now and again he’ll say something amounting Read More