"The briefing document, published as part of the annual release of Government documents from the National Archives, notes Mr Bush's comments that his government would "make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbour them" as a potential "precursor of this zero-tolerance approach to terrorism which may now drive US foreign and defence policy"."
"While noting it was "very early days" to assess the consequences on the foreign policy of US president George W Bush's administration, the official predicted that the US could not enter a prolonged period of introspection when matters of internal security and dealing with terrorism would "dominate the agenda for a long time to come"."
"The official said that the peace process would have to compete for space on the US foreign policy agenda, while noting that the war on terrorism could cause US lawmakers to take a more "exacting approach" with republicans in Northern Ireland due to the "whiff of cordite"."
Irish officials believed the September 11, 2001 attacks would affect how US politicians viewed the Northern Ireland peace process. A government official prepared a briefing 24 hours after the attacks assessing potential impacts. The briefing predicted the Bush administration would prioritize internal security and counterterrorism, limiting US introspection and reducing available attention for the peace process. The briefing warned that US lawmakers might adopt a more exacting stance toward republicans in Northern Ireland because of perceived links to violence. The briefing advised factoring these shifts into any review of the Good Friday Agreement and timing of visits to Washington DC.
Read at Irish Independent
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