Michael Ancram, chairman of Global Strategy Forum and one of those who did the ground-work for the Northern Ireland peace agreement pointed out the inconsistency between the American pressure on the British to open talks on Northern Ireland in the 1990s and their position now. Like all the best letters to newspapers, it is short, and well worth reading.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/debate/letters/article1421132.ece.