[Benson_Carter]

the last foothold of the Crown's Empire? I dunno, you tell me.

What was that about Scottish self-determination vs oil off their coast???

[slhill]

Well, it's possible that the British gov't views Northern Ireland as the last vestiges of its Empire and won't let go for that reason, but it's a pretty odd scenario. This gov't is not, after all, a gov't widely believed to have a huge attachment to history, precedent and tradition. If Blair could get more votes through helping to end the conflict, then that's what he'd do. And of course, that's what he's done. But he won't win votes by letting a civil war develop. As for Scotland -- if a majority of Scots wanted to end their ties to England, it would happen. But they don't. Scottish nationalism is an important, but not an overwhelming, force in Scottish politics.