Operation Banner ends

Operation Banner, the Army's emergency operation in Northern Ireland, finally comes to an end tomorrow at midnight. Lasting 38 years it was the Army's longest continuous ever campaign involving more than 300,000 personnel. 763 soldiers were killed during the operation.

The Army will maintain 5,000 troops on garrison duties, thus bringing Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK. Security will be the responsibility of the police.

As I have said before I am pretty agnostic on the future of Northern Ireland (whether it stays part of the UK or forms part of a united Ireland that is). Whatever happens the resolution must be peaceful. I hope that (nationalist AND loyalist) terrorism has been consigned to the dustbin of history and we never see a similar operation in Northern Ireland again