With a whimper of the future?

British Army ending its operation in NI

The British army's operation in Northern Ireland will come to an end at midnight on Tuesday after 38 years. Operation Banner - the Army's support role for the police - has been its longest continuous campaign, with more than 300,000 personnel taking part. A garrison of 5,000 troops will remain but security will be entirely the responsibility of the police.

British troops were sent to Northern Ireland in 1969 after violent clashes between Catholics and Protestants.

When the first soldiers were deployed in August 1969, commanders believed they would be in Northern Ireland for just a few weeks.

perhaps a portent of the US withdrawal from Iraq in 2041 ? when so very few will even notice the failure ?