The old British Telecom advert ‘It’s good to talk’ has become an article of faith for the current British government in recommending how other states deal with terrorists. They have certainly been very free with their advice to all and sundry. One might call them evangelists of garrulousness.

The Northern Ireland example has also given birth to conflict-resolution tourism. Tony Blair frequently advised successive Spanish governments regarding ETA, before dividing his time, as they say, between his faith foundation, instructing the Pope, and solving ‘the Middle East conflict’, in apparent ignorance that there are a couple of dozen conflicts in that region. 

Former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Paul Murphy and Martin McGuinness have had dealings with the Tamil Tigers, while McGuinness bobbed up in Finland with rival Iraqi Shiites and Sunnis. The former MI6 agent Alistair Crooke has moved to Beirut so as to meddle with Hamas and