Knowledge Bank

As violence became the new normal for Northern Ireland in the 1970s, Irish Americans began to financially and morally support the Irish Republican Army as the most legitimate actor in the conflict, harkening back to their antiquated conceptions of the "Irish question." Diasporic organizations such as the Irish National Caucus and Northern Irish Aid lobbied the US government to end implicit support for British policy in Northern Ireland and support the reunification of the island, indicating a lack of information on the dynamics governing the conflict. Congressmen with vocal constituencies began to adopt Irish American positions, unknowingly supporting the militant republicanism of the IRA. The American understanding of the conflict was wholly different from the realities on the ground. Thus, four of the most prominent Irish American politicians made it their mission to redirect Americans' misguided understanding toward a moderate, peaceful message. In order to effectively persuade the public, these politicians persuaded President Jimmy Carter to issue a statement on Northern Ireland. The Carter Initiative began a precedent of American involvement in Northern Ireland to promote peace, one that was built upon by Presidents Reagan, H.W. Bush, and most consequentially, Clinton.